Workplace, Facebook's business-focused chat and video platform, announced a host of new features, including workgroups, video interactivity enhancement tools and a work-focused version of Rooms, its integrated video product. The move underscores Facebook's efforts to expand its offering of business-oriented tools and services, as well as global recognition of the new reality that businesses need effective and powerful digital strategies to stay afloat — and tools to stay afloat. The Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdown triggered a massive surge in user adoption of video conferencing apps like Zoom and Google Meet, as well as collaboration tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams.
Video rooms
Facebook Workplace currently has 5 million subscribers, with around a million free users as well. "We will see the impact of Covid-19 in a few weeks," said Julien Codorniou, Vice President of Workplace. Rooms is a consumer product import from Facebook; It is a spontaneous video chat application that takes advantage of users' social networks to create a casual online meeting experience. Having been released at the end of April, its import into the business section was surprisingly fast. An important element of Rooms for Workplace is that existing Workplace users can be linked with those outside of the user's Workplace group (or even outside of Facebook). The link will work much like a Zoom URL link, allowing those with a microphone, speaker, and active network connection into the room. New products and features leverage the existing group of Workplace users and their Facebook connections, connecting businesses and consumers and creating a unique digital work experience for Facebook. Cordoniou noted that the idea is to show a broader group of Facebook users how they can use Facebook for work and hopefully increase Facebook usage accordingly. Via: TechCrunch