MWC 2012: HTC And Polycom To Offer RealPresence On Smartphone, Tablet

Unified communications (UC) specialist Polycom has teamed up with HTC Corp to enable Polycom RealPresence Mobile on select HTC smartphones and tablets in mid-2012.

As part of the agreement, the select HTC devices will be certified Polycom-ready and optimised for RealPresence Mobile, which is expected to be available for download on HTC devices via the Android Market later this year.

On The Go

RealPresence Mobile, powered by the company’s RealPresence Platform, is a secure, enterprise-grade video software solution for mobile devices that extends the reach of video collaboration beyond the conference room, allowing users on the go with a mobile device to connect with other standards-based video systems including immersive video rooms, group/desktop systems, laptops, tablets and smartphones in high-definition quality.

All elements of the RealPresence Platform are currently available through Polycom’s certified channel partners.

“Video collaboration is a critical application within mobile platforms, and offering Polycom’s RealPresence Mobile on HTC smartphones and tablets will provide tremendous value and opportunities for our customers,” said David Jaeger, executive director of global enterprise and services for HTC. “Polycom’s mobile video application supports our commitment to provide authentic audio and amazing imaging on our devices, and together, we can now extend this experience to our enterprise customers.”

Mobile Trend

The announcement continues Polycom’s initiative to make video collaboration ubiquitous by delivering user-friendly, standards-based software to anyone, across any environment. Polycom announced RealPresence Mobile for tablets in October 2011, and at the conference this week, announced RealPresence Mobile is now also available for smartphones.

The agreement is focused on the opportunity presented by today’s 1 billion mobile workers – more than a third of the world’s total workforce, according to a report from IT research firm IDC – and prepares for the expected growth to 1.3 billion mobile workers over the next three years.

“Increasingly, our customers are seeing the consumerisation of IT; employees are bringing their favourite devices to work, and they want them supported on the corporate network,” said Sue Hayden, executive vice president of strategic alliances with Polycom. “Our new relationship with HTC helps customers embrace this trend, ensuring mobile workers and road warriors can enjoy high-quality mobile video collaboration solutions from anywhere without sacrificing quality, security or reliability.”

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