This is the second, and final, part of our 2016 Enterprise Connect preview guide. In the first part, we looked at the keynotes and sessions. Now, we’ll preview what some of the industry’s leading vendors plan on displaying at this year’s show. There are far too many vendors to possibly cover them all, but we hope this list will be a good start for you.
While most vendors are keeping their bigger announcements under wraps, I’ve been lucky enough to attend many pre-Enterprise Connect briefings and can share some of what we should expect to see at the show. I can also provide a few hints at where to look for some surprises, based on my briefings.
We’ll do our best to hit the booths most relevant to our typical coverage here at Let’s Do Video. Be sure to check out my post-Enterprise Connect coverage for a complete wrap-up. That being said, here is some of what I hope to see, in alphabetical order.
AVI-SPL
The industry leading integrator can be a bellwether for technology trends. They have had the Microsoft Surface Hub on display at recent events, and are working hard to wrap support and services around that, and other new offerings. Looking forward to finding out what their enterprise customers are asking for in 2017.
BlueJeans
I recently briefed with the cloud interop pioneer. I am looking forward to checking out their BlueJeans Huddle offering in person, but I am also hoping to check in on the progress of some of the development items they have shared with me under NDA.
Broadsoft
I learned a lot about Broadsoft earlier this year when I briefed with them about their new UC-One Conference Room solution. Broadsoft powers a lot of major service providers’ UC offerings, so their entry into the software video meeting room market is significant. I know they have more on the roadmap, so let’s find out what they are ready to reveal at UC.
CafeX
This interesting solution won a “Best of Enterprise Connect” award last year. Since that time they have purchased Vayyoo, which takes their offering in a new direction. I went through a demo recently and it is a different take on today’s virtual workspaces. The new ChimeSpaces aren’t a typical project based chat channel. It is a virtual space including multiple elements, one of which could be chat. Looking forward to getting some hands on with this at the show.
Cisco
Obviously, the big draw at the Cisco booth is going to be their new Spark Board. I have the Spark app on my iPhone, so if all the demo videos and promos that I have seen are telling the truth I should be able to just walk up and start using a Spark Board with no login or configuration. Can’t wait to try it myself. Also looking forward to the latest developments in their speaker tracking technology.
ClearOne
I’m glad to be setting aside some time to take a closer look at this staple of the AV industry. They are mostly known for their leading audio peripherals and infrastructure. However, they do have some interesting video technology. I hope to get to the bottom of their current video portfolio and market strategy.
Fuze
Fuze has been making a lot of news lately. With everything from a $104 million funding round, to a new CEO, to new offerings. I feel like Fuze has made some pivots with its approach and vision over the years, but it’s always been creative and interesting. I will be sure to take a good look at the latest version of their platform, but I am just as interested in learning about their forward looking strategy.
HighFive
I’ve been very interested in this offering since it hit the market a few years ago. There is certainly a lot to like in terms of ease of use and workflow. However, it is rare for a complete outsider to the business video industry to enter the market without facing big challenges and hurdles. I want to learn more about their unique offering, and unique story.
Logitech
The new BRIO will be getting a lot of attention at the show. However, I have reason to believe the Logitech team has a few more surprises in store for us this year. Let’s see what I can find out at EC.
Media platform
It’s been nearly a year since I briefed with Media Platform. However, they assured me that they will have some new developments to share at the show. The expectations for business streaming are growing rapidly, so I expect they are trying to move quickly.
Microsoft
I am guessing there will be crowds around the Surface Hub, but I am perhaps more interested in their strategy for Microsoft Teams. I don’t want to make predictions too early, but depending upon how they decide to bundle it, this offering could be the way a plurality of us communicate with our teams in the next few years.
Pexip
Pexip continues to grow and develop rapidly. The acquisition of Acano by Cisco left Pexip in a position to really own the “independent” video platform space. Their customer base continues to appreciate how their software infrastructure allows complete scalability up and down to match any size deployment. I’m interested in both their product development roadmap, as well as their continuing partnership based approach to the market.
Polycom
A lot of news has been generated on the business side of Polycom, with acquisition intricacies and a new CEO. Often after these events, things tend to settle down and a new direction may be formed. I’m wondering if we can expect any shakeups with the RealPresence lineup, or if the current strategy is the continuing vision.
Prysm
This collaboration vendor has been getting a lot of appreciation from the analyst community recently. This is not too surprising since their focus has been on enabling team workflow, a current favorite topic in our industry. What started as a hardware company, making massive touch displays, is now a workflow company, with a unique cloud based software (which happens to work well on their displays, but does not require them). I want to play solution, and hear how adoption is going among their customers.
ShoreTel
This UC vendor has been making some interesting deals and partnerships in recent years. The UC game is quickly changing, so it is always good to talk to the major players about roadmaps and market strategy.
StarLeaf
This cloud video provider has been pushing hard on development. For example, I was recently shown an NDA feature involving really advanced interop with Skype for Business. I know StarLeaf has a few more tricks up their sleeves for users of the StarLeaf service or their UC OpenCloud partners, so this should be a fun briefing
Vyopta
I’ve spoken to Vyopta recently and they have big plans for 2017. A leader in analytics and monitoring, they are looking to really add value to their customers in new ways. I will be sure to nail down some of the details for their current vision.
Zoom
With a new round of funding, great market adoption, and a new version of its software, Zoom is entering 2017 in an enviable position. I somehow expect that rather than rest on their laurels, they will double down on development. I will see if they have anything new to share at the show, and ask how users are taking to some of the more interesting new capabilities in their latest release.
