July 22, 2021
Zoom is integrating third-party apps into its video conferences, as it aims to stay ahead even after the world emerges from the pandemic.
The platform hopes the addition of apps will make meetings more engaging, productive and fun.
Zoom predicts a future of hybrid working and hopes to keep its 300 million daily meeting attendees. It is also keen to compete with rivals such as Google Meets and Microsoft Teams.
Zoom already has a marketplace of 1,500 apps, but they need to be downloaded separately and added to meetings. 50 apps will be available during the launch, including the meeting planning app Asana and Dot Collector, which provide real-time feedback and surveys.
It remains to be seen how many people will continue to use Zoom and similar video conferencing services as the world continues to shift to in-person activities as COVID-19 vaccination rates grow.
The company, which saw an exponential rise in the wake of the pandemic, recently announced the acquisition of Five9, a cloud-based call center operator. It said it estimated sales to rise more than 40% this year to more than $3.7 billion.
Zoom chief executive Eric Yuan had previously said he was convinced the world would continue to follow a hybrid working model after the pandemic.
For more information, read the original story in the BBC.
