Various New Feature Additions, Quality Improvements, And Changes

The 42.3 update has important announcements, which you can review in the Announcements for the Cisco Webex Meetings Suite.

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Improvements

· Speaker labeling and closed captions feed update

Speaker labels are added in the closed captioning box to further enhance live transcript readability. The closed captions feed behavior is also updated. More lines and up to two final utterances can be shown at once, depending on size. Previous lines stay on screen, until new spoken lines push the up.

· Introducing people focus (Beta)

In this update we're excited to introduce a new way to view Grid View, that maximizes screen space by using Artificial Intelligence to dynamically crop videos to focus on the individual, rather than their surroundings.

You'll get a better face-to-face experience and feel more connected, regardless of how they're positioned in front of their camera. People focus can be turned on from the Layout menu when in Grid View and can be turned off at any time. Give it a try!

· Q&A, chat, and polling report for webinars

Hosts can download the in-webinar activity report for Q&A, chat, and polling for completed webinars. If Q&A or polling is done using Slido, hosts can find that information in Slido's report. This is only available for recorded webinars. Webinars in webcast view also supports Q&A, chat, and polling.

· Increased High Frame Rate Content Sharing Resolution to 1080p (from 720p)

Webex Meetings app for Mac and Windows now supports up to full HD (1080p), when sharing high frame rate content. This means a higher resolution when using Automatically Optimize and moving between static content and content with a lot of motion.

· Webinars to support breakout sessions

When the host schedules a webinar, they can pre assign panelists to different breakout sessions. Attendees can't be preassigned but they can join breakout sessions by clicking the join link. Hosts can create up to 100 breakout sessions. Each breakout session can host up to 1000 attendees.

· Webex Meetings compliance policies for Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

IT administrators can now prevent users from joining company meetings from a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). This feature leverages registry keys or tokens.

Users can join your company meetings using BYOD only if a registry keys or token is detected on that device.

For more information on tokens and registry keys and how to configure them, see Collaboration restrictions for Webex Meetings in Control Hub.

· Slido

There are several Slido enhancements coming this month including a new look for Slido, visible survey results in participant mode, question topics, and poll templates library.

Pre-meeting experience

Registration compliances with privacy law

To complete registration for a Webex meeting, webinar, event, or training session, if an attendee s a country that enforces privacy law, the attendee needs to agree to compliance when the option appears.

Webinars to support breakout sessions

When the host schedules a webinar, they can preassign panelists to different breakout sessions.

For more information, see the highlighted features for this update.

Webex Scheduler add-in schedule-on-behalf enhancements

The Webex Scheduler now uses built-in Microsoft Outlook delegate settings. Users no longer need to specify the schedule on behalf privileges from the Webex site.

In-meeting experience

Shared Timer app for Webex Meetings and Webex Webinars

This feature is available in the 42.3 update but was added after the initial March 2022 (42.3) features were communicated.

The Shared Timer app allows meeting hosts and participants to view and interact with a countdown timer during their meetings. The meeting host can launch the Shared Timer from the Apps panel, set a timer and share it with other meeting participants. Participants can start, pause, and add more time.

Administrators enable apps using Webex Control Hub. For more information, please visit our help article here.

New name label for meetings

We've made some small, but effective changes to the of the name labels in the video windows. So that they don't cover up as much, particularly in smaller window sizes.

Introducing people focus (Beta)

In this update we're excited to introduce a new way to view Grid View, that maximizes screen space by using Artificial Intelligence to dynamically crop videos to focus on the individual, rather than their surroundings.

For more information, see the highlighted features for this update.

Speaker labeling and closed captions feed update

Speaker labels are added in the closed captioning box to further enhance live transcript readability.

For more information, see the highlighted features for this update.

Simultaneous interpretation volume balance adjustment

The volume balance in the simultaneous interpretation feature now shows interpreter on the right side instead of the left. To hear the interpreter at a higher volume, users can slide the balance to the right.

Increased High Frame Rate Content Sharing Resolution to 1080p (from 720p)

Webex Meetings app for Mac and Windows now supports up to full HD (1080p), when sharing high frame rate content.

Health status indicator update for Mac and Windows

In this update, we've enhanced the in-meeting Health Checker. There is now a colored status icon that appears in the top right of the application showing your current Health Status. Moving your mouse over the status indicator shows the current status and provide a button for View Health Checker.

Optimize your meetings, webinars, and events for all voices

In meetings, webinars, and events, you can filter out all background noises and enhance the voices of all users picked up by the microphone. The voice of the users that are farther away from the microphone are amplified to sound like they are much closer. This is done to create a better and more engaging experience during your meetings and events.

This feature is only available when you useUse computer audio only.

You can optimize your audio to prioritize speech before or after you join a meeting or webinar, by doing the following:

· Click Audio options, click the drop-down arrow under Webex smart audio, and Optimize for all voices.

· Click Audio options, click Audio settings, and Optimize for all voices.

Once you've selected a Webex smart audio option, the option you selected is set as the default for your future meetings and events on your site.

Make Share button clickable when anyone can share is disabled

Previously, the Share button was disabled for participants when anyone can share is disabled, confusing the user. Now it's clickable and shows a message saying that the user can't share if they click the button.

Slido in Webex has a new look

The Slido redesign supports new features, making continuous improvements, and creating a technology that caters to all your needs. With this update, you can experience the same product interface across all our integrations and solutions.

Limitations:

· Quiz isn't supported

· Images can't be uploaded to a poll question.

· You can't create more rooms for interaction.

Survey results visible in the Slido participant mode

Similar to individual polls, participants can see survey results directly in their participant panel after they vote.

Question topics

This feature has a gradual rollout schedule, so only a part of the newly created Slido events is available. Question topics are automatically generated in the Slido audience Q&A so that users can better navigate through the submitted questions.

Poll templates library

This feature has a gradual rollout schedule. The library is a lection of poll templates, giving you inspiration or concrete examples, you can use during meetings. In addition, we've made it easier for you to reuse previously created polls as templates. You can access this template library from your account at slido.com under Add poll from templates.

New polling experience in Slido administrator sidebar

This feature is being released as a toggle, the old sidebar is still default, but users can decide to toggle the new one on. It's a fresh, simpler, and redesigned Slido administrator experience.

Limitations:

The quiz feature is currently supported only in the old version but coming soon to the new one too.

Enhanced participant privacy settings

At the organizational level, Slido owners can choose the level of privacy for their participants. As a Slido owner, you can keep participants anonymous or named, by default, or just for specific activities such as polls and Q&A.

Media enhancements

Dedicated network origination port ranges

In this update we added the ability to change the network port numbers that we use to initiate media streams. Customers can request this to be enabled on their site from their Customer Success Manager. This feature allows customers to appropriately mark Meetings network packets for audio and video Quality of Service (QoS) to prioritize Webex media on their network.

These new source port ranges also bring the Meetings apps into alignment with the rest of our collaboration portfolio of products.

Media traffic for Meetings apps originates in the following port ranges:

Audio: 52000 to 52049

Video: 52100 to 52199

The video port range is used for both main video and content sharing video.

Post-meeting experience

Q&A, chat, and polling report for webinars

Hosts can download the in-webinar activity report for Q&A, chat, and polling for completed webinars. If Q&A or polling is done using Slido, hosts can find that information in Slido's report. This is only available for recorded webinars. Webinars in webcast view also supports Q&A, chat, and polling.

Webex Meetings for iOS and Android

See the Cisco Webex Meetings Mobile App Resources for more info on the Webex Meetings mobile app.

CarPlay support for iPhone and iPad users using in-meeting setting

It was initally communicated that CarPlay support for iPhone and iPad users using in-meeting setting was available in the 41.3 update, however, it has been delayed and will be available in a future update.

During a meeting, iOS app users can go to settings and enable CarPlay to connect their meeting to CarPlay-supported device.

Limitation: The user has to manually switch on CarPlay setting to connect their Webex meeting to the CarPlay device.

Option to hide Who's Speaking in stage mode

On iPad and Android tablets, part of the shared content is hidden when the speaker's name or multiple speaker names are displayed in stage view layout.

Users now have to hide the names of Who's Speaking in the stage view if they face this issue.

Display speaker name in close caption feed

In order to enhance the clarity for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, we need to provide them with an to display speaker labeling within the closed caption feed.

Simultaneous interpretation volume balance adjustment

The volume balance in the simultaneous interpretation feature now shows interpreter on the right side instead of the left, so to hear the interpreter at a higher volume, users can slide the balance to the right.

Optimize audio for your voice

Similar to desktop, Webex Meetings mobile app users can now enhance their meeting experience using Optimize for My Voice option. You can now suppress all background talkers and noise to allow others to hear you better, by ing the toOptimize for My Voice during a meeting by clicking More >Webex Smart Audio.

Users can set their preference prior to a meeting by accessing Audio and Video menu in the app setting under the Webex Smart Audio section.

The default is Noise Removal that is enabled (previously, called Remove Background Noise).

• In this update, Remove Background Noise is renamed to Noise Removal. • In the pre-meeting Audio and Video settings, Audio is renamed to Webex Smart Audio with the on and off toggle. Webex Meetings for Android

See the Cisco Webex Meetings Mobile App Resources for more info on the Webex Meetings mobile app.

Indicator center update

Android users can now view their network quality status in the indicator center during a meeting.

· When the network signal quality is good, the network icon turns green.

· When the network signal quality is medium, the network icon turns orange.

· When the network signal quality is poor, the icon turns red andPoor connection message pops-up.

Administration experience

Collaboration restrictions for your company users from Control Hub settings templates

With this update, collaboration restrictions can now be applied at an individual user and group level from the settings template in Control Hub.

IT administrators, today you're able to block your users from joining meetings hosted on the external sites at the org level only. With this update you can apply this policy at group and user level using settings template. collaboration restrictions are applicable to the permitted sites too.

Settings template is applicable to your company user joining both internal meetings and external meetings, with separate collaboration restriction toggles.

More than 20+ compliance control features are available for you to apply across your company users joining internal or external meetings.

Users are provided with appropriate messaging while using Webex Meetings based on their company policy.

This feature is not available for Webex for Government.

Forced authentication before joining Webex Meetings

In Control Hub, as an administrator, you can now lock the company device to allow only authenticated company users to join meetings using that device.

This feature is applicable to your users using company device to join meetings held within your organization or joining external meetings (meetings held outside of your organization). This feature leverages the registry key and token that have already been introduced. For more information on tokens and registry keys, see Collaboration restrictions for Webex Meetings in Control Hub.

Without the registry key, if Authenticated Sign-in is ON, it applies to the user trying to join meetings with a claimed email address.

This feature is not available for Webex for Government.

Webex Meetings compliance policies for Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

IT administrators can now prevent users from joining company meetings from a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). This feature leverages registry keys or tokens.

Users can join your company meetings using BYOD only if a registry keys or token is detected on that device.

For more information on tokens and registry keys and how to configure them, see Collaboration restrictions for Webex Meetings in Control Hub.

Email notification to users when their meeting recordings are deleted or reassigned

IT administrators can make changes to meeting recordings such as reassigning to a new owner or deleting the recording file based on compliance regulations. In this update, we provide a setting at the site level for the IT administrators to notify the user when such actions take place.

Users in the following scenarios receive an email notification when this setting is enabled:

· When the recordings are older than the retention period and they get moved to trash.

· Site administrators reassigns the recordings to another user.

· Site administrators moves the recording to trash, deletes, or restores it.

Audit more administrative activities in Control Hub audit log

We have innovated the legacy site administration configuration and moved s to Control Hub. The administrator can go to Control Hub to audit the administrative activities. This update, covers all s relevant to Webex Meetings and Webinars in Control Hub managed sites.

Webex Meetings APIs

Meetings RESTful API to support unlock meetings in create, update, and delete meeting

You can choose what happens when guests join unlocked meetings:

· Guests can join the meeting

· Guests wait in the lobby until host admits them

· Guests can't join the meeting

Compliance Officer Webhooks

Compliance officer can subscribe and get webhook notification for events like Meeting Scheduled and Recording done.

Webex for Government updates

We've added support for Webex for Government to the following features that are currently available.

Polling support in webinar

In addition to polls using Slido, you can now start polls in webinars from the Polling panel, similar to Webex Meetings. Use polls to engage your participants, even if Slido is not available in your webinar.

To pre-configure the polling questions the host can start any webinar to create questions and save the polling file in .atp at. During the webinar, the host can quickly add the questions by uploading the previously saved file.

Easy to use audio mute state management, recording controls, lock state, and raise hands available on Webex on-premises devices

This feature is available in the 42.3 update, but was added after the initial March 2022 (42.3) features were communicated.

It's now possible to accurately reflect the mute status in the meeting participant list for Webex on-premises registered video devices. Previously, when they muted or unmuted themselves, this wouldn't show up in the participant list.

When the host requests the video device user to unmute, there will not be any visual indications on the video device anymore. However, the host can always verbally ask the user to unmute themselves.

In addition, when the host turns on or off the ability for participants to unmute themselves, users on video devices then see appropriate messages rendered on their video device.

When a meeting is setup in the moderated unmute mode, hosts on the Webex App can continue to mute and unmute video device users directly from the app.

There's no request to ummute and response flow. Keep in mind that in this mode, if a user on a video device uses their local mic button to control their mute state, this is not reflected on the Webex App participant list.

As a host on a Webex on-premises registered video device, you can now record meetings using controls on the device interface instead of using DTMF controls, see direct device messages indicating the lock status of a meeting, and can now raise and lower your hand in a meeting using controls on the device interface instead of using DTMF controls.

With the first tap on the recording control a new recording is started. Tapping on the recording button again stops the current recording.

In addition, all users on Webex on-premises registered video devices see a recording icon shown on the edge of the screen. When the recording stops, the icon is removed.

When a meeting is locked, there's a key icon shown on the edge of the screen to indicate that the meeting is locked. When the meeting is unlocked, the key icon is removed.

When someone else raises their hand, you see a hand icon displayed on the edge of the screen. When all hands have been lowered by the host, the icon is removed from the screen.

Make sure to follow the instructions at the Active Controls help article to configure your on-premises components for proper operation of this feature: Improve the Cloud and Premises Meeting Experience with ActiveControl.

Closed Captions

All meeting participants will automatically have closed captions and can turn them on in one click. A captions panel is available when the closed captions feature is turned on. Currently, closed captions will only show English transcription.

If the host is a paid user, then free guest users who join the host's meeting will have closed captions.

Recording Transcripts

You can enable the automatic transcription of the audio for all recorded Cisco Webex meetings and events or you can enable the feature for specific users only. The transcripts appear during recording playback. Users can search for text in the transcript to verify what was said, and when. The transcripts are available in English and only support transcribing the English Audio.