This article was published on May 26, 2021

Zoom now supports the iPad Pro’s new Center Stage function

You can move around freely now


Zoom now supports the iPad Pro’s new Center Stage function

Video conferencing platform Zoom announced today that it’s bringing support for the Center Stage function that debuted in the new iPad Pros.

Not excited? Then let’s rewind a bit.

Center Stage is a feature that uses the new iPad Pro’s ultrawide camera to focus on you even when you move. The iPad Pro’s M1 chip uses machine learning to dictate when you’re out of the frame and pan slightly towards you. If another person enters the frame, the camera zooms out to include both of you in the frame.

Now all of this functionality is coming to Zoom (app version 5.6.6). This will make for better viewing when a presenter is moving around — for example, a yoga class or a cooking tutorial. They won’t need to change camera angles all the time while using Zoom.

[Read: This dude drove an EV from the Netherlands to New Zealand — here are his 3 top road trip tips]

Apart from this, Zoom is also introducing support for 48 windows (6×8 in landscape mode) for its app on the new iPad Pros (both 11-inch and 12.9-inch). Earlier, Zoom limited visible windows to 25 tiles. You can adjust the number of tiles easily by pinching in or out.

Credit: Zoom
Zoom will now support 48 participant tiles on the new iPad Pros

The company said that if you don’t own the new iPad Pro, you will soon be able to view more than 25 tiles at a time — but the limit won’t be as large as 48 windows. I’ve never needed to use these many windows, but maybe it’s useful for teachers to see what all of their students are up to.

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