News

News

• July 10, 2020 10 Jul'20

  Slack acquires directory startup Rimeto to create social network

  Slack acquired business directory software maker Rimeto in a bid to promote more social connections on its platform.

• July 09, 2020 09 Jul'20

  Microsoft Teams to get 7x7 video layout by late August

  Following months of user uproar, Microsoft Teams will get a 7x7 video layout by the end of August.

• July 02, 2020 02 Jul'20

  Microsoft-Cisco video interoperability delayed until later in 2020

  Microsoft and Cisco said a long-awaited integration between their video conferencing room systems, originally slated to launch in early 2020, is still on track for release this year.

• June 26, 2020 26 Jun'20

  Slack expands shared channels, but limits remain

  Slack now lets as many as 20 organizations communicate in a shared channel. But users will have to wait for other enhancements to the external collaboration feature.

• June 24, 2020 24 Jun'20

  Free end-to-end Zoom encryption alters competitive climate

  Zoom's impending release of end-to-end encryption will pressure competitors to follow suit.

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• June 19, 2020 19 Jun'20

  Microsoft Teams, consumer Skype interoperability now available

  Users of Microsoft Teams and consumer Skype can now message and call one another -- with some limitations.

• June 18, 2020 18 Jun'20

  Webex to get virtual backgrounds, video breakouts this summer

  Cisco will soon add virtual backgrounds on the desktop version of Webex, along with other features that will bring the platform more on par with Zoom.

• June 12, 2020 12 Jun'20

  Google Chat launches as option in Gmail, replacing Hangouts

  Google is close to replacing Hangouts with the newer messaging service Chat after integrating the product with Gmail.

• June 11, 2020 11 Jun'20

  Users eager for Slack to improve video calling

  Slack users were glad to hear the team collaboration vendor was partnering with Amazon to improve audio and video calling.

• June 05, 2020 05 Jun'20

  Users waiting for Cisco to expand Webex waiting rooms

  Users are pushing Cisco to catch up to Zoom on features. The latest example: Webex's lack of support for waiting rooms in scheduled meetings.

• June 03, 2020 03 Jun'20

  Crestron, Logitech release Zoom video system for home

  Crestron and Logitech have launched a new product for Zoom video conferencing at home.

• May 29, 2020 29 May'20

  Zoom faces challenges in implementing end-to-end encryption

  Zoom has released a draft plan to enable end-to-end encryption in four phases. The company has not said when it will launch.

• May 28, 2020 28 May'20

  Microsoft, Cisco chase Zoom on virtual breakout rooms

  Zoom is once again out ahead on features with its support for virtual breakout rooms. Microsoft and Cisco are trying to catch up.

• May 22, 2020 22 May'20

  Facebook to launch Workplace Rooms in challenge to Zoom

  Workplace Rooms, a new video conferencing service for Facebook's business customers, falls short of competitors on features.

• May 21, 2020 21 May'20

  Pandemic could accelerate convergence of audio, video calling

  In the future, businesses may invest less in traditional telephony and look to buy audio and video services from the same vendor.

• May 15, 2020 15 May'20

  Microsoft acquisition of Metaswitch aimed at carrier UCaaS

  Microsoft's acquisition of Metaswitch will provide carriers with the option of offering Metaswitch UCaaS through Azure. Metaswitch complements the recent Affirmed acquisition.

• May 15, 2020 15 May'20

  At long last, Microsoft Teams to get multiwindow support

  Microsoft Teams is finally getting multiwindow support to help with multitasking.

• May 14, 2020 14 May'20

  Cisco looks to close gaps in Webex Teams video conferencing

  Cisco Webex Teams still does not have all the same video conferencing features as Webex Meetings.

• May 08, 2020 08 May'20

  Pandemic sparks new ideas for home collaboration devices

  Vendors are looking to create new kinds of collaboration devices as businesses look to equip home workers with better communications gear.

• May 07, 2020 07 May'20

  Google fights back against Zoom with a free version of Meet

  Google Meet is now free to all. But the video conferencing service still lacks essential features for business users.

• April 30, 2020 30 Apr'20

  Zoom could have far fewer users than previously reported

  Zoom clarified its tally of 300 million participants counts users multiple times in some cases. The company also fixed a blog post that wrongly referred to participants as 'users.'

• April 30, 2020 30 Apr'20

  Users demand improvements to Microsoft Teams calendar

  Users must sometimes toggle between Microsoft Teams and Outlook to get work done because of features missing from the calendar in Teams.

• April 23, 2020 23 Apr'20

  Zoom looks to give some users control of encryption keys

  Zoom could soon give some customers control of encryption keys. The company is expected to announce more details in the coming weeks.

• April 23, 2020 23 Apr'20

  Demand grows for using multiple accounts in Microsoft Teams

  The inability to log in to multiple accounts on desktop in Microsoft Teams is increasingly annoying users. The vendor has not said when the feature will launch.

• April 22, 2020 22 Apr'20

  Webex chases Zoom, Microsoft Teams on virtual backgrounds

  Cisco has promised users virtual backgrounds are coming to the Webex desktop app. Customers are calling for the feature that's already in the desktop versions of Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

• April 17, 2020 17 Apr'20

  Verizon to buy Zoom competitor BlueJeans

  Verizon plans to acquire Zoom competitor BlueJeans for less than $500 million. The carrier wants to use the video conferencing technology to support telemedicine and remote learning.

• April 16, 2020 16 Apr'20

  With Zoom under fire, Microsoft rushes to boost Teams security

  Microsoft is accelerating the launch of features meant to enhance Teams meeting security on the heels of widespread criticism of rival video conferencing provider Zoom.

• April 14, 2020 14 Apr'20

  Microsoft Teams to display 9 video panels, but users want more

  Microsoft Teams will display as many as nine video feeds at once by early May. But some users say the change doesn't go far enough.

• April 09, 2020 09 Apr'20

  Lawsuits: Zoom misled users, investors on video encryption

  New lawsuits allege Zoom misled users and investors by falsely claiming to use a more secure method of video encryption than it does. The suits also raise numerous other security and privacy concerns.

• April 08, 2020 08 Apr'20

  Microsoft Teams users want parity between webinars, meetings

  The coronavirus pandemic appears to be increasing demands for feature parity between live events and meetings in Microsoft Teams.

• April 03, 2020 03 Apr'20

  RingCentral dials back Zoom partnership with video app launch

  The launch of RingCentral's new video app, called RingCentral Video, is a sign the vendor's long-standing partnership with Zoom is winding down.

• March 31, 2020 31 Mar'20

  Zoom privacy: Vendor faces lawsuits over Facebook data-sharing

  Two Zoom users are accusing the video conferencing company of sharing data with Facebook without permission. Zoom's privacy practices have come under increased scrutiny in recent weeks.

• March 27, 2020 27 Mar'20

  Businesses rethink conference room upgrades amid coronavirus

  Conference room upgrades are largely on hold for now. Tech buyers say the coronavirus outbreak will change their priorities once employees return to the office.

• March 25, 2020 25 Mar'20

  Logitech webcams in short supply amid coronavirus pandemic

  Logitech webcams and other cheap work-at-home devices are largely sold-out or on back order worldwide amid the coronavirus pandemic.

• March 20, 2020 20 Mar'20

  Coronavirus: Surge in remote work strains Zoom services

  Some Zoom services are faltering under the pressure from a huge influx in remote workers. Service disruptions are up significantly so far in March.

• March 19, 2020 19 Mar'20

  Slack redesigns app as Microsoft Teams hits 44 million users

  Slack introduced several features that make its app look more like Microsoft Teams, which now has 44 million daily active users.

• March 18, 2020 18 Mar'20

  Amid coronavirus, Microsoft Teams users balk at video stream limit

  Users working from home due to the coronavirus outbreak are complaining that Microsoft Teams can't display more than four video feeds simultaneously.

• March 16, 2020 16 Mar'20

  Coronavirus: Microsoft Teams outage disrupts remote working

  A Microsoft Teams outage on Monday disrupted the workday of many users working from home around the world in efforts to avoid spreading the new coronavirus to co-workers.

• March 13, 2020 13 Mar'20

  Coronavirus tests scalability of cloud collaboration services

  A spike in remote work due to the new coronavirus is testing the scalability of collaboration services like Zoom and Cisco Webex. Even small service disruptions could significantly impede productivity.

• March 10, 2020 10 Mar'20

  Chang takes leave from Cisco collaboration unit amid reorganization

  Amy Chang, head of the Cisco collaboration division, is on temporary leave from the company. Cisco is in the midst of a broad reorganization.

• March 10, 2020 10 Mar'20

  Lifesize and Serenova merge to create expanded portfolio

  Video conferencing hardware and software vendor Lifesize is merging with contact-center-as-a-service provider Serenova.

• March 06, 2020 06 Mar'20

  Coronavirus impact: Businesses forced to rely on video conferencing

  Companies are missing opportunities to connect on a more personal level with customers and partners as the coronavirus outbreak forces them to rely more heavily on video conferencing.

• February 28, 2020 28 Feb'20

  Cloud UC vendors rush to build Microsoft Teams integrations

  Cisco, RingCentral and Fuze this month released or improved Microsoft Teams integrations.

• February 21, 2020 21 Feb'20

  Users push for Outlook tab in Microsoft Teams

  A request from users for an Outlook tab in Microsoft Teams has been 'under review' since early 2018.

• February 19, 2020 19 Feb'20

  Limitations of Microsoft Teams private channels rankle users

  After waiting for Microsoft Teams private channels to launch for years, customers are now grappling with the limitations of the new feature.

• February 14, 2020 14 Feb'20

  Cisco collaboration revenue takes hit to start 2020

  Cisco collaboration and communications products generated less revenue this past quarter than they did one year ago, contributing to an 8% decline for the applications group.

• February 13, 2020 13 Feb'20

  External collaboration in Webex Teams limited by new security control

  Cisco is attempting to improve security for external collaboration in Webex Teams with a new feature for IT admins.

• February 12, 2020 12 Feb'20

  Crestron and Logitech partner on AV system integration

  A new partnership combines Logitech's video systems with Crestron's hardware and software for AV system integration.

• February 06, 2020 06 Feb'20

  Avaya wants CCaaS to be included in RingCentral partnership

  Avaya will attempt to expand its partnership with RingCentral to include its upcoming CCaaS offering.

• February 05, 2020 05 Feb'20

  Avaya details feature roadmap for Avaya Cloud Office by RingCentral

  Avaya provided new details this week on the special features it will add to Avaya Cloud Office to make it different from RingCentral's product.

• February 03, 2020 03 Feb'20

  Microsoft Teams outage sparks user anger, needling

  Microsoft Teams users took to Twitter to express frustration and sarcasm over a two-hour outage caused by an expired authentication certificate.

• January 31, 2020 31 Jan'20

  Report: Nearly one-third of Office 365 customers also use G Suite

  The number of Office 365 customers also using G Suite has risen in recent years, according to a report by single sign-on vendor Okta.

• January 30, 2020 30 Jan'20

  Zoom Phone adds features to catch up with UCaaS leaders

  Zoom Phone users are getting new ways to use the product with Zoom Meetings, as the vendor continues to build out its nascent UCaaS service.

• January 29, 2020 29 Jan'20

  Cisco to release add-on for Webex meeting transcription

  A new transcription service from Cisco will help users take notes during Webex meetings.

• January 24, 2020 24 Jan'20

  Microsoft faces hurdles in selling Teams to first-line workers

  Microsoft is a long way from convincing businesses with first-line workforces to buy the collaboration app Microsoft Teams, analysts said.

• January 17, 2020 17 Jan'20

  Cisco Webex Edge for Devices links on-prem endpoints to cloud

  With Webex Edge for Devices, companies can connect on-premises video endpoints to the cloud, unlocking features such as the Webex Assistant.

• January 15, 2020 15 Jan'20

  Launch of Microsoft Teams, consumer Skype integration set for Q1

  Integration between Microsoft Teams and consumer Skype is now scheduled to launch sometime in the first quarter. Previously, the vendor said it would go live this month.

• January 10, 2020 10 Jan'20

  Microsoft Teams to add smartphone walkie-talkie feature

  Microsoft Teams is getting a smartphone walkie-talkie app. The feature is expected to launch in private preview by mid-2020.

• January 08, 2020 08 Jan'20

  Lenovo launches latest video phone for Microsoft Teams

  Lenovo has released a tabletop video calling device for Microsoft Teams designed for home offices, personal desks and the smallest meeting rooms.

• December 23, 2019 23 Dec'19

  4 cloud UC partnerships to watch in 2020

  In 2020, partnerships between cloud UC vendors will help shape the market. Here are four key relationships to watch next year.

• December 23, 2019 23 Dec'19

  Office 365 vs. G Suite: Google embraces UC to rival Microsoft

  It's a battle that's been playing out for years: Office 365 vs. G Suite. In 2020, Google will enhance its UC offerings as it continues to chase Microsoft.

• December 19, 2019 19 Dec'19

  Microsoft Teams, consumer Skype interoperability launches in January

  The upcoming integration between Microsoft Teams and consumer Skype will let users of each app message and call one another.

• December 12, 2019 12 Dec'19

  Microsoft Teams for Linux launches in public preview

  The release of Microsoft Teams for Linux is welcome news to software engineers, who have been pressuring Microsoft to support the open source operating system for years.

• December 12, 2019 12 Dec'19

  Microsoft offers few upgrades for Skype server in 2019

  Microsoft has eschewed investments in Skype server in the hopes of convincing more customers to adopt cloud-based Microsoft Teams.

• December 10, 2019 10 Dec'19

  AWS seeks niche in the cloud UC market

  AWS could play a bigger role in the cloud UC market in 2020 and beyond by targeting developers and existing AWS customers.

• December 06, 2019 06 Dec'19

  Zoom Chat update takes vendor further beyond video

  The latest enhancements to Zoom Chat come as the video conferencing vendor pushes more aggressively into the cloud calling market.

• November 27, 2019 27 Nov'19

  Cisco cries foul over security flaw in Zoom Connector

  A flaw in Zoom's gateway for managing third-party video devices left customers vulnerable to snooping. Cisco criticized the vendor for failing to use the proper APIs to design the service.

• November 21, 2019 21 Nov'19

  Avaya revenue slump expected to continue in 2020

  Avaya revenue fell short of projections in the fourth fiscal quarter, capping a year of disappointing returns. The company told investors that revenue would likely decline in 2020.

• November 20, 2019 20 Nov'19

  Microsoft Teams reaches 20 million users, threatening Slack

  Microsoft Teams has pulled well ahead of Slack with 20 million daily active users. Adoption of Teams will likely continue among the 200 million workers using Office 365.

• November 15, 2019 15 Nov'19

  8x8 Video Meetings launches for free in challenge to Zoom

  8x8 Video Meetings has launched as a free, stand-alone app. It will rival free versions of Zoom and GoToMeeting, as 8x8 looks to use the offering to funnel businesses into its UCaaS platform.

• November 14, 2019 14 Nov'19

  Amazon Chime gets integration with Dolby Voice Room

  Amazon Chime now integrates with Dolby Voice Room, a hardware kit for small and midsize meeting rooms. It's Amazon Chime's first pre-integrated room system.

• November 13, 2019 13 Nov'19

  Slack services partners to help vendor target enterprises

  Slack services partners will help the vendor's largest customers build integrations, train employees and develop migration strategies.

• November 07, 2019 07 Nov'19

  Cisco enhances Webex Teams meetings, expands PBX support

  Cisco has brought the full feature set of Webex Meetings into Webex Teams. The vendor is also releasing new collaboration devices, including a desk monitor.

• November 06, 2019 06 Nov'19

  Microsoft Teams adds private channels, room appliances

  After the vendor unexpectedly delayed their launch in September, Microsoft Teams private channels are now rolling out to all customers.

• November 05, 2019 05 Nov'19

  Microsoft, Cisco partner on cloud UC interoperability

  Microsoft and Cisco unveiled an alliance this week for better interoperability between their cloud UC products.

• November 01, 2019 01 Nov'19

  Vonage Meetings rounds out vendor's cloud portfolio

  A new video conferencing app, Vonage Meetings, will provide alternative to Amazon Chime for Vonage's cloud UC customers.

• October 31, 2019 31 Oct'19

  New telephony controls coming to Microsoft Teams admin center

  More controls are coming to the Microsoft Teams admin center, but enterprises will have to wait a bit longer for the large-scale configuration tools they need.

• October 25, 2019 25 Oct'19

  UCaaS vendor Intermedia adds Telax CCaaS to portfolio

  Intermedia, cloud-based unified communications vendor, has added CCaaS to its portfolio through its acquisition of Telax.

• October 24, 2019 24 Oct'19

  Google hires former Microsoft Office exec to run G Suite

  Google has hired Javier Soltero, a former corporate vice president in charge of Outlook, Office and Cortana at Microsoft, to run G Suite.

• October 23, 2019 23 Oct'19

  Developers get new tools to improve Slack integrations

  Developers are getting new tools for building Slack integrations that are easy to access and use.

• October 17, 2019 17 Oct'19

  Zoom helps launch video conferencing hardware startup Neat

  Neat will design video conferencing hardware exclusively for Zoom, which has invested in the startup and was involved in early discussions regarding its formation.

• October 17, 2019 17 Oct'19

  Zoom Phone takes center stage at Zoomtopia 2019

  Zoom is increasingly positioning Zoom Phone as a core part of its portfolio and a service that every kind of business should consider.

• October 16, 2019 16 Oct'19

  Poly Studio X Series natively runs Zoom video app

  The Poly Studio X Series will natively run the Zoom video app at launch, with additional partnerships with online meetings vendors planned in the coming months.

• October 14, 2019 14 Oct'19

  Voss upgrades migration to unified communications software

  In an effort to ease the switch from legacy telephone systems to a more modern unified communications platform, Voss has launched its latest UC software, M2UC.

• October 11, 2019 11 Oct'19

  New Mitel CEO Mary McDowell says sale is possible, but not soon

  In a move that took analysts by surprise, Mary McDowell replaced longtime chief Richard McBee as Mitel CEO -- a possible sign the company's owner is looking to sell.

• October 09, 2019 09 Oct'19

  Workplace by Facebook enhances video calling, hits 3M paid users

  Facebook will soon integrate Workplace by FB with its Portal video calling devices.

• October 07, 2019 07 Oct'19

  Apple contact center chat adds rich media, improved UX

  The latest iOS update streamlines access for Apple Business Chat from any clickable phone number. Learn why business messaging is gaining popularity in the contact center space.

• October 04, 2019 04 Oct'19

  Avaya-RingCentral partnership to bring UCaaS to legacy customers

  Avaya, RingCentral will partner to sell UCaaS to Avaya's legacy customers, a blockbuster deal that unites rival UC vendors.

• October 04, 2019 04 Oct'19

  Poly integrates UC headsets with Amazon Alexa, Tile

  Poly has integrated its UC headsets with Amazon Alexa after adding the AI voice assistant to its Trio conference room phones earlier this year.

• October 03, 2019 03 Oct'19

  BlueJeans Network to release add-on for meeting productivity

  BlueJeans Network will release an add-on later this month to let users capture highlights during video meetings.

• October 01, 2019 01 Oct'19

  LogMeIn slashes GoToMeeting prices amid UI overhaul

  LogMeIn cut GoToMeeting prices roughly in half for premium tiers and overhauled the video conferencing app's user interface to focus on video, rather than content sharing.

• September 27, 2019 27 Sep'19

  Avaya cloud offering ReadyNow expands internationally

  A partnership with IBM will help expand the reach of Avaya cloud offerings internationally. Avaya is bringing its ReadyNow product to Europe, Africa and Asia.

• September 26, 2019 26 Sep'19

  New bundle pairs Cisco security products with Webex Teams

  Businesses now have the option of purchasing a bundle of Cisco security products to prevent data loss and block viruses while using the messaging app Webex Teams.

• September 20, 2019 20 Sep'19

  Gartner video conferencing Magic Quadrant highlights remote work

  Video meetings are increasingly important as the workforce grows more distributed and joins meetings from personal devices, according to the 'Magic Quadrant for Meeting Solutions.'

• September 20, 2019 20 Sep'19

  Cisco brings Webex Teams messaging to UC-One SaaS

  Cisco has integrated UC-One SaaS with the cloud messaging engine of Webex Teams. The vendor has also brought Webex Calling to its cloud contact center offering.

• September 19, 2019 19 Sep'19

  8x8 Video Meetings replaces outdated offering in X Series

  8x8 used its Jitsi acquisition to build a new video meetings platform based on WebRTC. The vendor also released in beta software to manage video endpoints in conference rooms.

• September 18, 2019 18 Sep'19

  Launch of private channels in Microsoft Teams delayed

  Microsoft Teams users will have to wait a bit longer for access to private channels. The vendor now says the long-awaited feature won't launch for all customers until early November.

• September 12, 2019 12 Sep'19

  Poly targets huddle rooms with Trio 8300

  Poly has designed the Trio 8300 for huddle rooms that fit no more than five people. The vendor released a video system targeted at the same market earlier this year.

• September 11, 2019 11 Sep'19

  New integration brings Fuze meetings to Slack app

  Users will be able to join Fuze meetings by clicking on the phone icon in Slack. It is Slack's latest integration with a voice and video meetings provider.

• September 05, 2019 05 Sep'19

  Slack waters down cloud SLA after $8.2 million payout

  Slack issued $8.2 million in credits after failing to keep its team messaging app online as often as promised. The vendor changed its cloud SLA to avoid big payouts in the future.