powering productive workplaces
Front page
NewsWorkspace Tech18 Sept 2017 · 3 min read

The Modern Conference Phone Turns 25: Polycom Announces New Solutions

Twenty-five years ago, Polycom introduced its iconic three-legged conference phone and changed the rules of how the world communicates at work.

Polycom conference phone 25th anniversary

Twenty-five years ago, Polycom introduced its iconic three-legged conference phone and changed the rules of how the world communicates at work. The Polycom phone, with its unique shape and breakthrough audio quality, quickly became the defacto conference phone for everyone – from Fortune 1000 companies to world leaders to characters on The Simpsons - earning its place in pop culture and selling millions of units. Polycom is once again setting the standard for conference phone excellence today by introducing new and updated conferencing solutions that meet the business needs for rooms of all sizes.

  • On 25th anniversary of the iconic three-legged phone, Polycom unveils the Polycom Trio 8500, the new standard in conference performance for mid-sized conference rooms

The  Polycom Trio 8500, is instantly recognisable as a sharp new interpretation of the well-known three-legged shape and is the perfect communication tool for mid-sized conference rooms. The 8500 is a future-proof solution that delivers all the latest Polycom innovations today, including HD voice audio quality, Polycom NoiseBlock and hybrid registration and will be expandable to include video and content sharing in the future. The 8500 also includes a modern full colour touch screen interface and Microsoft Exchange calendar integration, which makes joining a meeting as easy as one touch.

“For a quarter of a century, businesses have known to look for Polycom’s visually distinctive phones and have counted on them to provide superior and unparalleled call quality,” said Mary McDowell, CEO of Polycom. “The new 8500 is the latest in our line of renowned conference phones, designed for the 21st century workplace with a modern look and crystal clear audio quality and the best interoperability across ecosystems – another signature Polycom feature.”

The 8500 is available today. Video and content sharing support for the Polycom Trio 8500 is expected to be added later in the year and provide business-quality video conferencing and content sharing for huddle spaces and mid-sized rooms.

  • Upgraded video capabilities to Polycom Trio 8800 improves larger conference room meeting experience

Polycom also offers new features to the Polycom Trio 8800, the company’s fastest selling conference phone. The 8800 now allows participants to connect using your Apple AirPlay or Miracast certified devices for wireless flexibility and later this year will also support enterprise-class motorised pan-tilt-zoom (MPTZ) cameras that offer a broader degree of visibility for high-definition collaboration experience in larger conference rooms.

Both Trio solutions will support hybrid registration, allowing businesses to easily migrate between open SIP environments, Skype for Business environments, or both and work with other cloud-based audio and video platforms, including Zoom, BlueJeans, Cisco, Avaya, WebEx and others.

  • Introducing Polycom VoxBox, a compact and portable speakerphone for team and personal spaces

Finally, Polycom is also introducing a new audio solution for team and personal spaces, such as huddle rooms, with the new Polycom VoxBox an ultra-compact speaker phone that allows customers to experience Polycom’s HD Voice technology anywhere, anytime and with any device. The Polycom VoxBox will be available in select areas starting in Q4.

For more information on today’s announcement, please visit our blog.

About Polycom, Inc. Polycom helps organisations unleash the power of human collaboration. More than 400,000 companies and institutions worldwide defy distance with secure video, voice and content solutions from Polycom to increase productivity, speed time to market, provide better customer service, expand education and save lives. Polycom and its global partner ecosystem provide flexible collaboration solutions for any environment that deliver the best user experience, the broadest multi-vendor interoperability and unmatched investment protection.

 

rate this story
helps rank stories across uc today
The discussion0 takes · attributed & checked

Does this reflect your experience?

opening the room…
Read nextordered by techtelligence · every pick explained
same beat · Workspace Tech

The 365-Day Stadium: How Crestron Powers Matchday at Espai Barça

12 Aug 2026
matches this topicBeyond the Video Call: Managing the Total Meeting Room Environment6 May 2026matches this topicAV Leader Masterclass: Engineering Your Next-Gen Meeting Rooms With Crestron29 Apr 2026