Amazon just debuted an app called Amazon Chime, the company’s answer to versatile communications solutions like Skype. Amazon Chime started rolling out on the Google Play Store on Monday and should already be available for download worldwide. The Seattle-based tech giant claims that Amazon Chime has the potential to completely change the way we conduct video conferences as the app is allegedly easy to set up and use regardless of one’s demands. Unlike many of its alternatives, Amazon’s app doesn’t require users to enter long PINs to join a video call and allows them to manage all of their meetings on a single list. Amazon Chime can also be used to share content with a single tap and supports both one-to-one and group chats with attachments and screen sharing.
Apart from the Android app, Amazon Chime is also available on Windows, iOS, and macOS. The version of the service available from the Google Play Store supports all devices running Android 5.0 Lollipop and higher, meaning approximately 65 percent of all active Android devices in the world are able to run it. Initial reception of Amazon Chime has mostly been positive as the app is currently enjoying an average rating of 4.3 stars on the Google Play Store. You can try out Amazon’s latest communications solution by following the link below. After your month-long trial period is over, you’ll have to opt for one of three available plans. Amazon Chime Basic is free and allows you to make one-on-one video calls, but without screen sharing. The Plus plan allows screen sharing and requires a monthly fee of $2.50 per user. As such, this plan is likely aimed at small companies. Finally, the Pro plan supports video calls for up to 100 people and boasts a wide variety of extra features like the ability to record conference calls and join calls using a traditional phone line. The Pro edition is priced at $15 per user per month.
While some may argue that Amazon is late to the video calling party, the fact that the company is offering a unified communications solution within the Amazon Web Services ecosystem could be enough to convince some consumers to try Amazon Chime. A short depiction of how Amazon’s latest app works in practice can be seen below.
