Far from taking over your weekly video catch-up, Zoom is also set to become a one-stop-shop for everything you need during your workday.
The videoconferencing giant has exposed (opens in a new tab) many new offerings, including a standalone email service, a calendar app, and more.
The move, announced at the company’s Zoomtopia event, is designed to set Zoom at odds with the likes of Slack and Microsoft Teams in a battle for dominance in the workplace office software market.
Zoom Mail and more
Zoom’s goal with new launches seems to be to build a central hub where users can not only call and chat with colleagues, co-workers, friends and family, but now offer much more.
The new Zoom Mail and Calendar services will be built right into the company’s app, meaning users should have everything they need without having to switch between different services.
All Zoom Mail emails are fully encrypted when sent between users, and the company says there will be a range of popular email and calendaring services to integrate with Zoom Mail, but it will also offer its own Zoom-hosted email and calendar options for companies that may not have their own dedicated IT services.
The enhanced Zoom One platform is also expected to improve collaboration across the company’s many apps, including Team Chat, Phone, Whiteboard, Meetings, meaning teams can keep all conversations and project progress moving smoothly even after meetings are over.
Elsewhere, the company also announced Zoom Spots, a virtual coworking space again hosted on the app as it aims to recreate the spontaneous feel of office interactions. Also available is Zoom Virtual Agent, a new conversational AI and chatbot supporting natural language processing and machine learning for contact center operations.
“As global organizations adapt to how, when and where work takes place, it is critical that people-to-people connections remain a top priority in driving business strategies,” said Zoom CEO Eric Yuan.
“Our team has created and launched over 1,500 features and enhancements on the Zoom platform this year, improving the way people connect with each other, their organization and customers – ultimately opening the door wide for creativity and collaboration.”
