Element Call: Redefining conferencing for privacy, scale, and sovereignty (matrix-conf-2025)

Element Call, the flagship MatrixRTC application by Element, is shaping the future of secure, federated calling. As the successor to the traditional call system in Element apps, it now powers large-scale, end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) group calls with improved reliability and seamless federation support. This talk follows up on last year’s introduction of Element Call, showcasing a year of rapid innovation — from new media transport mechanisms to enhanced mobile features — all aimed at making secure communication effortless and intuitive. Last year, we introduced Element Call as the next-generation MatrixRTC solution for calling over Matrix. In 2025, it’s no longer just a promising beta—it’s the default call experience in Element apps and a key pillar of the Matrix ecosystem. This talk will cover the evolution of Element Call over the past year, including: - MatrixRTC in production: how Element Call is now the core calling experience in Element apps, replacing the legacy call stack. - Scalable E2EE group calls: supporting large encrypted calls with significantly improved reliability and federation support. - New transport layer: leveraging to-device messages for secure and robust end-to-end media encryption across calls. - A new MatrixRTC Transport using a Multi-SFU approach - Ease of use: new UX features like emoji reactions and background blurring. - Mobile-first features: introducing Handset Mode for more natural audio on mobile devices. Whether you're a Matrix developer, community member, or integrator, this session will give you an inside look at where MatrixRTC is headed and how to build on top of it. Licensed to the public under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ about this event: https://cfp.2025.matrix.org/matrix-conf-2025/talk/BQZHAH/