JioMeet video conferencing app with unlimited free calling that is being seen as a rate war on rival Zoom. The JioMeet video conferencing app is available across Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and web since Thursday evening after beta testing. According to the company website, JioMeet supports HD audio and video call quality with up to 100 participants and offers features like screen sharing, meeting schedule feature and more. But unlike Zoom, it does not impose a 40-minute time limit. Calls can go on as long as 24 hours, and all meetings are encrypted and password-protected.
Based on USD 15 per month charge for meetings of more than 40 minutes on Zoom (USD 180 on annual basis), JioMeet is providing the same functionality and more free of cost, translating into Rs 13,500 savings for a host per year. According to app features listed on Google Play Store, JioMeet offers easy sign up with either mobile number or e-mail ID and allows creation of instant meeting.
According to sources, no restriction on time limit on JioMeet means teachers will not be required to cut short their classes as they are forced to do on Zoom. Also, the app allows national and international seminars as well as hosting of cultural and social events. Unlike Zoom where users cannot expand a participant's video, JioMeet meetings users can expand any participant's video or shared screen's video by a double tap.
JioMeet has two advanced meeting settings over and above Zoom options. First, it allows participants only from the host's organisation. If enabled, only users from the host's organsation can join that meeting, eliminating potential snoops from other IDs.
Also it does not allow guest users -- if enabled, every user will be required to sign up before joining the meeting hence restricting anonymous users from joining the call.
Unlike Zoom, JioMeet users can switch from one device to another without dropping out of the call. Zoom allows sign up only with e-mail ID while JioMeet allows sign up with e-mail and mobile number.
Inside the call, Zoom shows four participants at a time on a single mobile screen (for others, users need to scroll through multiple pages). JioMeet allows nine active participants on a single mobile screen.
