What you need to know
- Zoom has released an updated PWA version of its app for Chromebooks.
- This PWA version is available for Chrome browsers and Chromebooks updated to version 91.
- Some of the included features are faster performance, a customizable Gallery View, live transcription, and more.
- Zoom plans to roll out additional features in the coming months.
Although more and more people are starting to go back to the office, Zoom remains one of the best teleconferencing apps. While the experience on most devices is seamless (for the most part), using Zoom on a Chromebook has been a mixed bag. Today, Zoom is fixing that as the company has released a new Progressive Web App (PWA) version.
The app is available via the Play Store or through a dedicated web link. But the real power is in that this PWA offers much of the same functionality compared to what you may be accustomed to on the best laptops. This new release aimed to improve the experience for anyone using one of the best Chromebooks to take or host those pesky Zoom calls.
Some of the features found in the PWA version include a customizable Gallery View, Breakout Rooms, and live transcriptions. Zoom has also confirmed that more features will continue to arrive over the next three to six months, including screen sharing, which is not available just yet.
In order to use the new Zoom PWA on your Chromebook, you'll need to make sure that you've updated to at least Chrome OS version 91. This will be extremely important for students who rely on Zoom for classes, as Chromebooks continue to explode in popularity in schools.
Currently, these are the features available if you're a student using this new Zoom PWA:
- View a teacher's shared screen and share their own if enabled
- Use nonverbal feedback like Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down
- Raise their hand to ask a question
- Chat with the teacher
- Join Breakout Rooms created by the teacher
If you want to try out the new Zoom for yourself, it's available today from the Play Store. Just make sure your Chromebook is updated to the latest version possible, or you won't be able to use the new version.
A must-have for Chromebook users
Having a reliable video conferencing app can be extremely helpful, regardless of which device you are using. Thanks to this new PWA version of Zoom, you'll be able to get the same experience on a Chromebook as you can get everywhere else.
