Video conferencing company Zoom has recently unveiled a series of new features in a bid to make virtual collaboration even easier.
Among the updates are a redesigned Zoom Whiteboard, a Gesture Recognition feature, and Zoom IQ for Sales, a tool that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze calls.
With the desire for flexible working conditions showing no signs of slowing down, it looks like Zoom will become even more of an asset to business leaders looking for effective ways to manage hybrid and remote workforces.
Zoom Welcomes New Features
Luckily for its current users, Zoom has recently released a slew of features aimed at drawing in more customers before the pandemic boom draws to a close.
According to a recent blog post issued by the software giant, Zoom Whiteboard is one of the major new releases. The redesigned whiteboard experience has been built directly into Zoom desktop client, Zoom Meetings, and Zoom Rooms. The updated feature allows you to add images, sticky notes, shapes, and connectors to your whiteboard, making notetaking even more interactive.
Zoom has also added a new Gesture Recognition feature which allows you to physically gesture to raise rand in a meeting, instead of clicking on a reaction manually. However, this function is only available to those using a 5.10.3 version or later.
Zoom IQ for Sales is another savvy tool that the company has recently added to its arsenal. The feature uses AI technology to analyze customer interactions in sales and content meetings. These useful insights can then be used by businesses to boost sales and operate more efficiently.
Finally, Zoom users are now able to disable in-meeting webinar chat notifications. This can make it easier for customers to focus on the call at hand, instead of tending to endless notifications.
Is Zoom really the best video conferencing software?
There’s no denying it, Zoom is one of the biggest video conferencing platforms around. However, despite its impressive industry standing and usership, is it really the best solution of there for businesses?
Well, according to our research, Zoom is an incredibly strong option — but it doesn’t take the crown. If it’s conference call software you’re up to, GoToMeeting is our top pick, due to its flawless video quality and affordability.
If you’re more concerned about video conferencing applications, Zoom falls short of GoToMeeting again. However, RingCentral, Google Meet, and Lifesize also offer promising alternatives.
Check out our Zoom pricing guide, and if you’re interested in comparing the top web conferencing solutions even further, you can refer to our table below.
| Price from The lowest starting price for a paid plan. The lowest price available for your business will depend on your needs. | Best for | Free plan | Breakout Rooms | Whiteboard | Audio-Conferencing | Pros | Cons | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FEATURED DEAL  | TOP RATED  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Zoho Meeting | GoTo Meeting | Zoom | RingCentral | Webex | Google Meet | Microsoft Teams | Lifesize | BlueJeans | |
| Value | Sound and video quality | Beginners | Security | Larger businesses | Google Workspace users | Microsoft 365 users | Users that need hardware | Users that need customer support | |
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| Yes (paid plan) – VoIP, Phone & Toll-Free | Yes – VoIP, Phone & Toll-Free | Yes – Add-on audio plan allows you to add Call Out, global Toll-free & local dial-in for premium countries | Yes – Companies get a single audio conferencing bridge dial-in phone number for easy universal access. | Yes – Audio-only calls can be created when a host generates an Audio pin | Yes – Just call the number listed on the meeting invite, or join via the link and turn off your camera | Yes – but only in selected countries, and each user dialing into meetings will need an audio-conferencing license. | Yes – in a meeting contact card, users can tap the phone number under Details to call using their default phone or voice app | Yes – Easy access to audio conferencing is provided via a traditional PSTN number | |
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