Far from just taking over your weekly video catch-ups, Zoom is also aiming to become a one-stop shop for everything you need during the working day.
The video conferencing giant has unveiled (opens in new tab) a host of new offerings, including a standalone email service, a calendar app, and more.
The move, announced at the company’s Zoomtopia event, looks to set Zoom at odds with the likes of Slack and Microsoft Teams in a battle for dominance of the workplace office software market.
Zoom Mail and more
Zoom’s aim with its new launches appears to be building a central hub where users can not just make calls and chat to colleagues, co-workers, friends and family, but now to offer much more.
The new Zoom Mail and Calendar services will be built directly into the company’s app, meaning users should have everything they need without having to switch between different services.
All Zoom Mail emails are end-to-end encrypted when sent between users, and the company says a range of popular email and calendar services will be available to integrate into Zoom Mail, but it will also offer its own Zoom-hosted email and calendar options for businesses who may not have their own dedicated IT services.
An upgraded Zoom One platform also looks to improve collaboration across a number of the company’s apps, including the likes of Team Chat, Phone, Whiteboard, Meetings, meaning teams can make sure all the conversations keep flowing and projects keep advancing even when meetings are done.
Elsewhere, the company also announced Zoom Spots, a virtual co-working space, again hosted within the app, as it looks to replicate the spontaneous feeling of office interactions. There’s also Zoom Virtual Agent, a new conversational AI and chatbot offering powered by natural language processing and machine learning for contact center operations.
“As global organizations are adapting to how, when, and where work happens, it’s crucial that human connection remains a top priority to drive business strategies forward,” said Zoom CEO Eric Yuan.
“Our team has built and launched more than 1,500 features and enhancements on the Zoom platform this year, advancing the way people connect with each other, their organization, and their customers—ultimately, opening the doors wide for creativity and collaboration.”