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iOS 15 updates for FaceTime includes links, SharePlay, and more at WWDC 21

Apple's proprietary FaceTime app is getting some major updates with the release of iOS 15.

Ozzie Mejia

June 7, 2021 10:20 AM

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Apple's WWDC 2021 presentation kicked off with a fresh look into what's coming with iOS 15. One of the Apple programs that will receive a major update will be FaceTime, which will now be more poised to compete with Zoom and Discord.

The biggest update coming to FaceTime is SharePlay, which will allow FaceTime users to share experiences together on various other apps. This includes callers being able to watch movies on apps like HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu; watch live entertainment from Twitch or the NBA; or even watch the latest viral videos on TikTok. Users will also be able to engage with other apps through the picture-in-picture feature, such as takeout apps. All of these apps can be integrated through an API made available to developers and additional apps are expected to become compatible with FaceTime.

FaceTime's person-to-person meetings will also receive a boost with several quality-of-life improvements. FaceTime calls will now feature spatial audio, better allowing users to determine who is speaking in a group call by making a person's audio come out of their portrait. Voice isolation will block ambient noise through audio compression, while visibility will be improved with the introduction of Grid View and Portrait Mode.

Apple is also adding the ability to share links to FaceTime calls, putting the company in a better position to compete with the likes of Zoom. FaceTime Links will allow for users across both the iOS and Android ecosystems to join the same call. Windows and Mac users can also jump into calls through their desktops.

Apple's FaceTime updates will be introduced with the release of iOS 15. We'll have more to say about iOS 15, as well as the other announcements from WWDC 2021, so stay tuned to Shacknews for the latest news.

Ozzie Mejia

Senior Editor

Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?