Zoom leaves Microsoft Teams in the dust with CRUCIAL new features

Zoom embraces the new normal with a suite of features perfect for hosting free and paid events

Zoom
(Image credit: Zoom)
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Ever since the beginning of the pandemic, video conferencing tool Zoom has been a massively popular choice for individuals and businesses who found themselves suddenly faced with remote working conditions.

Not one to be outdone, Microsoft Teams slowly but surely began to build up its feature set in a bid to court primary Zoom users over to its online space instead. 

Now, Zoom is looking to tighten its grip on the video conferencing platform industry by introducing a new online event platform called OnZoom as well as a series of app integrations called Zapps.

OnZoom allows organizers to create and promote public events, and sell tickets for paid events with PayPal integration. These spaces will be privy to a variety of special security measures, like moderating who can attend, reporting unacceptable behavior, and monitor audience members to help curb potential abuse.

Events will also be capped at 100 attendees and up to 1,000 for enterprise users. Special Zoom Webinar licenses will be available should organizers need to gather additional members beyond that number.

Though initially there will be no requirement for users to pay Zoom a percentage of their ticket sales, the conferencing service will be re-examining its policies as it brings OnZoom to a larger user base next year.

OnZoom will only be an option for paid Zoom users at launch, and will have its initial rollout in the US, followed by more regions over the course of next year.

Microsoft Teams had long been a sluggish competitor, but ended up finding footing by introducing a series of apps and features in a bid to make working remotely feel a bit less like a chore.

This includes the ability to display specific scenes on team calls like coffee shops, office locations, or more whimsical locations, as well as breakout meeting rooms that caan be assigned following main briefings.

Now, Zoom has countered some of Microsoft Teams' offerings with some of its own additions. Zapps is a collection of apps on Zoom marketplace – like Slack, Dropbox, and Asana – that can be sent to participants in a Zoom meeting. Users can assign tasks and organize projects together while collaborating on a call, and send and receive files via Dropbox without having to leave the conference.

Currently, there are around 35 third-party entities working on Zapps, which aren't all available just yet. But with the ability to work closely with a team with a few clicks instead of leaving the call and returning, Zoom may very well now have the upper hand in the seemingly never-ending clash with Microsoft Teams.

Source: Business Insider

Brittany Vincent
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