As hybrid work is becoming the norm, the use of videoconferencing tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams has become more and more ingrained into our daily lives. In 2023, employees attended an average of 10 virtual meetings per week. The frequent use of videoconferencing tools indicates that most users have at least one, if not multiple, videoconferencing apps installed on their devices. Given this widespread adoption, it’s no surprise that the global videoconferencing market is projected to grow substantially – from $33 billion in 2024 to $60 billion by 2032.
It’s clear that videoconferencing isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, but what do videoconferencing apps have to offer the hybrid workforce? What can we expect in the years to come?
Included Features
Videoconferencing apps have improved by leaps and bounds since they first hit the market. Video quality has improved, and overall technical issues with these tools have decreased. High-definition video is supported in a majority of videoconferencing apps alongside a relatively smooth stream of data as you share your screen with others. As companies continue to fine-tune their products, many new features have been added and have maximized the efficiency of videoconferencing.
Breakout Rooms
Released in 2020, Zoom introduced breakout rooms where people can be split into groups, each with their own separate meeting. The idea has helped many users stay engaged and give a voice to those who normally wouldn’t speak up during the larger call. Breakout rooms help improve collaboration and brainstorming efforts. This can be particularly helpful to engage meeting participants when some are participating in a videoconference from the office while others are joining from home.
App Integration
The use of apps alongside videoconferencing technology improves collaboration and promotes higher efficiency. Spending time pulling up various apps individually can make it seem like you are not fully prepared, and on top of that, it simply wastes everyone’s time. Tools like Workast (a to-do list, task coordinating tool) and HubSpot (a customer relationship management - CRM tool) can be integrated with your videoconferencing app, allowing you to easily pull up what you need and share it with everyone. The videoconferencing leaders, Zoom and Microsoft Teams, have 2,500 and 2,000 app integrations respectively, to choose from to help meet your needs.
AI Companion
If you have no idea what an AI Companion is, I highly recommend you take a look and maybe give it a test run on an internal call. Videoconferencing tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams have a button during the call, which enables their specific AI. The AI listens to the meeting, takes notes on what is said, and provides the notes at the end of the meeting. Think of it as summarizing the meeting for you so you can focus on what is being discussed without the worry of writing everything down.
In addition, Zoom’s AI Companion can help draft both emails and chat messages, summarize chats, and even translate the language spoken. You can even chat with the AI Companion about what you missed if you join late and get a real-time response during your meeting. This is a time saver when working in a hybrid environment. Instead of stopping the meeting to ask for an update, simply have the tool provide a summary so you can get up to speed without any problems. On top of that, this comes at no extra cost to the paid user!
Future Improvements
Improvements to videoconferencing apps have come really far just in the last few years. That’s not to say there isn’t room for even further improvements. Here are a few ways that videoconferencing could continue to be enhanced in the future.
AI Improvements
I have no doubt that AI will continue to pave the way and shape videoconferencing tools. My educated guess is that soon, AI will be more than simply a translator and notetaker. AI could serve as a personal assistant during videoconferences. For example, a meeting participant could say, “When are you available to meet again?” and AI could pull up all users’ calendars and choose dates/times they are free.
Another feature I could see these tools adding is a presentation guide. I remember preparing for my first interview and being the most nervous I’ve ever been in my entire life. My hands were shaking holding my mouse, my voice trembling. I practiced before the interview on a videoconferencing app and played it back to watch, but my problem was lack of feedback. I didn’t know what to do if something sounded wrong or if I looked nervous. Imagine AI analyzing your facial expressions, voice pitch, and what you are saying. Perhaps AI could provide feedback on how to improve - what a game-changer!
Hybrid Disconnect Improvements
Many times, I have been on Zoom calls with other hybrid workers. A few others and I are in our home offices up close to the camera, while the rest are on a single camera inside a conference room. The audio is more troublesome; I can’t see their facial expressions very well, and it can be difficult to know when they are done talking. Participants in the conference room may dominate the conversation and give those in the home office less of a voice. This is not malicious by any means, but simply the nature of these types of calls.
What can videoconferencing platforms do to solve this issue? It would be beneficial for remote users if they had a panoramic view and a speaker view of the conference room. Remote users would be able to customize who they see, as they currently can, but these tools could use AI to track and pick up sounds, identify who is speaking, and have the camera point directly at them. That way, people can actually see who is speaking and feel more comfortable and connected to those in the conference room.
Video Improvements
I have a window near my desk, and sometimes the sun can be too bright on half of my face, or it can be cloudy, and it looks like I’m sitting in the dark. I can’t control the weather, but I would like videoconferencing tools to be able to! If they could sense the amount of light received and adjust the camera accordingly, that would be beneficial and help prevent the last-minute hassle of finding the right angle before the video calls. Whether it be a conference room or the home office, videoconferencing tools should be able to adjust for light more effectively.
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)
Some videoconferencing apps currently have some AR features in place, such as the ability to create custom avatars to help users who don’t want their camera on but want to leverage the power of facial expressions and body language.
There’s huge potential for AR to expand, and it could play a key role in the hybrid work environment. AR could display things such as 3D models, building plans, and maybe charts or graphs. It would be much more immersive and could give the sense of “face-to-face” interaction that is lacking sometimes in a hybrid environment.
Videoconferencing apps also have VR up and running, but I think AR would be more beneficial. VR requires additional hardware that not everyone can access. VR headsets are costly, and many users may find it’s not worth the expense for videoconferencing.
Final Thoughts
Our need for videoconferencing tools is not going away anytime soon. From its humble beginnings in the 1980s and even over the past few years, videoconferencing has changed for the better. It’s exciting (and somewhat mind-bending) to see how far videoconferencing capabilities have come.
I do think there are minor enhancements that could be added to improve our experience and productivity even further, and I would not be surprised if they are currently in the works. I’m excited to see what the leading competitors have in store for us!
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