Research Shows Growing Segment of Smartphone Users Want Video Chat on Their Mobile Devices

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumer research among users of video conferencing services like Skype and ooVoo indicates that two-thirds of users surveyed would like the ability to have video chat on their mobile devices.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100211/NY52667 )

What is driving the demand?  Industry experts point to a simple reality: technology has caught up with consumer demand.  Enhancements in networking, platforms and devices -- together with  demand for anywhere, anytime connectivity -- has created a revolution of computing and communication centered around mobile devices.  

Today developers are working with faster networks including 3G and 4G, and mobile devices have better operating systems -- iPhone OS, Android, Symbian and Windows Mobile.  The combination of mobile computing with social networking applications is creating a powerful "always on" communication platform that allows consumers to choose the type of interaction they want at any moment.

"Visual communication is on the rise in enterprise and consumer worlds with each fueled by its own drivers as well as cross connections between the two," said Andrew W. Davis, senior partner & analyst at Wainhouse Research.  "Mobile video communications represents a significant opportunity for companies like ooVoo who see themselves as game-changers in mobile video."

Smartphones are available with enough processing power to handle video chat and more cameras are now front-facing which will aid video chat conversations.  Even as the trend continues, many mobile devices do not include two-sided cameras and the capability is missing from iPhone and iPad, which has raised questions in technology media, blogger sites and consumer social media.  Experts predict the market will continue to push for face-to-face communication.  

"We've listened carefully to what consumers are telling us about their expectations for mobile," said Philippe Schwartz, CEO of ooVoo.  "We're excited about demonstrating the quality, ease-of-use and seamless experience of ooVoo's mobile video calling capability at Mobile World Congress."  

To request a private demonstration of ooVoo Mobile at Mobile World Congress (Booth 7D48), contact Rodger Wells, [email protected].  For media inquiries, contact Bryan Brown, [email protected].  

About ooVoo

ooVoo, a privately-held company based in New York, provides a high-quality video-driven communication service to anyone with a computer, broadband connection and a web camera.  ooVoo offers multi-point high-resolution video, video conversation recording, telephony, desktop sharing, video messaging, instant message chat and file sharing.  Download ooVoo at www.ooVoo.com.

SOURCE ooVoo