Soon, you'll be able to use your Facebook portal for more than just calling your grandparents, as Facebook adds the ability to make video calls using BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, WebEx, and Zoom, turning consumer smart displays into something you can use at work or school Because it turns them into something usable.

The Portal, Portal Plus, and Portal Mini, which will be available in September (no official release date yet), will allow users to download apps for the aforementioned video conferencing services. (This feature is not yet available on Portal TV, but Facebook hopes to make it available in the near future.) Portal's camera (which can track you as you move around the room) will work just like making a phone call using Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp.

In addition, Facebook has made improvements to Workplace, its business-focused conferencing service. Users will be able to log in with a Workplace-specific account instead of a Facebook or WhatsApp login.

You will be able to add backgrounds to your Workplace calls so your colleagues don't have to see your messy bedroom.

While the Portal does not have all the features of the various video conferencing apps (there is no way to add a background to a Zoom call, for example), the ability to use multiple video chat apps on the Portal gives it an advantage over other smart displays.

By comparison, the Google Nest Hub Max has similar camera tracking as the Portal, but only allows video calls with Google Meet or Google Duo. On Amazon's side, the Echo Show, Echo Show 8, and Echo Show 5 have Skype and Alexa calling.

Update (8/19): Zoom calling will also be available on Amazon Echo Show devices and Google Nest Hub Max later this year.

Given the recent lack of the best webcams, smart displays are starting to sound like a viable option for those setting up home offices for work or school. And now that Zoom works on a variety of smart displays, it is becoming even more compelling as one of the best video chat apps.