It is reported that iOS 11 will offer the feature of group FaceTime calls, instead of just a one to one calling feature.
This means that you can now make calls to several people within a group at a time. However, other competing platforms, such as Skype, Hangouts and so on have been offering support for group video calling since a long time. Now, with this new upgrade in iOS 11, Mac users and other iOS users need not wait for this feature any more.
Group Calling Feature
The Verifier, a tech blog based in Israel, has offered a report through 9to5Mac that with the launch of the upcoming iOS 11, group FaceTime video calling feature will be introduced. It is generally expected that the iOS 11 will be a major update for Apple’s operating system. According to the report from the tech blog, the feature can be access by users through the Messages application on the iOS. Users can create a group of five users at a time.
The information has been received from people who are familiar with the development processes of the iOS. Some of these processes are being conducted partially in Israel.
Rumors not Confirmed
However, these are only rumors and should be taken with a pinch of salt for the present. Yet, there are other competing services, such as Hangouts and Skype,that allow group video calling features. It doesn’t seem to be a huge stretch of the imagination to think that Apple’s iOS will also be able to offer the same feature for FaceTime.
FaceTime was initially launched in the year 2010 and after that there have not been many enhancements through these years. Group calling is an important feature that is missing from the service. All competitors have been offering this feature since a few years. Recently, Google has launched its Duo, which focuses on two users calling each other, rather similar to the present FaceTime features.
Long Overdue
The feature for group video calling in FaceTime is long overdue. The addition of the group video-calling feature in FaceTime will surely be a welcome one. However, it is also noted that users of the iOS devices have not exactly been clamoring for the new feature.
Currently, FaceTime only offers support for two users and this has been the case since 2010, when it was first introduced. In face, Modern Family, a television show simulates the group calling in FaceTime in an episode centered on Apple in the year 2015.
Announcement in Mid 2017
It is likely that Apple will make the announcement of its new operating system and the new features in it at the WWDC 2017. The event has been scheduled for the middle of 2017, so we might probably get some more confirmation on these rumors in the next few months. After the announcement at the WWDC 2017 in the middle of this year, the new iOS will have to go through the developer beta version and the public beta version, before it finally gets released for everyone. It will probably be the time when the new iPhones for 2017 will also be released.