The News: Zoom for Home TV’s availability on Apple TV 4K is a notable addition to the platform’s capabilities. This update follows the integration of FaceTime into Apple TV via tvOS 17, and similarly, it allows users to employ their iPhone camera for video calls through the TV, enhancing the functionality of home-based video meetings. The free Zoom app for Apple TV 4K is a separate listing from the regular Zoom app. Listed as Zoom – for Home TV, it can be found in the app store.
New Zoom Feature on Apple TV 4K Aims to Improve Meeting Accessibility
Analyst Take: The availability of Zoom on Apple TV 4K introduces a new avenue for conducting remote meetings. It reflects an ongoing trend in technology where consumer devices are increasingly used for professional purposes. This development could potentially make video conferencing more accessible to Apple TV users and contribute to the adoption of flexible work arrangements.
Continuity Camera Feature on iPhones Is a Critical Enabler of Zoom for Home TV on Apple TV 4K
With the release of tvOS 17 in mid-September, Apple TV 4K gained support for camera apps via the Continuity Camera on an iPhone and iPad connected wirelessly to Apple TV 4K. The use of Continuity Camera with Apple TV illustrates Apple’s aim for seamless inter-device connectivity. By enabling the use of an iPhone as a camera for Apple TV, the user experience for video conferencing is potentially enhanced, utilizing a larger screen format and possibly leading to more productive meetings.
Zoom for Home TV Is the First Third-Party Conferencing App to be Available for Apple TV
The Zoom for Home TV app is currently available for download in the Apple app store, making it the first third-party video conferencing app to take advantage of the Continuity Camera and tvOS 17 features. In late October, Cisco was the first to publicly announce a plan to make its video conferencing solution, Webex, available using the same solution combination of tvOS 17 and Continuity Camera. The Webex for Apple TV app is expected to be available soon.
The Zoom for Home TV app, distinct from its mobile versions, focuses on core video conferencing features and is tailored for use with television interfaces. Its design prioritizes ease of access to meetings, emphasizing functionality that supports regular video conferencing users.
The highlighted features on the App Store are as follows:
- Easily start and join Zoom meetings with one click from your device
- Use HD video and audio for crystal clear communications
- Integrate the calendar to keep you on schedule
- Easily invite friends or colleagues via phone, email, or Zoom contacts
- View in-meeting chat
- Assign participants to breakout rooms
Videoconferencing Market Dynamics and Hybrid Work Environment Support
The introduction of Zoom on Apple TV is indicative of the increasing demand for versatile remote work tools. It represents an integration of consumer electronics with professional communication tools, which may influence future market offerings.
Whether this use case reaches critical mass is still to be seen. One can argue that this new feature supports the hybrid work model by potentially improving the remote meeting experience for Apple TV users. But the question remains whether this will mostly be adopted by SMB or business to consumer (B2C) use cases, or if this will penetrate into more enterprise-centric customers. It does present the opportunity for a lower cost entry point for a BYOD use case, but without a full feature set or IT-centric management tools, this feature will likely remain in the domain of family video calling or small B2C situations.
Conclusion and Prospective Developments
The integration of Zoom into the Apple TV ecosystem is a step toward diversifying the contexts in which remote meetings can occur. The next step will be to see how this move may further streamline user experiences, the rate at which the use case is adopted, and how other market players will respond to this trend.
Disclosure: The Futurum Group is a research and advisory firm that engages or has engaged in research, analysis, and advisory services with many technology companies, including those mentioned in this article. The author does not hold any equity positions with any company mentioned in this article.
Analysis and opinions expressed herein are specific to the analyst individually and data and other information that might have been provided for validation, not those of The Futurum Group as a whole.
Other insights from The Futurum Group:
Zoom Revenue Up 3.2% to $1.4 Billion in Q3, Beating Analyst Estimates
Zoom’s Changes Cause Confusion on When Data Is Used To Train AI
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Author Information
As Practice Lead - Workplace Collaboration, Craig focuses on developing research, publications and insights that clarify how the workforce, the workplace, and the workflows enable group collaboration and communication. He provides research and analysis related to market sizing and forecasts, product and service evaluations, market trends, and end-user and buyer expectations. In addition to following the technology, Craig also studies the human elements of work - organizing his findings into the workforce, the workplace, and the workflows – and charting how these variables influence technologies and business strategies.
Prior to joining Wainhouse, now a part of The Futurum Group, Craig brings twenty years of experience in leadership roles related to P&L management, product development, strategic planning, and business development of security, SaaS, and unified communication offerings. Craig's experience includes positions at Poly, Dell, Microsoft, and IBM.
Craig holds a Master of Business Administration from the Texas McCombs School of Business as well as a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Tulane University.
