Facebook’s Zoom Alternative: Messenger Rooms Is Live

Announced in late April Messenger Rooms is now available globally on both desktop and mobile.

Zoom has never been this popular but due to the outbreak as enterprises started looking for video chat apps it became an essential utility and social networking sites saw an adverse effect. To overcome this, they started adding new features.

Today to get its charm back and to compete with Zoom, Facebook launched Messenger Rooms with a facility to host a video call with up to 50 people.

Most importantly to join Messenger Rooms you don’t need to have a Facebook account.

This feature will certainly help Facebook climb up the charts.

Facebook’s Kids Focused Messenger Service

How is it different from the previous version?

New Messenger Rooms is feature-rich, it offers AR filters, virtual background (for mobile users) and share screen (for both mobile and desktop users). In short, you can call it an extended version of Facebook’s Messenger video calling feature. Messenger Rooms can be used via the Facebook app or through dedicated Messenger.

As this is a drop-in video chat when a user will create a Room, invited users for the call will be notified via push notification or News Feed.

Does Messenger Room offer video call privacy options?

It seems Facebook learned from Zoom’s shortcomings. Messenger Room offers an option to set a limit on who can join. Also, the host can decide to make the video call public. This means anyone with the link will be able to join the call. Further, Rooms on Facebook can be shared via News Feed, Groups, and Events.

Is there any difference between Messenger Rooms and other video calling apps?

While the most popular video calling apps like Zoom have a time limit, Messenger Rooms does not have one. It allows you to make a call to up to 50 people at a time.

Also, friends can be invited for a video call via a link even when they don’t have a Facebook account. Plus, there is an option to make calls private and schedule a time for rooms to go live. This feature comes in handy when you have to set up meetings in advance.

How to use Messenger Rooms?

Currently, Messenger Rooms is available with a Facebook app and Messenger both for desktop and mobile. To create a room, look for a video camera icon with a + sign.

When using Messenger, you can see it in your chat list.

While if you use the Facebook app, Rooms will act differently. A room created on Messenger Rooms will be public; this means anyone who sees a room is created can join. However, you can change this setting before the room goes live from ‘the who is invited?’ Menu.

From this menu, you can select users you would like to invite.

Can Messenger still be used to perform one-on-one calls?

Yes, Messenger can still be used to initiate one on one calls, group calls, and video chats

For Facebook, Messenger Rooms is an opportunity to regain the lost user base and get hold of the things. Soon it will be integrated with Instagram and WhatsApp too this means users will be able to use it from any platform.

So far Zoom has been ahead of everyone but this time it seems Facebook will roll the dice and turn the tables.

What are your thoughts? Do share with us we’d love to hear.