Over the top (OTT) applications for group chats and interactions have grown with the proliferation of smartphones and mobile apps. WhatsApp and GroupMe have been dominating the group messaging space, but lack on offering real-time video chat functionality, a la FaceTime, Google Hangouts or Skype. Enter Rounds, a social “hangout network” that combines online entertainment with video conferencing, and now, offers HD video conferencing powered by Vidyo, a provider of video conferencing and personal telepresence solutions. The application aims to make hanging out as easy as clicking a button –bridging the gap between technology and real-life interaction.
The updated Rounds solution brings the benefits of WebRTC technology – enabling real-time communications over the Internet – to group communication and features multiparty HD video conferencing and mass scaling capabilities. I tried it out and it seems like the focus is on challenging Skype and FaceTime more so than messaging apps like GroupMe and WhatsApp because the features are emphasized more in the video communication, not the text conversations, and it seems everywhere I click is encouraging me to call someone, as opposed to messaging them.
Rounds is available on iPhones, Android devices, desktops and the Web. Users can simultaneously video chat while also browsing the Web, viewing YouTube videos, sharing photos or playing games.
“To achieve a truly engaging real-time social experience, there needs to be a balanced mix between the worlds of entertainment and communication,” said Rounds co-founder and CEO, Dany Fishel, in a statement. “That’s Rounds - a fun, engaging experience that mimics real life interactions by merging interactive content, games, activities and real-time video communication. This strategic agreement with Vidyo now provides Rounds with the best infrastructure possible to deliver a unique, unparalleled social video communication experience. We believe this will significantly further our position as a leader in social video chat.”
.png)
Vidyo’s scalable video coding (SVC) technology will enable Rounds to provide reliable, high-quality video communications. SVC enables more efficient bandwidth utilization, better performance on tablets and mobile devices, and core routing/control infrastructure. Users can adjust the frame rate, send smaller resolution or modify the quality of video so it can modify the bandwidth. Vidyo’s VidyoWorks platform is based on SVC and will help expand the reach and capabilities of the Rounds application.
“The impressive experience that Rounds has created is an exciting offering for consumers to create and share memories together,” said Ofer Shapiro, CEO and co-founder, Vidyo. “The integration of the VidyoWorks platform is yet another example of how Vidyo’s technology can easily be used by application developers to deliver high quality video experiences that scale to the masses. We believe this will support further growth of Rounds platform.”
Earlier this year, Google announced it is using Vidyo’s SVC extensions as part of WebRTC -- a scalable video extension is being developed specifically for Google’s VP9 codec. The SVC extension will come in handy for Rounds on the Web, as the benefit of WebRTC and technology like Vidyo’s SVC is eliminating barriers like downloading or installing plugins.
According to Fishel, “The new Vidyo-enhanced integration fits perfectly with Rounds’ vision and product evolution roadmap. The upcoming re-launch of Rounds’ mobile apps will also include Vidyo’s technology as well as some exciting new capabilities that are expected to be available in the near future. Rounds continues to join with new content partners to offer greater shared experiences in its solution. Part of these experiences is created using its easy to use API, which allows developers to create synchronized HTML5 real-time activities between users in a live, video chat environment.”
