Zoom Adds New iPad, Desktop & Mobile Features

Liam Alexander 26 Aug 2021

This week’s Zoom update brought a bunch of exciting new features to iPad OS, Desktop, iOS, and Android versions of the app. Let’s take a closer look to see if you need to update or skip the version. 

Improved Experience

Starting with the iPad version, Zoom presented useful automatic reactions based on gesture recognition. Now you can send reactions from your iPad by simply raising your hand or showing the thumbs-up gesture. When you raise your hand, a “raised hand” emoji icon appears on your Zoom window, indicating that you want to be unmuted and ask or add something to the conversation. 

Cross-platform updates include a very useful Focus Mode that lets video meeting participants choose who they want to see. For example, students can choose to see only themselves, the educator, and the shared content. If you are the host of the meeting, you can enable the gallery view to see all the participants and switch between individuals. Besides, you can automatically restrict other users from sharing their screens if someone joins the meeting as a guest. 

Finally, regardless of the device you use and your status in a meeting, you can transfer a call without disconnecting from the initial device. All you need is to enter the current conversation from a new device. 

Mobile-only updates include new privacy features for users with shared lines. They will block other users from listening, whispering, taking over a call, and other unwanted actions. Admins will also be able to see more detailed call queue metrics. 

Getting More Professional

Zoom has already taken the lead in the niche of video conferencing apps on all existing platforms, and it’s not going to loosen its grip. The pandemic continues, and the remote work policies are about to improve more, so the app will keep fighting to hold users for as long as possible. Do you find the latest update useful? You can reply in the comments and share the news with fellow Zoom users.