3 ms·

The video call revolution is dead

10 points by mfiguiere 3y ago

cratermoon 3y ago
I can think of two industries that seem to be making some real innovations in video: esports and (of course) adult entertainment.
- thegabriele 3y ago
  Care to describe some of these innovations? Thanks
  - cratermoon 3y ago
    twitch.tv integration between viewers and the game the streamer is playing. Adult streamers with remote-controlled toys linked to viewer interactions (tipping, e.g.).
tuatoru 3y ago
> But when I hop on a video call, I’m still largely just staring at boxes of people, and the apps have mostly become utilities that I’m just not that excited to use. So, is this saying that video calling is now an appliance, like a vacuum cleaner or a toaster? No-one is excited to use those, either (once the novelty of their first one wears off). No-one wants their toaster to be exciting. If it is an appliance, then the video call revolution succeeded completely.
- ipunchghosts 3y ago
  Came here to say this. If it does its task and doesn't cause frustration then it works. Is there room to improve. Sure! Maybe we are at the "crappy camera phone" era of video calling.
  - Shawnj2 3y ago
    I think as video calls become older technology they will become less shit because we will figure out how to do them better.
twobitshifter 3y ago
The comment about hybrid meeting rings true for me. 5 people in one box and 3 others in their own is just a strange dynamic. The idea that we got phone calls with video and that’s somehow bad is strange to me. This was sci-fi for a long time. Latency could be better, but you can beam a video to your friend around the world from a cab. In terms of there being nothing more to explore, Google’s Project Starline shows what the next gen can look like, the vision pro is producing photo realistic 3d avatars, and civil engineering is giving holographic presentations. Some of the slow rollout is just people not knowing what’s possible. For example, Teams allows you to overlay yourself in videos, you can hold polls, you can raise hands and take turns, you can transcribe the meeting, record it for others, get automatic attendance reports, and do much more than just a PowerPoint slides. This is just a general tech problem, tools are built for engaging communication but people still just throw up a few bullet points for half an hour.
throwuwu 3y ago
Video calls are horrible compared to voice only. Especially when it’s more than 2 people. I can’t wait for them to be binned.
kazinator 3y ago
> Three years ago, video chat appeared set to revolutionize the way we work. The article comes across as having a stunted historic outlook, or perhaps "pandemnesia". Video calling has been in use well over a decade. Skype introduced video calling around 2006, IIRC, including group video calls. Video calling with distant family members, friends or coworkers, was a thing long before the pandemic. Not everyone discovered this during the lockdowns.

10 points by mfiguiere 3y ago

I can think of two industries that seem to be making some real innovations in video: esports and (of course) adult entertainment.

thegabriele 3y ago
Care to describe some of these innovations? Thanks
- cratermoon 3y ago
  twitch.tv integration between viewers and the game the streamer is playing. Adult streamers with remote-controlled toys linked to viewer interactions (tipping, e.g.).

tuatoru 3y ago

> But when I hop on a video call, I’m still largely just staring at boxes of people, and the apps have mostly become utilities that I’m just not that excited to use. So, is this saying that video calling is now an appliance, like a vacuum cleaner or a toaster? No-one is excited to use those, either (once the novelty of their first one wears off). No-one wants their toaster to be exciting. If it is an appliance, then the video call revolution succeeded completely.

ipunchghosts 3y ago
Came here to say this. If it does its task and doesn't cause frustration then it works. Is there room to improve. Sure! Maybe we are at the "crappy camera phone" era of video calling.
- Shawnj2 3y ago
  I think as video calls become older technology they will become less shit because we will figure out how to do them better.

twobitshifter 3y ago

The comment about hybrid meeting rings true for me. 5 people in one box and 3 others in their own is just a strange dynamic. The idea that we got phone calls with video and that’s somehow bad is strange to me. This was sci-fi for a long time. Latency could be better, but you can beam a video to your friend around the world from a cab. In terms of there being nothing more to explore, Google’s Project Starline shows what the next gen can look like, the vision pro is producing photo realistic 3d avatars, and civil engineering is giving holographic presentations. Some of the slow rollout is just people not knowing what’s possible. For example, Teams allows you to overlay yourself in videos, you can hold polls, you can raise hands and take turns, you can transcribe the meeting, record it for others, get automatic attendance reports, and do much more than just a PowerPoint slides. This is just a general tech problem, tools are built for engaging communication but people still just throw up a few bullet points for half an hour.

throwuwu 3y ago

Video calls are horrible compared to voice only. Especially when it’s more than 2 people. I can’t wait for them to be binned.

kazinator 3y ago

> Three years ago, video chat appeared set to revolutionize the way we work. The article comes across as having a stunted historic outlook, or perhaps "pandemnesia". Video calling has been in use well over a decade. Skype introduced video calling around 2006, IIRC, including group video calls. Video calling with distant family members, friends or coworkers, was a thing long before the pandemic. Not everyone discovered this during the lockdowns.