by Jim Lundy
This blog was updated on August 29th, 2019
The market for web and video conferencing just got better—better as in much higher quality. Last week, Lifesize announced both a 4K camera and a 4K service that enables enterprises to have the highest quality video meetings possible—without buying a high-end Avaya or Cisco telepresence system.
To us, this major move by Lifesize puts the company on a collision course with Zoom.
Now to be clear, 4K video (also called super HD) comes at a price, though it has decreased significantly compared to the Cisco IX5000, which costs close to $400,000 when you include a warranty.
With Lifesize, the 4K Icon 700 camera prices at $7,499. Of course, you need two of those, a 4K display, and the Lifesize service, but all in all, it’s a bargain for the level of quality you’re getting. Many of Lifesize’s partners are already allowing pre-orders.
Zoom Was Winning with 1080P
By all counts, Zoom has been getting most of the attention in the web and video conferencing market due to its aggressive sales and marketing efforts. This, combined with an easy-to-use product, has allowed it to grab market share.
The provider we expected to launch a 4K solution was Zoom. Instead, it was Lifesize. Now we have a race—and the race is who will be the next provider to offer a 4K video conferencing solution for the rest of us. I’ll be taking all wagers via Twitter.
The Case for 4K in Conference Rooms
If you’ve ever watched a movie or had a video call in 4K, it’s hard to imagine going back to 1080P. With 4K, you are getting 4 times the resolution, and this means bridging the gap between team members, partners, and customers who are remote. The resolution 4K provides makes you feel like you are really in the conference room with everyone else. It’s the future of video conferencing.
If you have an iPhone 7, 8, or 10, you can already try 4K. For the digital workplace, this is a game changer.
4K Video Made Our Top Ten Predictions
The shift to 4K video is one of Aragon’s top ten predictions for 2019 due to its transformative potential. Learn more about this prediction, along with our other nine technology predictions, by watching the replay of last week’s top ten predictions webinar.
Update
Lifesize continues its efforts to prioritize 4K video in its web and video conferencing capabilities. The attention towards cloud and 4K video capabilities will enable Lifesize to reach new audiences.
Zoom is also continuing to focus on cloud. Zoom announced Zoom Voice which will add cloud telephony to enable calls outside of a meeting.