Zoom may have plans to diversify its business beyond video calling. The company has spent much of the last two years developing its own email and calendar clients, according to The Information.
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Zoom may unveil the apps, known internally as Zmail and Zcal, at its Zoomtopia conference in November. Zoom did not respond immediately to Engadget’s request for comment.
You’re probably wondering if the world really needs another productivity suite. From Zoom’s point of view, The Information suggests that the apps are critical to the company’s survival.
Zoom, which recently reported $1.1 billion in quarterly revenue, is doing better than most pandemic darlings. However, beneath those results, the company’s growth has slowed and its stock price has fallen to pre-pandemic levels.
It also finds itself in the same situation that many companies competing with Google and Microsoft have recently faced. The fact that many businesses use Zoom in conjunction with Workspace and Office 365 is a significant weakness.
These are comprehensive suites that can meet the majority of a business’s productivity requirements. That is not a good position to be in in a market where businesses are constantly looking to cut costs.
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At the same time, it’s difficult to see how email and calendar clients can help Zoom compete when Google and Microsoft have spent years perfecting Gmail and Outlook, which dominate the market.
