Popular email app Spike, which strips down emails to make them more like chats or test messages, just added audio and video calls. The update means Spike users can readily communicate in real time — and skip switching to Zoom, FaceTime or another videoconferencing app.
Video Meetings in Spike
Spike’s new “Video Meetings” feature, announced Tuesday, lets users run audio or video calls with one other person or a group from their inbox. They also can tie in scheduled calls with Spike calendar invitations that connect with Gmail and other email clients.
Spike said it’s “the first app that combines all forms of team communication in your Inbox.” It also said it’s “the first app that lets you switch from text to voice message to live video meetings.”
The company acknowledged the increased prevalence of remote work as a reason for this update. More than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re seeing quite a bit of this sort of thing among communications tools.
A little like how FaceTime will work with iOS 15
The live-call feature works within Spike’s Mac and iOS apps. However, attendees can access them from any web browser without a specific plug-in or even a Spike account. This functionality resembles changes coming in iOS 15 later this year that will let Android and Windows users participate in FaceTime calls.
Spike emphasized the importance of all types of communication originating within the email inbox.
“Spike’s mission is building the most modern and intuitive collaborative platform while streamlining workflows,” said Spike CEO Dvir Ben-Aroya. “Context switching is something we’ve long had frustrations with because we see how it breaks focus throughout your day. Meetings and calls further reinforces that idea. There are no new apps to learn, no new accounts to create, and no more trying to figure out which video meeting app to use.”
Spike email app: More robust services to come
Spike also said it plans to launch “a complete email and messaging service solution for personal and business users later this year that incorporates all of Spike’s current email client features, chat, and collaboration tools.”
You can download Spike for macOS and iOS from the App Store. It is free to use for personal accounts.
