Apple Tweaks Group FaceTime in iOS 13.5 Beta to Let Users Disable Larger Tiles for Person Speaking

[MacRumors]

Apple in the iOS 13.5 beta introduced a new Group FaceTime feature that's designed to disable the option that automatically enlarges the tile of the person who is speaking.

Group FaceTime, by default, has a dynamic view with a tile for each person. The person who is speaking at the current time has a larger tile, while tiles for people who are not talking fade into the background, a layout that's not always ideal.

In the FaceTime section of the Settings app, there's now an "Automatic Prominence" section with a "Speaking" toggle. Turning off the "Speaking" toggle makes it so the tile for the person who's talking in FaceTime won't get larger, allowing tiles for all people to remain the same size. Enlarging a person's tile can be done by tapping it, as noted by The Verge.

A grid with static image sizes for all participants is perhaps preferable for meetings and events where multiple people are talking at once or right after one another, and it mimics layout options available in Zoom and other video chatting apps.

The iOS 13.5 beta also makes it easier to unlock an iPhone with a passcode when wearing a mask by bringing up the passcode interface more quickly and it lays the foundation for the introduction of the exposure notification API that Apple plans to release for health apps in May.

Article Link: Apple Tweaks Group FaceTime in iOS 13.5 Beta to Let Users Disable Larger Tiles for Person Speaking

 

[ID_Field_Blank]

THANK GOD! This is the number one reason it doesn’t get used by my family and friends. Constant moving tiles of a group of people having a laugh is migraine inducing.
This has been a long time coming!

 

[DCstewieG]

Hot take: A good idea but this should be a toggle option in the call, not tucked away in the Settings app.

 

[NinjaHERO]

The more options the better. Looking forward to this toggle.

 

[bryanios]

Where are the people who were mocking Group FaceTime being able to hold up to 32 people?

 

[Slix]

This sounds great, especially during this time. Are there screenshots yet of the layout if you have, say, 10 people on the call?

 

[I7guy]

Nice update for group facetime. I personally like the larger tiles but to each their own.

 

[munpip214]

Okay great. Now we just need wide shots instead of square. If it is just facetime with one person it works, but family to family cuts off the side people.

 

[CaptainBlue]

It would be good if they rolled this out on macOS where it’s really nauseating.

 

[Glideslope]

Thank you Apple.

 

[sw1tcher]

"Can't innovate anymore, my ass."

 

[subjonas]

I agree the toggle should be in the FaceTime app. Also, there should still be some visual indication of who’s talking, like how other apps highlight the outline of the person’s box.

 

[Kylo83]

Nice option, now allow us to remove the home bar 👏🏼

 

[Demultiplex_Dfunc]

During this trying time, I‘m using Zoom daily. I will likely use Microsoft Team in near future. FaceTime, well not at all and I’m all in on Apple ecosystem. FaceTime is increasingly becoming irrelevant and so is iMessage. Alternatives not only exist but are forcing people within the wall garden to use them.

 

[Joniz]

Oh, look! A benefit of a worldwide pandemic.

 

[minik]

During this trying time, I‘m using Zoom daily. I will likely use Microsoft Team in near future. FaceTime, well not at all and I’m all in on Apple ecosystem. FaceTime is increasingly becoming irrelevant and so is iMessage. Alternatives not only exist but are forcing people within the wall garden to use them.

Are FaceTime and iMessage losing steam? I only use iOS Message app and Instagram to chat with friends and other people. Interestingly, I enjoy the animation style FT groupchat tiles. At work we have Zoom, which I like. Microsoft Teams is still a niche here.

 

[sdf]

A grid with static image sizes for all participants is perhaps preferable for meetings and events where multiple people are talking at once or right after one another, and it mimics layout options available in Zoom and other video chatting apps.

Although I won't use it for other reasons, I really like the way Zoom just switches the whole screen to the active speaker. I hope Group FaceTime gains that option in the future.

 

[BWhaler]

Great.

Now turn off the forced self-view. Just give people an option. It jarring for all but those beautiful people.e

 

[iOS Geek]

"Can't innovate anymore, my ass."

That is STILL one of my favorite parts from a keynote 😂

 

[thelookingglass]

During this trying time, I‘m using Zoom daily. I will likely use Microsoft Team in near future. FaceTime, well not at all and I’m all in on Apple ecosystem. FaceTime is increasingly becoming irrelevant and so is iMessage. Alternatives not only exist but are forcing people within the wall garden to use them.

Yep. A missed opportunity for Apple. I don’t understand how the floating tiles thing passed testing. It’s just absolutely horrible. Tried Group FaceTime directly from messages with a group of friends. That was the first option. It worked so poorly that we switched to Zoom in 3 minutes. And we’ve never looked back.

 

[Demultiplex_Dfunc]

Are FaceTime and iMessage losing steam?

In my mind, yes. Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Team, Snapchat, Instagram and WhatsApp are all viable alternatives. Are they better? No. But I was forced to use Snapchat recently, and I didn’t like it. But use I must.

 

[konqerror]

Great.

Now turn off the forced self-view. Just give people an option. It jarring for all but those beautiful people.e

I seem to recall that that's a privacy feature. The way I understand it is that iOS is smart enough to limit access to the camera if a preview isn't being displayed on screen.

 

[tennisproha]

During this trying time, I‘m using Zoom daily. I will likely use Microsoft Team in near future. FaceTime, well not at all and I’m all in on Apple ecosystem. FaceTime is increasingly becoming irrelevant and so is iMessage. Alternatives not only exist but are forcing people within the wall garden to use them.

They really need to open up FaceTime and iMessage to non-iOS devices.

 

[Harmonious Zen]

Although I won't use it for other reasons, I really like the way Zoom just switches the whole screen to the active speaker. I hope Group FaceTime gains that option in the future.

Well Zoom gives us the OPTION to either go full screen on the speaker or to see everyone in one view. Why can't FaceTime do the same? So many people would just use FaceTime if it were a viable option.

 

[Westside guy]

We started doing weekly family video chats during this lockdown. The first time, we used Facetime. The constantly rearranging tiles, plus the way one person's video would always not be displayed (and by "one person" I mean it was a rotating thing - first it was person A, then person B, etc.)... never again.

We went with Zoom the second time. It went much more smoothly, even though the second time had two additional people. And we've had two additional Zoom chats, both of which were smooth sailing.

Facetime is probably great for two or perhaps three people... but overall it's not up to the competition.