Video conferencing has been around for a long time – I should know, working at RADVISION for over a decade. It had been fun times, with lots of development and features being added.
Then came HD – be it HD video or voice, increasing the quality (and experience) of a call dramatically.
And then what?
The hard truth is that for the last couple of years there is no real innovation in the video conferencing industry.
Yeah, we talk about moving from 720p to 1080p, moving from 30 frames per second to 60 frames per second, adding another camera, adding more screens. But really – who cares?
We’re marketing and selling the same solution we did years ago. It’s a bit faster, maybe a bit better, but that’s all.
The margins companies make on video conferencing endpoints are diminishing yearly. The way to keep the pricing today Is to increase the video resolution. But there’s just so much you can charge for more resolution – we’ve already reached the point where it makes no sense to invest further.
The open question to our industry is: what’s next?
What will be the next innovation that will drive our niche and maybe, just maybe, bring it to the critical mass I’ve been told exist just around the corner.
Tags: 1080p, development, enterprise, HD, HD Video, HD voice, Innovation, quality, resolution, UC, video conferencing, VoIP
Comments and trackbacks
1. Michael Graves | September 7th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
To begin, I have little experience with video conferencing. I work for a SMB and we’re just becoming interested in a deployment. But I do have many years in VoIP.
How about immersive acoustics? Or more simply stated, rational surround sound in support of video conferencing? I think that this is an area the remains largely unexplored.
I also wonder about the ability of MCUs to handle dramatically asymmetrical equipment compliments. For example, integrating the new generation of “Media Phone” with traditional video conferencing suites. How do we more effectively tie in small/home-office dwellers?
2. Tsahi Levent-Levi | September 7th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Michael,
I need to check out this immersive acoustics thing. Do share a link on the subject (or better yet – write about it on your blog). I’ll be very interested to read more about it.
As for supporting asymmetrical equipment – this is exactly what our new SCOPIA Elite does best, so you can check it out if you like. If you are new to video conferencing, then may I suggest Sagee’s blog? Video Over Enterprise – he does a great job in covering that area, and you might find what you’re looking over there.
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