Recently, our founder, Rob Scott published a blog and LinkedIn post to outline some of his latest predictions for the future of Unified Communications. The blog discussed some of the trends that we're currently seeing in the UC marketplace, all the way from the increasing presence of AI and machine learning, to the potential for VR or "mixed" reality meeting rooms.
It's safe to say that almost everyone with a link to the communication industry today has a vested interest in where the space is going, so it's no surprise that Rob's insights sparked some conversation among his communication peers. Here's an insight into what today's UC customers, innovators, and creators think about the state of UC today, and what might be coming in the years ahead.
The Changing Reality of Meeting Rooms
One of Rob's predictions was that virtual reality meeting rooms, augmented contextual displays, and mixed reality concepts might start making their way into the office space. On LinkedIn, the response to this concept was mixed. Microsoft UC & Cloud Consultant Mark Vale noted that while "Techies love Tech," people are still searching for UC technology that's simple, and convenient to use. "VR will not be mainstream in business UC for the same reason that 3D will never be mainstream in the consumer world, you need peripherals for them to work. Lose the personal peripheral, and it has a chance."
Mark also noted that it may be more likely that we'll begin to see "holographic" and immersive meeting rooms that don't require wearable apps. Simon Leyland of Microsoft Teams and Office 365 also said that he's not sure about the upcoming presence of VR either, as it will require a significant amount of investment and energy from a Meeting Room development perspective. However, Leyland believes that
"Video, whiteboards and mobile sharing in meeting rooms need to become the norm, rather than the exception by 2021"
The Rise of Smart UC and AI
The unified communications space is growing smarter by the day. Rob believes that this drive to the more intelligent meeting room will be powered by the presence of AI and machine learning. Some of his predictions include In-car UC powered by AI Virtual Assistants, the presence of AI call analytics complete with real-time assessments of customer sentiment, and invisible UC that allows you to wear collaboration apps in your ear, specs, and even under your skin.
Additionally, the rise of AI also gives way to a conversation of how voice calls may one day be replaced with virtual assistants and bots. Tim D'Ath, a UC Solutions Architect for O2, commented that he believes that the next chapter of UC will advance with an AI strategy that gives employees their won personal AI assistants, constantly responding with meaningful messages and insights, "Google has been experimenting with this technology, which looks very interesting."
A Slow Decline in Physical Endpoints
Perhaps the concept causing the most controversy in the current UC marketplace is the belief that physical endpoints will gradually become less common. Rob and many others believe that desktop phones, hardware PBXs, and highly skilled engineers will gradually be replaced by simplicity and software. DJ Gillit of Dialpad says that their company believe this decline of physical endpoints is already happening: "So many of our customers want to move away from devices that tether them to a single spot and get more mobile."
Mark Diaz, the CEO of Vinix feels the same way. In a comment on LinkedIn, he said:
