Zoom is Coming to Amazon, Facebook, and Google Smart Displays

Zoom announced today that it is bringing its video meeting service to smart displays made by Amazon, Facebook, and Google.

“Zoom today announced that Zoom for Home is expanding to smart displays including Amazon Echo Show, Portal from Facebook, and Google Nest Hub Max, bringing Zoom to widely-used devices and broadening their capabilities to the work environment,” the firm announced. “By adding Zoom to these devices, users can more easily connect with friends, family, and now, colleagues, helping them to work smarter, build stronger relationships, and meet face-to-face through video collaboration.”

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Availability will vary by device. Zoom plans to bring its service to Facebook Portal in September, with availability on other smart displays expected to be available by the end of the year.

Zoom on Facebook Portal will let customers use a device that “blends into their home and brings one-touch join face-to-face communication and digital whiteboarding for all your Zoom Meetings,” Zoom notes. Zoom on Portal will be available on Portal Mini, Portal and Portal+ with support for Portal TV in the future, the firm adds.

Alexa users will soon be able to join Zoom video conferences from select Echo Show devices in the U.S., starting with the Echo Show 8. Customers will be able to “access high-quality meeting experiences by simply saying, ‘Alexa, join my Zoom meeting’,” Zoom explains. Alexa will also automatically start scheduled meetings entirely hands-free if you’ve previously linked your calendar in the Alexa app.

Finally, Zoom on Google Nest Hub Max will integrate with Google Calendar and Google Assistant and will offer hands-free controls with commands such as “Hey Google, join my next meeting.”

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Conversation 11 comments

  • jf-nyc

    Premium Member
    19 August, 2020 - 3:36 pm

    <p>Do you see Teams adding this functionality too?</p>

    • SvenJ

      19 August, 2020 - 4:43 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#562536"><em>In reply to JF-NYC:</em></a><em> </em>Would be a better idea than creating a dedicated TEAMS display. Seems sort of like creating a dedicated Cortana speaker. </blockquote>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      20 August, 2020 - 8:53 am

      Teams is a workplace solution not a consumer play, so no. Not in the short term.

      Maybe that changes over time.

      • jchampeau

        Premium Member
        20 August, 2020 - 10:07 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#562642">In reply to paul-thurrott:</a></em></blockquote><p>Zoom is also a workplace solution and not a consumer play.</p>

        • SvenJ

          20 August, 2020 - 10:43 am

          <blockquote><a href="#562672"><em>In reply to jchampeau:</em></a><em> </em>And Zoom has been catering to consumers, as has TEAMS. So.</blockquote><p><br></p>

        • Paul Thurrott

          Premium Member
          21 August, 2020 - 9:03 am

          It’s both.

  • MutualCore

    19 August, 2020 - 3:53 pm

    <p>You now who isn't all all these devices that actual people use? Yeah, MS Teams.</p>

  • murray judy

    19 August, 2020 - 5:03 pm

    <p>Virtually every Echo Show I've seen was placed on a kitchen counter. Not the best place to join a meeting.</p><p><br></p><p>I think that the Surface Pro is the best Zoom or Teams device. I can dedicate it to the meeting and put it adjacent to my PC and work during the meeting. Portability and touch screen make it extra useful.</p>

    • derekabraham

      20 August, 2020 - 12:19 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#562560">In reply to murray judy:</a></em></blockquote><p>You mean the Echo Show cannot be moved from Kitchen counter? You get a device that's under $100 to join zoom calls instead of buying a $800+ Surface pro.</p>

      • murray judy

        20 August, 2020 - 9:52 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#562589">In reply to derekabraham:</a></em></blockquote><p>Of course it can be moved. It's just that the power cable has been neatly secured along the back of the counter which makes it less convenient to move. YMMV.</p><p><br></p><p>I was commenting on the relative merits of these devices for taking a meeting. I assumed this audience wouldn't interpret it as "Go buy a SP now!"</p>

        • derekabraham

          21 August, 2020 - 4:00 pm

          <blockquote><a href="#562669"><em>In reply to murray judy:</em></a><em> Got it, and I agree the tablet is much easier on that front.</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

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