Long gone are the days when video cameras were the only video-capturing devices available. Now, many companies provide their own unique ways for consumers and organizations to communicate. Here, we take a look at how video communication has grown and how the uses and benefits for both consumers and organizations have evolved.
Pixelated Progress
Since 1983, the evolution of consumer video use and technology has grown considerably:
1983
First camcorder for the general public1
1994
First commercial webcam2
1995
First digital format for consumers1
2003
First massively popular video chat client3
2010
Video chat capability between XBOX 360 owners5
2011
Video calling within Facebook social network6
2011
Group video chat within Google+ social network7
2012
Video chat using TVs8
The growth of video has influenced these significant new trends in technology:
Over 50% of Gen Y owns a webcam9
72% of those ages 18-20 own a laptop9
Almost 80% of those laptops have webcams9
491.4 million smartphones were sold worldwide in 201110
There are 91.4 million smartphone users in the U.S.11
77% of affluent Americans 18-24 own smartphones, as do 80% of 25-34 year olds12
Sources: 1. Total Rewind, JVC SF-P3. 2. PC World. History of Video Calls: From Fantasy to Flops to FaceTime. 3. Online-Education.net. The Skype's the Limit. 4. Mobile & Apps, iOS 6 Beta Includes Wi-Fi Plus Celluar’ Option for Avoiding Dropped Signals. 5. Windows Team Blog. Video Kinect brings Messenger video chat to the Xbox 360. 6. CIO. Facebook Video Calling: How to Get Started and Adjust Privacy Settings. 7. Product-Reviews. Google+ public release: Anticipation for launch date. 8. Comcast Blog. Skype on Xfinity Begins National Rollout. 9. We Are Organized Chaos. Webcam Penetration Rates & Adoption. 10. Email Marketing Reports. Smartphone statistics and market share. 11. AnsonAlex. Smartphone Usage Statistics 2012. 12. CustomerThink. 12 Considerations for Connecting with Millennial Customers.