What you need to know
- Webex Meetings is making it easier for people to continue calls using CarPlay.
- New CarPlay support means meetings can move from the desktop to iPhone to the car.
- August improvements will mean CarPlay support for playing back past recordings, too.
Cisco has announced improvements to its Webex Meetings app that make it easier than ever to take a meeting from your Mac to your phone and then onto your car — because nobody should be able to escape work, even when they're driving.
The new functionality is actually pretty cool in terms of how it works, even if it does mean there's no respite for workers. Users can scan a QR code on their Mac using their iPhone's camera, moving the call from one device to another. The video makes the process look seamless and surprisingly speedy, although that's surely the best-case scenario playing out there. Slow WiFi, spotty 5G, and more will likely put Cisco's technology to the test there.
In terms of CarPlay support, Webex Meetings will now automatically switch to your car's speakers when you plug in, with on-screen controls for meetings and whatnot. When the meeting ends, the Webex Meetings app will show what the rest of your day looks like, complete with that meeting that could be an email.
Cisco announced the new updates via Blog post and was determined to set the mood:
Let me give you a real-life scenario: you take an early Webex Meeting from home, but you need to get on the road to commute to the office. We have now simplified the transition as you dial in from your iPhone and drop from your Mac. With Move to Mobile built into Webex Meetings, it's as simple as scanning a QR code, and you move seamlessly to your iPhone. No disruption and completely frictionless.And since you're hopping in the car, now with Apple CarPlay and Webex Meetings, we've made that transition frictionless, too. Simply connect your iPhone and voila, your meeting continues! After your call ends, you can view your upcoming meetings and join directly (in audio-only mode, of course) from CarPlay — a convenience that is unique to Webex.
Still not feeling it? The promo video gives you a good idea of how Cisco thinks people will use the new CarPlay functionality — and watch out for that speedy QR code action!
Cisco also says that come August, that CarPlay integration will get even better — you'll be able to play back recordings from past calls, should that be a thing you need to do. "In August, we'll be extending the CarPlay integration to include listening to past Webex recordings – so while sitting in traffic on your way home, you can catch up on any meeting you may have missed during the day," the company says.
Webex Meetings might be one of the best Mac and iPhone apps for this kind of thing, but competition is fierce. With people working from all over the world and hybrid setups becoming the norm, running meetings from anywhere is more important than ever. As much as we might not like to admit it, making and taking calls from the car is something people sometimes need to do — and Webex Meetings users just got a new way to do it. Yay for new and improved features! Never-ending meetings, not so much.
Those who don't yet have the Webex Meetings app installed can get it from the App Store today.
