Facebook revealed the third generation of its Portal video-calling devices, and a new Portal for Business option.
Although Facebook hasn't revealed any sales number from its Portal devices that were released in 2018, the company seems determined on capitalizing on people's need of video calls. And it's not intimidated by Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Nest Hub.
Facebook's new models are the Portal Go and the Portal+. The Portal Go, a $199 device with a 10-inch screen (iPad-sized video screen) that can be lifted off of its charging block for use around the house. The Portal Go features a carrying handle and enough battery to last up to five hours of one-on-one calling via Facebook's Messenger or 14 hours of listening with its screen off.
The new version of Portal+ will be sold for $349. It features a wide 14-inch display that can be tilted forward and backward. The new Portal+ was designed to sit next to users’ computers on their desks for video calls. Facebook said it has better sound quality than the first version.
Facebook also announced Portal for Business, a service for SMBs that will allow businesses to purchase, deploy and remotely manage Portal devices for their workers. Portal for Business will launch in beta this year in the U.S. and will become more widely available next year, Facebook’s head of product management for Portal, Micah Collins, told CNBC.
It's worth mentioning that Facebook will add Microsoft’s Teams work to Portal in December. This will allow Portal owner to use their devices to access their Teams calendars, contacts, file sharing and chat functionality. Portal already supports other work apps like Zoom, BlueJeans and Webex.
