Research suggests a diverse need for video communications PaaS

Vidyo in collaboration with WebRTC ventures has released a report titled “The Rise of Embedded Video Communications: Trends in Video-Enabled Apps.” The report shows that communications platforms-as-a-service (PaaS) is a top choice for those who are planning embedded video projects, with 49% of respondents saying that they plan to use a communications PaaS to initiate an embedded video project within the next 12 months.

More than 45% of survey respondents say they embed video into a telehealth application making telehealth the top use case across the board. As healthcare providers shift to a model of value-based care that emphasizes high quality, accessibility and low costs, they seek alternatives to generic, siloed video communications solutions. Care providers use a communications PaaS to thread real-time video throughout clinical workflows to simplify the engagement process for both the patient and the clinician.

“In today’s digital world, real-time video is the human touch that helps organizations engage directly with their desired audiences,” said Vidyo Chief Marketing Officer Elana Anderson. “For example, telemedicine enhances continuity of care and, therefore, the patient experience. This report shows the tremendous uptake of embedded real-time video to enrich and simplify how we communicate.”

Beyond healthcare, embedded real-time video communication is used across all industries. About 40% of respondents embed video into collaboration/online meeting applications, while 35% embed video into contact center workflows and 30% embed video into distance learning solutions. Other responses include field services, technical support, webcasts and webinars and gaming. Industry analysts expect the United States video communications PaaS market to skyrocket from $60 million in 2016 to $1.7 billion in 2020, with ubiquitous remote visual communications benefiting virtually any scenario.

For the 47% of respondents who have not yet embedded video into an application, technical limitations and high costs are stated as common barriers to adopting the technology. Full internal development of a video collaboration application requires hosted global infrastructure and high development and maintenance costs. A communications PaaS, on the other hand, offers cloud hosting, attractive usage-based pricing, and little to no need for expertise in video technology.

Network quality is also a top technical concern, with 55% of respondents reporting that the network they use is not good enough to guarantee a quality video experience. With today’s rapid proliferation of personal, mobile devices and remote teams, companies  prioritize reliable, quality video experiences over any network: 4G/5G, variable wifi networks, and low bandwidth scenarios.  

“A communications PaaS lets organizations focus on making their applications shine and on creating great customer experiences, rather than on the burden of becoming video infrastructure experts,” added Anderson. “Organizations need a simple and cost effective way to integrate this critical channel into their customer engagement workflows.”

Vidyo co-authored the survey of 166 Chief Information Officers, Chief Technology Officers, General Managers, Front-end Developers and Engineering Directors with WebRTC.ventures, a global team of WebRTC experts that builds custom real-time applications with video, voice, and data exchange.

“By using a communications PaaS such as vidyo.io, developers at any skill level can video-enable their applications within minutes,” said WebRTC.ventures CEO Arin Sime. “Companies like Vidyo let developers embed video into anything with a processor and a screen, and thanks to WebRTC, this ability for a brand to humanize itself in the blink of an eye extends to anyone with a web browser.”