2025-10-16 –, Lynn Conway
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 messaging for secure media signaling, a foundational shift enabling robust end-to-end encryption across calls.
- Ease of use: new UX features like emoji reactions and background blurring.
- Mobile-first features: introducing Earpiece Mode for more natural audio on mobile devices and first-class support for telephone-like call flows.
We’ll also touch on how Element Call is enabling new use cases—from casual team chats to more traditional telephony scenarios—while staying true to Matrix’s core values of openness, interoperability, and encryption.
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.
Florian has always been a passionate supporter of Matrix and deeply resonates with the Matrix Manifesto. After working extensively on centralized (video) communication systems, he now focuses on the exciting challenge of expanding (video) communication to decentralized systems, with Matrix being the obvious choice. In his role as Expert Cluster Lead at Element, Florian is actively driving this vision of decentralized communication with industry leading end-to-end encryption forward.
An expert in audio signal processing and real-time communication, Florian holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from RWTH Aachen University. He has contributed to VoIP technologies with patents in jitter buffer optimization and acoustic feedback reduction. His extensive industry experience includes leading the development of key audio technologies like WebRTC, MCU Conference Engine, and SFU, as well as pioneering research in perceptual jitter buffers and spatial audio. His work has powered platforms like GotoMeeting and GotoWebinar, supporting millions of users globally.
Sr. Product Designer at Element