Innovation looks to save an uncertain future of telepresence

The future of the telepresence and video conferencing market has recently been the topic of much debate among industry insiders as no one is sure where it’s going. Older, more complicated systems are becoming obsolete while cloud-based and mobile options are still in their infancy and have some bugs to work out. Some are proclaiming it doomed while others see a bright horizon.

Last week, this blog took a look at the new Lifesize Unity All-in-One HD video conferencing solutions, now, the industry is starting to weigh in on the latest innovation in the telepresence market. A new article from eWeek examined where the Unity solution fits within the industry lexicon and how it might help save it.

Jeffrey Burt, the writer of the piece, noted that the Unity system does something that the more expensive and complex option from industry leaders like Cisco and Polycom doesn’t – tap into the booming small business market.

“Thanks to these traditional systems, telepresence has grown into a 4 billion-dollar per year industry,” Burt writes. “Today, however, the juggernauts of the market, such as Cisco and Polycom, are being outmaneuvered by a number of upstart companies.”

Where mobility and the cloud fits into this telepresence resurgence is still unknown. Most believe it will have a positive effect such innovations should help continue the trend of lowering costs started by the Unity system as well as provide easier high-quality video.

Regardless of where the industry is heading, it’s safe to assume any talk of the industry’s demise is premature. Small businesses are helping to turn the market around and companies interested in the latest telepresence technology should reach out to a national IT service provider.

The future of the telepresence and video conferencing market has recently been the topic of much debate among industry insiders as no one is sure where it’s going.