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Facebook's Portal Device Can Now Do Zoom Calls

Launched in the wake of multiple policy scandals that rocked the company, the device has gone from being treated suspiciously by critics to being more widely adopted by people desperate to communicate with other humans during pandemic-induced isolation.

Now, Facebook has announced a move that could make the Portal more palatable to those still reluctant to put a Facebook-owned camera in their home.

Previously, video chat on the Portal has been limited to Facebook-owned services: Messenger, WhatsApp, and Workplace .

In a not-at-all-odd bit of timing, Google also announced Wednesday that it's adding support for Zoom to its Assistant-enabled smart displays.

The company didn't provide a more specific launch window, and Zoom is the only additional service being added right now.

It's a trend that has only accelerated and isn't going anywhere, says Micah Collins, director of product management at Facebook.

Additional Portal features, like its voice assistant and the Story Time feature for reading virtual kids' books, are only available when logged into Facebook.

The Portal is still a bit of a hard sell for tech-savvy consumers, especially since any move Facebook makes conjures up concerns about privacy. Yes, many people already let Facebook siphon data from their phones and computers all the time, but taking the extra step of plopping a big Facebook-powered eyeball into their home can feel a tad Orweillian.

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