Encrypted-messenger app, Signal, has updated its video call offerings and is now pushing itself as an alternative to Zoom and Meet.
The app now has a “Calls” tab for video calls. With it, users can manage their call links, make new calls and also check who they have called in the past.
Signal has some of the most stringent encryption methods of all messaging apps. It introduced group video calls in 2020, but these improvements could see it compete more in the enterprise space.
What Are the New Features?
The big improvement, says Signal, is that you now don’t have to create a group chat in order to have a group call. Instead, you can simply send a link to anyone on Signal that you want in on the call and they can join.
The links are also reusable, so you can use them for meetings that reoccur, adds TechCrunch.
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The group call function also now has a raise hand button – much like the option offered by rivals – as well as emoji reactions.
Signal has added different call viewing options for desktop users, and these include grid, sidebar or speaker views.
Dedicated “Calls” Tab
The new options are hosted in a dedicated “Calls” tab, which is accessed through the Signal home screen. This is where you can set up your call, including naming it and setting your approval policy – determining whether people can come straight into the call.
There are management options too, including the ability to refuse access to calls, kick people out of calls and then block them from returning.
Signal currently supports calls for up to 50 people.
Privacy First and Foremost
An experiment with cryptocurrency did raise some eyebrows for the app several years ago, but despite this, it has grown in popularity.
It saw massive surges in 2021 as users became concerned about how private their information actually was with rival companies.
As CNN reported at the time, this was specifically driven by an updated terms of service notification from WhatsApp, which said that users must agree to share their data with the owner, Facebook, or lose access to the app. Users voted with their feet.
Privacy, therefore, is something that the Signal team remains steadfast about and emphasized with these latest improvements, stating: “As communication norms change, Signal’s promise of a private place to communicate stays the same.”
