Slack just added a new feature that makes it much more competitive with Skype and Google Hangouts.
The company is now testing a feature, available to all users, that allows people to make voice calls within Slack. The company is also working on video calling and screen sharing features.
While Slack already lets people make voice and video calls via Skype and other platforms, the update lets teams make calls natively within the app on desktop or from their browser. While the new feature is currently in beta, it's available to any Slack team that opts in.
Once enabled, you can make one-on-one or group voice calls from any of your existing channels or IM networks. When you start a call, people you call are able to join from a pop-up notification. You can also invite people via an invite from within a channel.
You can also use Slack's reaction emoji while on a voice call to send an emoji to the participants in the call. Currently, voice calls with up to 15 participants are supported. Slack also plans to build video calling features in the future, as well as screen sharing capabilities
The company has been working on these features since acquiring ScreenHero in 2015. Slack VP April Underwood said in a statement that the company is “actively exploring ways to integrate third-party services, like calling, more deeply into our product.”
Slack recently introduced the App Directory, which connects Slack to more than 100 third-party apps and services, including Skype, Google Hangouts, Zoom, and other calling and conferencing services.
