“The Media Phone Has Arrived” – that’s the title of a new, widely discussed report from In-Stat that calls for business media phones, specifically, to generate about $3.3 billion in annual revenues by 2013.
Largely seen as a sound investment in technology that can help businesses navigating this slower economy save money on travel expenses, IP media phones also can make employees more productive by combining the power of a PC with the always-on functionality of a telephone.
But there’s a lot of wiggle room within those parameters, and features in the media phone market vary widely, from VoIP calling and WiFi capability, to digital picture frames, visual voice-mail, e-mail and call logs.
Today, the market is taking a major step forward, as a Pleasanton, California-based telepresence, video and voice solutions provider unveils a media phone that offers high-definition voice, video-calling and – this is key – an open application programming interface.
Officials at Polycom Inc. say their “VVX 1500” (pictured below) – a touch screen device that’s designed for low power consumption – combines personal video conferencing with a traditional telephone. Not least of all, the device leverages Polycom’s own HD voice technology.
Like the Apple product that changed the way consumers view and use their mobile devices, the iPhone (News - Alert), the VVX 1500 is “applications-read” – so it can be customized for different tasks and environments.
Priced at $1,099, the VVX 1500 is bundled with applications – including the Polycom Productivity Suite, which allows users to initiate and control audio conference calls from the device’s screen, and to record calls locally, using a flash drive in the phone’s USB port. It features a free Web service – “My Info Portal” – and is integrated with BroadSoft’s “BroadWorks” platform.
Polycom’s new media phone also uses the same SIP software that’s on the company’s SoundPoint IP and SoundStation IP desktop and conference phone.
I joined TMC Vice President and Chief Technical Officer Tom Keating in putting some questions about the VVX 1500 media phone to Polycom’s vice president of marketing for voice communications, Jim Kruger (News - Alert).
In addition to talking about the VVX 1500’s specifications and specific value proposition, we talked about the telepresence market at large and the likelihood that managers will replace desktop phones with the new offering.
Among other things, Kruger told us that now is a good time to introduce the VVX 1500 because so many businesses are seeking to cut costs by leveraging technology and doing “more with less.” With the new Polycom media phone, businesses can do that, while also making an investment in the long-term.
We also have some photos below of the VVX 1500 in use.
Our exchange with Kruger follows.
TMCnet: We at TMCnet discussed, and Polycom Inc. cites with today’s launch of the VVX 1500, a research report that calls for business media phones to generate $3.3 billion in revenues by 2013, with the U.S. market opening up this year. We’re seeing more and more companies take a stab at that market. Name three features in the VVX 1500 that differentiates the product from its burgeoning competition.
Jim Kruger (pictured left): Three three key features are, first, that it’s a single device that includes HD Voice and all advanced telephony features, video calling and an open application programming interface and microbrowser for real-time delivery of personalized Web content and integration with key business applications.
Second, it has a touch screen interface for simple navigation.
Third, it’s “green.” The VVX 1500 was specifically designed for lower power consumption, using power over Ethernet, and requires less than half the power of similar competing products. The device’s smart-motion technology enables the screen to go into power-save mode when no one is in the office.
TMCnet: At the Internet Telephony Conference & Expo, TMC Group Managing Editor Erik Linask (News - Alert) sat down with Polycom’s director of product marketing, desktop and conferencing business, Tim Yankey, for an interview. Yankey talked a little bit about Polycom’s theme for this year, “Communications for the way you work,” and said that tenets of the theme include intimacy, immediacy and customized solutions. How does the VVX 1500 meet those broader Polycom product criteria?
JK: In terms of intimacy, the VVX 1500 delivers professional audio and video conversations. It has a 2-megapixel camera and delivers images with CIF resolution that look stunning on the 7-inch color display. For audio, the device includes Polycom’s HD Voice technology that incorporates support for multiple wideband codecs – such as G.722, G.722.1 and G.722.1c, Polycom’s acoustic clarity technology and our expertise in acoustic systems integration. This unique combination enables voice and video calls that are incredibly clear, natural and productive. HD Voice works across the speakerphone, handset and headset port.
Immediacy is one of the biggest benefits of the VVX 1500. All the user has to do is touch the screen once to begin a video call. Polycom has married the simplicity of a telephone with personal video conferencing. The result is an amazingly simple and fast user experience.
One of the more visionary aspects of the VVX 1500 is its ability to be customized for different environments and tasks. Similar in concept to Apple’s iPhone, the VVX 1500 is applications-ready. It includes an open standards-based XML API and XHTML micro browser to enable developers to create new applications and interfaces with existing business systems. With an always-on touch display and network connectivity, the possibilities for adapting the VVX 1500 to a particular businesses needs are endless.
TMCnet: In a recent interview, the head of a telepresence and VoIP services company told us that although telepresence has emerged as a valid market, a mismatch between value and price is preventing it from growing. What are your thoughts on that statement and how, if at all, does the VVX 1500 address the mismatch? Also, we understand the VVX 1500 will be available this month through Polycom’s channel partners at a list price of $1,099. Based on Polycom’s own research, what kind of immediate impact on the IP media phone market is the VVX 1500 expected to make?
JK: Telepresence systems are at the high end of functionality and provide an amazing, life-like, immersive HD experience. They are also at the high end of video communication price points. There is no question that if the price point was lower, there would be some elasticity and more customers would purchase. However, the growth rate in this segment has been phenomenal and there is significant interest from hundreds of companies worldwide. The current value proposition is very strong.
While telepresence is a group communication solution, VVX is a personal communication device for the desktop. There is a very strong value proposition for managers to replace their desktop phone with a VVX because it provides industry-leading voice quality, has all the advanced features as on their desktop phones and provides an extremely simple “as easy as dialing a phone” way to make video calls. The price point for VVX is just slightly above other color touch screen phones on the market that do not have video capability. The ROI story for VVX is very good. The unit pays for itself by not having to take just one cross country business trip.
Based on customer and partner feedback, Polycom believes that the IP media phone market is very ripe for growth. The VVX 1500 not only provides a new mode of communication that breaks down the barriers to distance communication, but it also provides a platform for partners and customers to customize applications and content to make their employees more productive.
TMCnet: It’s interesting to us that the VVX 1500 combines personal video conferencing, VoIP with Polycom HD Voice and also an open API and microbrowser for real-time delivery of personalized Web content and business applications. Polycom has made it a priority to create products with open and standard interfaces – and in this slower economy, many companies are preoccupied with future-proofing. Tell us, In-Stat’s (News - Alert) analysis of the market aside, why is now a good time to introduce the VVX 1500?
JK: 2009 is a great time to introduce the VVX 1500, because in a down economy companies are particularly pressured to cut costs and figure out how to do more with less.
However, they still must make good investments that will last for the long-term. The VVX 1500 addresses both of these needs by delivering a professional collaboration and personal productivity tool that reduces travel, make employees and teams more productive, and enables a best of breed approach that will adapt to new environments for many years to come. With its simple and fast interface and a never-before-seen price point for this class of device, the VVX is an ideal solution for managers throughout an organization.
TMCnet: Let’s get into some of the device’s specifications. What is the screen resolution of the VVX 1500? How many colors does it come in? What size is it?
JK: The screen resolution of the VVX 1500 is 800 x 480. The VVX 1500 comes in one color scheme, which is black with charcoal grey top cover and silver keys. The size of the VVX 1500 is 10-by-15-by-8.3 inches – that’s 25-by-38-by-21 centimeters – when set for maximum height.
TMCnet: Help us understand a little more about how the phone works. It sounds like the VVX 1500 only displays presence information and is not a videoconferencing endpoint – that is, there’s no camera and no video on the IP phone screen. So if we understand correctly, all the video is done through Office Communicator or Polycom video endpoints – that is, conference room video conferencing units. We understand how the new Polycom phone integrates with Office Communicator for video. But please tell us how initiating a video call from the VVX 1500 will then initiate a call to a “shared” Polycom video endpoint, which could be in a separate boardroom? How do you link your desktop Polycom IP phone with a shared Polycom video endpoint?
JK: The VVX 1500 has a camera and video support and is a personal video conferencing endpoint. The VVX 1500 can also display presence information next to any contact or speed dial. This presence can be SIP “SIMPLE-based” presence or presence integrated with LCS 2005. The VVX1500 is interoperable with multiple SIP-based call control solutions including BroadSoft, Deltapath, NEC Sphere (News - Alert), Objectworld and Zultys.
Have a look at the photo of the device, with call outs on the phone. Note the camera at the top of the display for real-time video communication.
Don’t forget to check out TMCnet’s White Paper Library, which provides a selection of in-depth information on relevant topics affecting the IP Communications industry. The library offers white papers, case studies and other documents which are free to registered users.
Michael Dinan is a contributing editor for TMCnet, covering news in the IP communications, call center and customer relationship management industries. To read more of Michael's articles, please visit his columnist page.
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