Zoom is Defining the Future of Video Conferencing

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When the coronavirus pandemic forced stay-at-home orders across the world, millions of companies, workers and students were transitioned to working from home almost overnight. The need for a seamless, efficient transition between office space and home-office drove demand for a platform capable of replacing the face-to-face meetings and data sharing integral to learning and business.

Zoom, already with a solid user base, became the de facto video communication platform in a matter of days. Zoom now expects sales over US$1.8 billion this year - almost double the forecast made in March. However, the company’s meteoric rise also led to a rash of security issues that threatened to grind the platform’s progress to a halt.

Exploiting Security Weaknesses

Photo by Markus Spiske/Unsplash

Safety concerns. No encryption. Lack of data protection. Meetings easily accessed by outsiders. The platform’s large influx of users exposed its vulnerabilities in a big way, leading high-profile companies and schools to ban its use and turning to in-house solutions or the rapidly expanding video conferencing market that saw Microsoft Teams, Remo and Duo suddenly gain popularity. Governments around the world were also quick to react, with Germany, Scotland, Taiwan, and Singapore, among others, instructing its agencies not to use the platform following security breaches.

Zoom responded: they patched major security issues, began offering encrypted rooms and enhanced data protection within days of the initial issues coming to light. However, despite the company’s quick recovery, concerns remained. Major organizations such as the World Bank, Tesla, Daimler, and Bank of America publicly announced internal restrictions on the use of the platform while recommending alternative options. 

That being said, Zoom’s user base was not overly affected by the negative press, with the platform reaching 300 million users in April. The ‘Zoom Boom’ as it has been called is driving competition across the tech field, with Facebook and Microsoft attempting to siphon away some of the platform’s users by improving their own applications. 

But the newcomer has continued to see its stock rise as it maintains its hold on the video conferencing market. Uncertainty surrounding how long the current pandemic will leave people working from home, as well as how it may impact future work habits have ensured that video conferencing will be an important facet of business in the years to come - further driving demand for a versatile video conferencing platform.

Other video conferencing platforms have seen a rise in users in 2020, but the companies using them are in the minority. The corporations and nations that banned Zoom after its initial safety issues have turned to other options, both internal and external. But Zoom’s biggest competitor, Microsoft Teams, announced a peak of 75 million users in April - less than a third of what Zoom had over the same period. But how is Zoom commanding such a large market share?

The Future of Zoom

Zoom’s early success can be largely attributed to its ability to function across various work platforms while providing a user-friendly interface that requires few software or hardware needs. This quality led to its widespread popularity as people began to transition to a home-based work schedule, but its relatively simple design also helped precipitate a different type of interaction - namely, social. Zoom has continued to gain popularity because users view it as more than just a way to keep businesses functioning, but also an easy way for people to stay connected socially outside of work. 

The company has made adjustments to ensure it can be both a platform for social interaction and work. CEO Eric Yuan announced a range of changes to how Zoom will operate in the future as it continues to prioritize security and efficient video conferencing. Paying businesses will receive high-end security, and free users will still be able to enjoy video conferencing, their communications will not be encrypted to discourage the platform being used to share illegal or abusive content. These changes highlight the different ways Zoom can be used while also ensuring adequate protection for work and social activities.

Organizations ignoring Zoom and leaving bans in place even after these security updates could end up isolating themselves as video conferencing begins to further integrate both the work and social aspects of society. Zoom has been quick to react to the changing demands of a user base undergoing a rapid social transition and shown the ability to rival major video communication providers. They have openly and honestly addressed their issues, confronted each security threat, and established new features without compromising the core function of the platform. Amidst the uncertainty of unprecedented social and professional dynamics, Zoom has provided stability in unexpected ways. Despite valid reasoning to ban the platform following its early teething issues, major entities should reconsider returning to the new and improved Zoom now.

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