Posted by Mumbai: In today’s hybrid work era, organisations and employers use different collaboration and communication applications. However, when it comes to these applications, one of the technological challenges is the issue around third-party apps integration. Interestingly, Zoom has tried to address that issue with the launch of Zoom Apps for the hybrid workforce.
With the Zoom Apps, the company has seamlessly embedded third-party apps within its Zoom Meetings and desktop client experience. And what’s uncommon about Zoom’s third-party apps integration is that it brings the enterprise and consumer aspects closer.
The company announced the general availability of Zoom Apps mid this week. It said that it will enhance collaboration, productivity, and entertainment for the hybrid workforce.
“I’m thrilled to see our platform vision expand through Zoom Apps and Zoom Events, as the world embraces hybrid work, empowering the workforce today and into the future,” said Eric S. Yuan, Founder and CEO – Zoom.
“These innovations will enhance the ways in which we connect and collaborate with our colleagues, clients, friends, family members, and others, improving productivity and collaboration while maintaining elements of fun and well-being,” added Yuan.
The company said the Zoom Apps expands the offerings of its ZoomApp Marketplace, which has over 1500 third party integrations. With the new offering, users can boost productivity and stay focused on workflows by incorporating favourite apps into their meetings.
Currently, more than 50 apps are available in the new offering that ranges from enterprise to consumer use cases including whiteboarding, project management, note-taking, and video games.
The company said it is working on more third-party apps integration and will be made available in near future. Some of these apps include Asana, Dot Collector, Dropbox Spaces, Heads Up!, SurveyMonkey Enterprise by Momentive and Wellness That Works by WW.
Users can also go to the company’s app marketplace, navigate to the Zoom Apps category, and add the apps of their choice. Once added, they can find the added apps under the Apps icon in the My Apps tab in the client and in the interface of Zoom Meetings.
Not many companies in the collaboration and video communication space have done third-party apps integration on the consumer apps front. Facebook has integrated its Messenger and WhatsApp for Messenger Room.
Microsoft offers integration of its Teams application with many of the company-owned enterprise applications. Microsoft Teams has over 700 third-party apps integration, which pre-dominantly are with enterprise-grade apps. These applications are from its software partners, collaboration solutions providers as well as independent software vendors (ISV) including Zoom.