9 videos on Android

[Alchesen]

I have 2 Android phones and an Android tablet, all with the latest version of Zoom.

Both phones will display 9 videos in Gallery View but the tablet will only display 4. Why?

Could it be the difference in RAM? One phone has 12GB of RAM, the other 6GB, but the tablet only 3, so I am guessing that Zoom restricts the number of videos it displays on the tablet. Would this be the reason?

I need to get another tablet but it is essential it displays 9 videos in Gallery View.

Can someone tell me what the minimum specifications are for this to work?

[Ray_Harwood]

Every device behaves a bit differently, @Alchesen. There are different versions of the Zoom program, depending on the device, and there are different criteria for each device that determine how many videos show up in the gallery. 

This Zoom Support article – though a little technical in places – has some good information for each of the various device types. 

[Alchesen]

Thank you Ray for your reply.

The linked information was most useful and I picked up a couple of other options I had missed before.  Unfortunately it did not directly address my question about minimum Android tablet specifications, but I did notice a couple of things it said (although not specifically talking about Android), but which will guide my choice, namely: "Any 1 Ghz single core processor or better" and "4GB RAM". Hopefully those specs will allow the 9 video gallery display (and bringing those with raised hands to the top).

Thanks again,

Allan

[Krunal121]

Checked with support and they say that Android tablets DOESN'T SUPPORT more than 8 participants without scrolling down.

SO THIS MAKES ZOOM PRACTICALLY UNUSABLE FOR ANDROID TABLETS....

FOR HOSTING A MEETING OF LETS SAY 80 PARTICIPANTS ALSO....U WILL HAVE TO SCROLL DOWN 10 TIMES...VERY BAD....

MOREOVER THEY DONT HAVE ANY TIMELINE AS TO WHEN THEY WILL FIX IT.

THIS INFORMATION IS VALID FOR LATEST VERSION OF ZOOM DATED 11TH JUNE 2024

[Alchesen]

Thanks for your reply.

Actually Android WILL display more than 8 participants, as my phone (Samsung Fold 5) will display at least 12, without scrolling. (See image below)

RAM seems to be the critical factor. A 3GB tablet I had will only display 4, while the same model tablet with 4GB, displays 8 and, as I said, my phone (with 12GB) will display 12.

In our situation, hosting is managed on a laptop with a ceiling mounted camera and platform mounted microphone. The 4GB tablet works well, used as a monitor for the meeting conductor to see who have raised their hand (which brings their video to the top of course) so there is no need to scroll down to see the other participants.

 

[Alchesen]

Actually the 4GB RAM Samsung tablet will display 9 participants, not 8, as you can see in my second image above. Whether a 12GB (or more) tablet, will display more that the 12 on my phone, I don't know.

[Krunal121]

Alchesen,

Our teacher-student setup has teacher hosting minimum 100 students and initially we used to work with laptop and we are able to scroll 25 students easily. 

But for ease of use we got latest and greatest Samsung S9 Ultra tablet, 36 inch, 16 GB, 1TB and we are just getting gallery view for 8 participants and a floating view for host. So this was a SHOCKER for us.

I did followup with ZOOM support and they said that they had limitation of 8 participants view on gallery view. This limitations is not even clearly documented. So it was a big deal for us.

With this limitations Android tablets may not be able to host big meetings...posting here just to make sure others don't face same issue as I faced.

[Alchesen]

So obviously RAM is not the only limiting factor. If your tablet has 16GB RAM you should theoretically get at least 12 as I do on my Fold5 or 9 as on another phone and on a tablet. Zoom's claim that Android is limited to 8, does not fit with any of my devices. It seems strange that there should be these differences and especially that your S9 should only show 8, with the specs it has. Maybe the screen ratio is a factor, as my Fold5 is almost square. It makes the participants videos square too, to fit 4 across and 3 down.

We use a laptop for the hosting, with the display set to 50 participants (or is it 49? - 7x7), so minimal scrolling required.