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Can You FaceTime on Xiaomi Phones?
Xiaomi phones run Android, so you cannot get FaceTime on them natively. But thanks to changes in iOS 15, you will be able to FaceTime on Xiaomi phones later this year…
If you’re running a Xiaomi phone and you have friends that use iPhones, and you want to FaceTime with them, up to now this was impossible.
FaceTime was (and still is) an exclusive feature only available on Apple products – its iPhone, iPad, and Mac computers.
But thanks to changes inside iOS 15, Android and Windows users will be able to FaceTime later on this year, once iOS 15 is released – it’s coming this fall.
FaceTime on Xiaomi Phones
There is a twist though: FaceTime for Android will not run via a native app. In order to join a FaceTime call on your Xiaomi phone, you’ll need a link from someone with an Apple product.
Once you have that invite link, however, you can join in on FaceTime calls on your Xiaomi phone.
The only caveat is that you cannot initiate a FaceTime call from your Xiaomi phone.
You have to get an invite from an existing iPhone/Mac/iPad user.
But once you have the invite, you’ll be able to take part in FaceTime calls with iPhone users (as well as Windows users too).
And because there’s no app for FaceTime on Android, all FaceTime calls on Xiaomi phones will have to be done via the web browser – either Chrome or any other supported web browsers.
Why Did Apple Allow This?
During 2020, the world basically stopped. COVID wrecked economies, lives, and people’s usual routines. Millions of people started working from home, and friends and family were prohibited from interacting.
This is why applications like Zoom have grown so much. It is also why Google rejigged its G-Suite into Workspace; it’s now more about remote collaboration inside Google Drive.
Also, not everyone uses an iPhone, and during lockdown, Apple likely noticed a spike in its users downloading and using video-calling apps like Zoom and Houseparty.
Even BRAVE released a web-calling extension for its browser.
Teams and Slack also gained traction during COVID too, as demand for collaborative applications and tools grew.
In order to curtail this trend, Apple conceded its exclusivity position with FaceTime and opened it up to Android and Windows users. This move will keep iPhone users using FaceTime and, potentially, decrease the need/want to use Zoom.
When Will FaceTime Be Available on Xiaomi Phones?
The rollout of FaceTime for other platforms – Android and Windows – coincides with the release of Apple’s iOS 15 update.
iOS 15 is expected to land during the fall, just before or after the launch of the iPhone 13.
This means, by September/October-time, you will be able to participate in FaceTime calls on Xiaomi phones.
Also, be sure to check out how to blur the background on a FaceTime video call! And check out how to FaceTime on Android!