What you need to know
- Reliance Jio Platforms has unveiled JioMeet, a new video conferencing platform to take on Zoom.
- JioMeet is powered by WebRTC, the same technology behind Google Meet.
- The service is free to use, and does not have a time limit for calls, unlike Zoom and Meet.
Reliance Jio Platforms has launched its video conferencing platform, dubbed JioMeet (via TechCrunch). The service takes aim squarely at Zoom, and it has a similar interface with a grid-based layout for calls. But the biggest differentiator is that unlike Zoom or Google Meet, JioMeet does not have a time limit for video calls. Users will be able to make calls for up to 24 hours on the platform if they wish to do so, and the service itself is free to use. There is no paid option at this time.
By contrast, Zoom calls are limited to 40 minutes for free users, and Google Meet has a 60-minute limit for its free users. By offering no time limit, JioMeet is setting itself up as a viable alternative to these two services. The platform itself is powered by WebRTC — similar to Google Meet — and users can add up to 100 participants to a call.
The quality goes up to 720p, and JioMeet offers password-protected meetings, schedule meetings in advance, screen sharing options, multi-device login, and collaboration tools. In short, JioMeet is a robust alternative to Zoom and Google Meet. As for security, TechCrunch notes that JioMeet is encrypted, but it doesn't look like the platform offers end-to-end encryption. The service itself isn't limited to India, and it worked fine when I used it with a VPN that was connected to the U.S.
JioMeet is available on the web, you can download it from the Play Store (opens in new tab) and App Store (opens in new tab), and there are dedicated clients for Windows and macOS (opens in new tab). There's also an Outlook plugin if you want to integrate the service into Microsoft's email client. Interested in trying out JioMeet? Head here to get started.
Harish Jonnalagadda is a Senior Editor overseeing Asia at Android Central. He leads the site's coverage of Chinese phone brands, contributing to reviews, features, and buying guides. He also writes about storage servers, audio products, and the semiconductor industry. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.
