Remote working is growing with popularity, and many individuals have been thrust into the new world of it thanks to the global coronavirus pandemic.

With so many people working from home, video communication apps, and other means of connecting virtually have been a lifeline for groups that are unable to physically meet to connect.

But, with so many apps, tools, and options out there, it comes as no surprise that many people have to evaluate which product they should go for to suit their work and personal needs. Video calling apps like Zoom and FaceTime, for example, are a lot different from the platform we provide here at Avatour.

Want to know the differences between Avatour and other services, so you can decide what works best for you and your business? Keep reading.

FaceTime

FaceTime is a popular video calling app that comes with an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch device. However, it’s best reserved for personal calls rather than professional meetings. Nevertheless, it’s easy to use and offers a quick way to transport into a real-time video call.

Open the app, click on the contact you’d like to call, and bingo. You’re speaking to someone as you would over the phone, except you’re connected by video too.

For informal work calls, FaceTime may suffice. Recently, the app implemented an update that meant up to 32 people could join a call, so it can easily be used for meetings. But if you compare AVATOUR and FaceTime, the app is very limited on what else you can do, and it may not offer enough features for an important work meeting.

When it comes down to it, FaceTime is pretty much a feature that combines video with a phone call without much else to it.

Zoom

Zoom is the most popular video communication software on the market. If we compare AVATOUR and Zoom, the latter is specially designed to handle enterprise-level video conferencing for professionals. 

There are many competitors of Zoom that offer a similar service. These include BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, and Skype for Business. But, as Zoom is the most recognized of these services, we’ll use it as our main example of professional video conferencing software on the market.

Unlike FaceTime, which is only accessible on an Apple iOS device or a Mac, Zoom is compatible with Windows, Android, Linux, and a Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

Like FaceTime, Zoom hosts video calls. However, the service offers many extra features too, which gives it one step up from FaceTime as a platform for work meetings. Using a platform like Zoom makes it easy to visually show others within a meeting the next steps you’re taking in a project, for example, or how to use a program by sharing your screen.

For virtual work meetings that require sharing screens or large numbers of people to discuss and interact with, Zoom may be the appropriate platform.

However, as great as Zoom is, its field of view is limited to where the camera is pointed. So if you are inspecting a space you don’t have control over what you’re looking at. 

Facetime & Zoom connect face to face.

Wearable AR Glasses

Last but not least, we should compare AVATOUR and AR glasses, and other wearable devices.  Platforms such as Microsoft Hololens, Magic Leap, RealWear, and Vuzix offer what’s called mixed reality or augmented reality.

These real-wear AR glasses are used for remote assist use cases where a remote technician can help a field worker troubleshoot a problem. The remote worker sees what the field technician sees / what the front-facing camera on the Realwear headset captures.

It’s a limited field of view and is effective when the remote tech does not need to see the space. It’s the difference between remote assist where the space itself is not that important vs remote presence.

Realwear AR glasses connect a remote person to the field of view of an on-site person.

AVATOUR

When it comes to teleconferencing, AVATOUR takes it one huge step up from traditional tools like FaceTime, Zoom, and wearable AR glasses.

Avatour connects a face to a place.

It’s a new form of communication called 360° Remote Presence. 

Avatour is the world’s first multi-person, immersive, and Remote Presence service. The platform offers participants the opportunity to experience a real place from anywhere in the world, at any time, while communicating in real-time with the people at that location.

Let’s say you work in real estate. If you’re working at home, but your colleague wants to show you a new house on the market, they can give you a real-time live tour of the building as you sit at your desk miles and miles away – perhaps even in another country.

On location, the host uses a 360° camera linked to an Android mobile device to connect live via the Avatour platform in the cloud. Up to five guests that are located anywhere in the world are welcome to join. The host can then take guests through each room while chatting to them and explaining anything about the building or project.

The required tools are accessible and inexpensive, and all you’ll need is a low-cost 360° camera, a selfie-stick, and an audio headset. But for a truly spectacular and immersive experience, we recommend purchasing smart VR glasses to engage with the location you’re viewing. 

Avatour is Remote Presence software that brings huge value to many industries. This includes those in retail, manufacturing, travel, insurance, real estate, construction, and hospitality to name a few.

Any brand or business that often requires meetings that involve on-location tours, staff training, product demonstrations, trade shows, sales, teaching, recruiting, and more will benefit greatly from Remote Presence with Avatour. You can read about how to drive sales with remote presence.

Like other videoconferencing tools and platforms similar to Zoom and others, Avatour helps save on company expenditure by reducing travel and accommodation costs. Plus, videoconferencing is sustainable too, as it cuts the need to travel by air and car.

Avatour allows for an authentic and in-depth 360° meeting experience that simply cannot be replicated using apps and tools like FaceTime, Zoom, and wearable AV devices. 

Intrigued as to how AVATOUR Remote Presence can work for your business? Get started here.