Is this the end of Zoom?
When the pandemic hit we embraced Zoom, Houseparty, Microsoft Teams, FaceTime, Facebook Messenger, and a whole host of other previously unheard-of video-calling apps. Had it occurred a decade ago, Skype (the previous go-to app in a now saturated market) would have been the first choice for business communications. Now, as we return to the offices and restrictions ease, we’re beginning to see the apps that were once so ingrained in our lives deleted from our computers for good. Will any video-calling apps thrive away from lockdown restrictions? Or are we ready to re-think our communications needs?
This month (October 2021) HouseParty will get shut down for good. The mobile video social network was installed 17.2 million times in March 2020, opposed to only 570,000 times the previous month. Announcing the closure, Houseparty’s owner, Epic Games, said it could no longer “give the app or our community the attention that it deserves”. Epic acquired Houseparty for a reported $35m in 2019.
Even these impressive figures pale in comparison to the success of Zoom, as no video-calling app reached such stratospheric success. However, 2021 may be the year that their growth forecasts come back down to Earth. This summer, investors sent Zoom shares down 12% after a disappointing growth forecast of 31% in the third quarter (opposed to 200% in the first).
We may be using video-calling apps less to communicate with friends and family as we can now get together in person, but what about the future of video-calling in the workplace? When we couldn’t be with our colleagues in person, the next best thing was to rely on videoconferencing. But as many businesses opt to head back into the office, what does that mean for the future of office communications?
In-person meetings are back on, so if you want to ask a colleague a quick question, why would you opt for a video call over a moment on the phone? A short while ago we spent our time at a WFH desk but now, as lockdown is lifted and we’re up and about, we can work from the office, coffee shop, or wherever we choose. You may think phone systems for your business may prevent you from answering calls on the go, but (like any video-calling app) you can answer calls wherever you are. Here at Microtalk, our cloud-based PBX systems provide all the features you need from your business telephone system, while you can free yourself from your desk as the Microtalk App provides the same functionality outside the office.
As we move on from WFH and delete the many unused video-calling apps, it appears phone calls are here to stay, but this time with all the advantages provided by VoIP technology and cloud-based systems. Learn more about our cloud PBX for your business and talk to us about communications solutions for your business today.