Zoom has easily become one of the biggest fashion words this year thanks to the rapid use of video conferencing. But while future work could always include some aspect of networking, Zoom could become yesterday’s news just as quickly as a new technological unicorn. Now the company is reportedly exploring ways in which it could remain relevant and profitable even in the distant future, and it seems to have cast its eyes on winning emails and calendars.
To some extent, video conferencing, email addresses, and calendars make the perfect combination for modern work and productivity. Links to appointments are often transmitted in emails and added to calendars, while appointments and email addresses are often displayed in meetings. According to sources, Zoom may be considering this type of integration and targeting the “next-generation” email experience.
He would not be the first to have such a high goal, but he will be approached from the opposite end. Slack, for example, started out as an “email killer,” adding video calls later as demand boosted. Zoom naturally started with video conferencing and now wants to use its name to entice users to change email providers.
He will face a tough battle, more than he has with basic service. Google and Microsoft still hold the lion’s share of email and calendar services and they are far more rooted and integrated into business ecosystems than is the case with Zoom. There might even come a time when people will completely give up Zoom because of the integration that Google Meet and Microsoft Teams have with existing services and platforms.
The report says Zoom plans to launch an early version of this email service in 2021. However, the idea is clearly still at a very early stage and may not even see the light of day if it turns out to be an unpopular and yet unprofitable idea.