Zoom is rolling out a series of updates in an effort to increase participant engagement in meetings as hybrid working grows.
The new changes are a collaborative mode and meeting rooms. Collaboration mode allows hosts to launch a creative experience for attendees and have them interact with an app. Breakout rooms are spaces separate from the main meeting room where people can have a more focused conversation.
Both features will be available in all browsers that host Zoom. There isn't a full list of apps that will get the update, but Zoom shows some key examples.
Strengthened collaborations
For starters, the Miro whiteboard app will have a new collaborative workspace where participants can collect ideas and notes in real time. Templates are available for structured discussions or you can let people play freely with various visual tools.
To break up awkward introductions, Zoom is adding developer Playco's #AskAway app to its platform. Basically, the game is a series of rounds in which a person is asked a question about her personal life, her favorite foods, and more to get to know her better.
And the latest notable collaboration mode can be seen in the Coda app. Coda is a word processing application where you can write documents and take comments while having a meeting. In the new mode, you will be able to bring in new people to write the document alongside you.
Break rooms seem to be more creative. The feature is not just fancy private rooms, but some integrate games into meetings.
Funtivity by Hermis offers a series of gathering games where people can play one on one or in teams. It's a way to break the ice or train people, according to Zoom. As an example, Funivity offers Star Wars trivia and escape games with others on the go.
If you're interested in a metaverse-like setup, the Welo app is now on Zoom. Welo integrates a digital home where people are represented by an avatar and can go to individual rooms for a private meeting.
You can switch between private meetings by asking your avatar to switch to the other group and connect automatically. It's supposed to feel like a party where you go off and join groups with no hassle (ideally). Welo is currently in beta version. The developer admits that some features may not work as expected, but they are working on it.
If you want something similar to Welo but more stable, there is Twinkle for Zoom which uses an algorithm to match people based on criteria. But Welo looks much more fun.