Zoom for Home expands to smart displays, integrates with Facebook, Amazon and Google

Zoom announced that Zoom for Home is expanding to smart displays including Amazon Echo Show, Portal from Facebook, and Google Nest Hub Max, bringing Zoom to widely-used devices and broadening their capabilities to the work environment.

Zoom on Portal is expected to be available publicly in September; Zoom on Echo Show and Zoom on Assistant-enabled Smart Displays, including Google Nest Hub Max are expected to be available by the end of the year.

According to a recent study from Morning Consult, Working from Home & The Future of Work, the number of adults working exclusively from home has tripled since pre-COVID with one-third wanting to upgrade their work-from-home set-up if their company subsidized it.

Additionally, a recent Gartner survey of company leaders indicated that nearly half (47%) said they intend to allow employees to work remotely full time going forward.

By adding Zoom to these devices, users can more easily connect with friends, family, and now, colleagues, helping them to work smarter, build stronger relationships, and meet face-to-face through video collaboration.

As a part of Zoom for Home, Zoom Meeting users will be able to extend integrated calendar and HD video and audio for Zoom Meetings on these smart displays:

• Zoom on Portal – Available in September, Zoom on Portal will allow customers to use a device that blends into their home and brings one-touch join face-to-face communication and digital whiteboarding for all your Zoom Meetings. In addition, Portal’s Smart Camera automatically helps keep you in frame for immersive video calls with colleagues and family. Zoom on Portal will be available on Portal Mini, Portal and Portal+ with support for Portal TV in the future.
• Zoom on Amazon Echo Show – Alexa customers will soon be able to join Zoom video conferences from select Echo Show devices. With Zoom on Echo Show, customers will be able to access high-quality meeting experiences by simply saying, “Alexa, join my Zoom meeting.” And, if you’ve linked your calendar in the Alexa app, Alexa will automatically start your scheduled meeting entirely hands-free without you needing to know your meeting ID or passcode. Zoom will be rolling out to Amazon Echo Show devices in the U.S. later this year, beginning with Echo Show 8.
• Zoom on Google Nest Hub Max – Zoom on Google Nest Hub Max will extend the capabilities of native high-quality Zoom video meetings onto the device. Fully integrated with Google Calendar and Google Assistant, customers will be able to enjoy hands-free controls with commands such as “Hey Google, join my next meeting.” Zoom is scheduled to come to Assistant-enabled Smart Displays, including Nest Hub Max by the end of the year.

“We’re excited to bring Zoom to these popular devices,” said Oded Gal, Chief Product Officer at Zoom. “It’s more apparent than ever that people are looking for easy-to-use displays for their video communications needs, both professionally and personally.”

“Together, Portal and Zoom create an immersive calling experience that can go from powering your workday to connecting you with family and friends, with one dedicated device,” said Micah Collins, Director of Portal Product Management at Facebook.

“Portal’s big screen frees up your laptop so you can stay productive, while the AI-powered Smart Camera makes work and personal communication effortless by always keeping you in the frame.”