RingCentral Connect is our annual customer conference event in which we explore what’s going on in the world of business communications, together with industry experts, our customers and partners, and others involved in shaping the new flexible world of work.
There’s a lot on this front to talk about, and over two days we went deep into topics that are top of mind for business leaders. One session that was especially relevant to hybrid and remote teams: our video conferencing roadmap.
Speakers:
- William Lau, Senior Director of Product Marketing
- Arindam Chakraborty, AVP of Product Management
1. Live transcription
Today’s workers have busier schedules than ever—and while productivity is high, sometimes something has to give. Thanks to our new AI-powered live transcription feature, keeping up with meetings doesn’t have to get the short shrift.
Currently available in open beta, live transcription automatically transcribes spoken dialogue into written words in real-time.
Whether you’re joining 10 minutes late or you have to shift focus temporarily to an email, you can use live transcriptions to instantly catch up with the conversation. Live transcription also helps those who are hearing impaired follow along with the meeting.
2. Whiteboard
Whiteboards have become a must-have meeting tool, allowing participants to capture and brainstorm ideas, illustrate an idea, and add more interactivity and engagement.
Coming in early 2022, our new whiteboard feature allows you to incorporate this useful tool into video meetings. During the meetings, participants can use free-form drawing, virtual sticky notes, uploaded images, and annotations to bring discussions to life.
Unlike physical whiteboards, the virtual whiteboard never runs out of room. When collaboration goes beyond the whiteboard’s borders, a built-in mini-map helps participants keep track of where the discussion is at.
After the meeting is done, participants can save and share their whiteboard—and keep the meeting momentum flowing.
3. Mobile back camera
Given the number of meetings that happen online, we’re extremely focused on making the video conferencing experience as good as being there in person.
And with many people participating via mobile devices, we’re also looking at how we can leverage the specific capabilities of mobile phones to better meet users’ needs. Enabling mobile back cameras is the latest way we’re doing so.
The mobile back camera mode allows a meeting host to point and share the view from their phone. So whether it’s demoing a physical product or sharing something else that really needs to be seen, it’s easier to zero in on what you want to show.
4. Mobile to Room
Hybrid work means employees will often shift between locations and modes more seamlessly than in the past—sometimes within a single meeting.
Mobile to room allows you to start a meeting on your mobile device and switch it to the meeting room’s audio and video with no interruptions. Your phone then works as the controller, allowing you to toggle the camera on/off, mute/unmute, and end the meeting once it’s finished.
5. Room Connector
RingCentral Rooms provides a simple, out-of-the box solution for meeting rooms, complete with dedicated hardware that comes pre-loaded with our software. But we also recognize that some companies are already set up with existing third-party video conferencing hardware, which until now, was incompatible with our video meeting offering.
Room Connector allows those organizations with existing SIP-based hardware to connect to RingCentral video meetings. This means that organizations using Poly, Cisco, or other third-party SIP-based endpoints can get more out of virtual meetings while still leveraging previous hardware investments.
What are RingCentral Video’s goals for the future?
Like the many leading businesses that use RingCentral, we’re looking to the future. We’re looking at some of the best qualities of office-based work and exploring how we can bring them into our solution.
We’re looking at how we can help your teams transcend boring meetings and host video meetings that are more engaging and productive. We’re looking at features and tools that create more opportunities for the spontaneous interactions that happen in office corridors. And we’re looking at how we can inspire and empower continuous collaboration—wherever your teams are.
In 2022, that means using AI technologies to make your meetings smarter. Keep an eye out for more to come, and check out the latest features here:
A new era of work
A lot has changed over the last couple of years, and there’s much to think about and discuss when it comes to empowering people’s best work in this new hybrid era. We’re just as excited as you are.
Originally published Dec 01, 2021, updated Nov 03, 2023
