Zoom, one of the best-known brands in the world for video communications, blew customers away at their Zoomtopia event in 2018, with the announcement of several upcoming functionalities and features.
Designed to provide a more complete unified communications platform for users, Zoom's product updates included everything from a new voice platform to conference room enhancements and compelling meetings capabilities. Now, Zoom is delivering on all of its promises with the arrival of general availability for each update.
Introducing Zoom Voice
Following considerable beta testing, Zoom Voice, the cloud phone strategy from Zoom, is now available to customers as an add-on to the Zoom platform. Inbound and outbound calling is supported through PSTN, and the range of telephony solutions ensures that customers will be able to replace their traditional PBX for a fully-consolidated Zoom strategy. Currently, Zoom Voice is available for Canadian and US customers with more than 50 customers, though it will be going global throughout this year.
Zoom Voice identifies Zoom as a serious upcoming challenger in the unified communication space, giving depth to its already popular video and meeting room portfolio.
Enjoy Enhanced Zoom Meetings
Along with the introduction of Zoom Voice, Zoom also promised to update and improve the desktop user experience for their "Meetings" service. The application is now more modern and streamlined, with upgraded features such as:
- Virtual backgrounds without the need for a green screen - create a professional appearance by displaying any image as your background during a Zoom meeting. Various devices, including the iPhone 8, iPad 9.7 and Mac i7 will no longer need green screens to use this feature. Windows will be supported by the end of the second quarter this year
- 1080p video - All Zoom Enterprise and Business users with high-performance computers will be able to access 1080p
- New desktop features and experiences - Zoom's desktop app is now available through a single window, instead of 2, with group and personal channels, starred contacts and messages and more
- Audio Signature - A new security strategy adding ultrasonic identification marks to audio streams so that companies can identify the source of leaked audio
Workspaces and Conference Rooms
In the conference room environment, Zoom's new updates include various extension products, scheduling, and signage display, Zoom Rooms update, and a SIP/H.323 conference room connection.
