FaceTime will now support Android and other devices from a browser
Apple will now allow users to plan FaceTime calls in advance, and the video calling platform will also support non-Apple devices like Android smartphones.

Credit: Apple
The company on Monday unveiled a new FaceTime feature for iOS 15 dubbed FaceTime links, which will be shareable via iMessage, Calendar, WhatsApp, email, or other communications platforms.
In addition to allowing users to schedule and plan FaceTime calls, the FaceTime links feature will also enable users to join a FaceTime call from a non-Apple device. That includes Android smartphones, computers, or any device that can access a web browser.
The feature comes amid a continued work-from-home and remote education environment, even as pandemic restrictions ease. It should allow FaceTime to become a more versatile alternative to platforms like Zoom or Skype for Apple users.
Along with FaceTime Links, Apple also introduced new audio and video elements to the FaceTime platform.
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Credit: Apple
The company on Monday unveiled a new FaceTime feature for iOS 15 dubbed FaceTime links, which will be shareable via iMessage, Calendar, WhatsApp, email, or other communications platforms.
In addition to allowing users to schedule and plan FaceTime calls, the FaceTime links feature will also enable users to join a FaceTime call from a non-Apple device. That includes Android smartphones, computers, or any device that can access a web browser.
The feature comes amid a continued work-from-home and remote education environment, even as pandemic restrictions ease. It should allow FaceTime to become a more versatile alternative to platforms like Zoom or Skype for Apple users.
Along with FaceTime Links, Apple also introduced new audio and video elements to the FaceTime platform.
Follow all the details of WWDC 2021 with the comprehensive AppleInsider coverage of the whole week-long event from June 7 through June 11, including details of all the new launches and updates.
Stay on top of all Apple news right from your HomePod. Say, "Hey, Siri, play AppleInsider," and you'll get latest AppleInsider Podcast. Or ask your HomePod mini for "AppleInsider Daily" instead and you'll hear a fast update direct from our news team. And, if you're interested in Apple-centric home automation, say "Hey, Siri, play HomeKit Insider," and you'll be listening to our newest specialized podcast in moments.
Comments
What they've done now is essentially for the benefit of the people who own Apple hardware. They've made it so that, if you own an iPhone and want to video conference with someone on Android, but avoid using WhatsApp and other platforms which aren't as good as Apple's when it comes to privacy, it's now possible with FaceTime.
Often my coworkers and I are unable to hear each other on video calls in Teams (mandated by the hospital). Solution: mute audio in Teams combined with a cellphone call 😬
Seriously though, don’t we always plan around fighting the last war?
But seriously, Apple has never really been good at cross-platform development (iTunes and Quicktime on Windows aren't exactly great apps). The reason why their software works so well on their own platforms is because they create everything from bottom to top, and so they have the in-house expertise to really get to the bottom of things. For example, there's nothing like having the person who actually designed the audio/video hardware explaining how to get the lowest possible latency from it. I don't think they could possibly get FaceTime to work as well on other platforms.
I always found it odd that iMessages, a primarily text oriented app, had a screen sharing feature, while FaceTime, a primarily visually oriented app did not.
(Most people I know don't realize that screen sharing from iMessage is even possible--not all that surprising, given that selecting it requires clicking the recipient's name to get the drop-down to access the Share Screen options).
Are you suggested they could have earned money from this? It’s not a financial competitor to the product version of video chat, so what opportunity did they lose? It’s free.
Er, but you have to have that license already…and the point was corporate products Teams, WebEx, Zoom for Govt and the like are all pay services (you even Teams if you need an Office license - they aren’t free!). Thus, Apple didn’t “lose” the corporate market at all — Apple was never *in* the corporate market to begin with.
It appears that in iOS 15, FaceTime SharePlay will enable screen sharing on iOS devices (as well as macOS), but not sure if it will include the ability to allow someone else to control your screen (or for you to control others) on iOS. I hope it does, because it would make those family tech support calls sooo much easier it I could control their iPhone or iPad.
On the premise that Tim and his buddies consider the FaceTime brand an important (perhaps even very important) part of the Cupertino company, then we can assume yesterdays announcement of platform agnostic FaceTime is the result of a comprehensive evaluation. Because if doesn’t deliver then end-user confidence will drop and thus a major reason to buy into the ecosystem have disappeared.
However, ’s execution of yesterdays boost in Apple Music’s audio quality is not impressive: After enabling lossless audio on the iPhone, you get three or four quality options x3 for each of the three contexts (cellular streaming, Wi-Fi streaming and downloads). What a mess!
And further, managed to provide total confusion regarding the signal chain required to take advantage of the High-Resolution Lossless option—an upgrade that instantly rendered Blusound, Sonos and other Hi-Fidelity solutions obsolete! At no extra cost!!
—let us hope cross platform FaceTime will be executed in the customary style: It just works 😋