Tablet Owners Want Their Corporate Video Communications
The world of online video is set to put one of the business sector’s oldest adages to the test. Executives always tell us that “the customer is king.” But will this truism hold in a way that shapes the future of business communications?
That’s the question that comes to mind as the industry sector adapts to the changes in market demand sparked by the rise of tablet devices, such as the Apple iPad. Tablets seemingly are tailor-made for consuming digital content, particularly video. The challenge comes for companies in creating the technical infrastructure that meets the demands of today’s communicators.
Simply put, executives who own tablet devices aspire to bust through the technical traditions that keep video communications from reaching beyond the walls of the corporate conference room and into the world of mobile communications.
Of the executives who own tablet devices surveyed by Interactive Media Strategies in the first quarter of 2011, 38% report that they can already access live video conferencing capabilities via tablet devices. Another 57% of respondents owning tablets say they are interested in using this type of live video communications via their tablet devices.
The desire to tap into true mobile video conferencing runs a bit in the face of networking realities, of course. In a marketplace where wireless bandwidth is constrained, the idea of unfettered use of tablets in live video communications is a bit problematic.
This is where we get to the litmus test of whether the “customer is king” or not. The demand for video communications among the majority of tablet adopters is strong. Exactly half of tablet owners surveyed by Interactive Media Strategies say they have used Skype video for business communications. In comparison, 28% of overall respondents from the executive survey reported comparable usage of Skype. In short, tablet owners like their video communications.
So, the demand for video communications is clearly defined and tangible in the mobile space. However, the technology challenges that need to be addressed to meet this executive demand certainly are not trivial. But if the customer truly is king in the business video space, live video in the mobile sector will become an increasingly viable alternative for business communications over time.
Steve Vonder Haar is Research Director of Interactive Media Strategies and can be reached at svonder@interactivemediastrategies.com
