Zoom to let other apps embed its video conferencing services

Imagine going shopping at an online store and being able to talk to the store owner to tell them your fashion tastes and have them show you different clothing that is suitable. This could be the future of online retail interaction if Zoom has its way.

According to industry analyst Zeus Kerravala, principal analyst at ZK Research:

"Video usage is at an all-time high. The next wave of video-based experiences will be driven by embedding video directly into business and consumer applications that seamlessly improve workflows and enhance social interaction."

In a blog post , Zoom announced that they are releasing their Video Software Development Kit (SDK) so developers can include interactive video-based features within their applications.

The company envisions applications developers embedding video in social, gaming or retail applications, where including video could enhance the user experience. For example:

• Developers can integrate Zoom’s functionality into social media applications to create reliable and engaging communications experiences, such as on-the-go live streaming with interactive chat.

• Using Zoom’s HD video and audio and interactive features, developers can build desktop gaming apps that offer new opportunities for audience engagement.

• Businesses can leverage Zoom’s interactive features to create unique shopping experiences that are tailored to customers and drive revenue.

Zoom says that by leveraging the SDK, developers can enhance their customers’ experience, creating applications and functionalities that improve and engage customers and the user experience, as well as increasing accessibility.

Customers will receive detailed performance analytics to give developers additional insights into the performance and usage of their applications on the Zoom App Marketplace.

These include user and account level subscription counts, active user and active account metrics, API usage volumes, and more.

The Video SDK is part of the Zoom Development Platform which also includes APIs, chatbots, Webhooks, and distribution for applications and integrations.

Zoom is giving developers 10,000 session minutes per month at no charge , with additional charges then calculated on a consumption basis. There is also the option of a US$1,000 (S$1,350)  annual charge for 30,000 session minutes per month.

Other companies like Microsoft and Facebook have been showing off AR and VR solutions that they’ve been working on with Microsoft saying that their Mesh will be the future of video conferencing . It certainly looks interesting and will add another dimension to video conferencing.

This article was first published in Hardware Zone.