The company explained that the option is still in beta, but that it will be providing integration.
The Horizon Workrooms in the Facebook VR Meetings App connect virtual reality and video chat users within the same space using avatars to represent the people present.
The social network company has now announced that it intends to integrate with the Zoom platform.
Although the Horizon Workrooms in the Facebook VR Meetings App are still in their beta, it has been announced that they are working on Zoom integration within that space as of next year. Beginning in 2022, users of the virtual reality Workrooms will be able to join Zoom Meetings and even use Zoom Whiteboard inside the virtual reality space. The goal is to use this feature to draw a considerably wider userbase to the virtual reality productivity application.
According to Facebook in an Oculus blogpost, by achieving integration with Zoom, it will be possible for users to “dial into any existing Zoom Meeting right from Workrooms in VR.” What that means is that users will be able to use their virtual reality headset for legitimate working or education purposes throughout the day if they are still working or learning remotely.
Zoom Whiteboard will also be available in the VR Meetings App Horizon Workrooms.
With Zoom Whiteboard, the opportunity to sketch things out in real time will still be available, only the viewers in these workrooms will be in virtual reality. Facebook did not disclose whether there will be a seamless integration with the already substantial toolset from Workrooms. The details revealed in the Oculus blogpost were somewhat limited. That said, the VR experience for a Zoom interaction could be quite promising if the integration is a smooth one.
The Horizon Workrooms experience already makes it possible for 16 people to simultaneously meet in virtual reality and for 36 people to meet in a video chat. The blog post about the VR Meetings App integration with Zoom didn’t detail whether there will be an opportunity for the virtual reality and 2-dimensional video chat users to gather in the same meetings. Additional information is expected to be released steadily over time.