AV Software Trends in 2023: What to Expect
The av design services industry is constantly evolving with new technologies and innovations. As we head into 2023, there are several key AV software trends that are expected to have a major impact and shape the future of the industry. Let's take a look at some of the most important AV software trends to watch out for next year.
Rise of Cloud-Based Solutions
Cloud computing has already disrupted many industries, and the av design services space is no exception. Cloud technologies allow for more flexible, scalable and portable solutions that can be accessed from anywhere. In 2023, we expect to see a rising preference for cloud-based AV software among integrators and end users.
Some of the key cloud trends in the AV world include:
Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions: More vendors are shifting their software offerings to the cloud through subscription-based SaaS models. This provides the advantages of easy deployment, automatic updates and scalability without large upfront costs.
Cloud-managed AV systems: Advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and IoT rely heavily on cloud infrastructure. We will see more AV systems that are fully configured, managed and updated via the cloud.
Cloud conferencing software: Collaborative conferencing solutions that allow seamless meetings, presentations and lectures from anywhere will continue gaining popularity. Vendors are enhancing their cloud-first platforms.
Remote monitoring & management: Using the cloud, integrators can keep tabs on AV equipment health and performance across multiple locations remotely. Quick troubleshooting and fixes will be possible from any internet-connected device.
So in summary, the cloud delivery model brings tremendous flexibility and maintenance advantages that will drive more organizations to cloud-based AV software next year. Vendors will focus on enhancing their cloud services.
Hybrid Workflows Drive New Collaboration Features
With hybrid work being the norm, collaboration software is seeing major upgrades to enable seamless interactions between on-site and remote participants. Both open standards like SIP and proprietary platforms are adding new tools to make meetings more inclusive and productive.
Some collaboration enhancements coming up include:
Improved video layouts: Support for different participant gallery views, active speaker detection, picture-in-picture etc.
Advanced annotation tools: Real-time collaboration using digital whiteboards, sticky notes, annotations on shared content etc.
Integrations: Tighter linking between calendaring, file sharing, recording & transcription services for a cohesive workflow.
AI-powered capabilities: Automatic noise cancellation, transcription, translation during calls will use AI/ML.
Security & manageability: End-to-end encryption, SSO login, centralized admin controls will get more sophisticated.
As hybrid meetings stay, collaboration vendors are leaving no stone unturned to optimize experiences. We'll see advanced cross-platform functionality becoming mainstream in 2023.
Meeting Room Tech Gets Smarter
Smart meeting room technologies that automate workflows and analyze usage patterns are gaining traction. Next year, we can expect this segment to evolve further with the addition of analytics and artificial intelligence capabilities.
Advanced presence detection: Instead of basic join/leave detection, rooms will be aware of how many participants, who is speaking etc. using computer vision.
Occupancy analytics: Software will be able to provide deep insights into room utilization, busiest times, average meeting lengths and no-show rates.
Proactive setup: Systems can automatically configure lighting, audio and video based on scheduled meeting details before participants arrive usingcalendar integrations.
AI assistance: Intelligent digital assistants may offer to start/stop recordings, handle calendaring tasks, search meeting contents using natural language commands.
Predictive maintenance: By monitoring device health metrics over time, maintenance needs can be predicted. Components will self-calibrate or request replacements proactively.
As rooms get smarter, they will handle routine tasks and provide actionable analytics to optimize space usage. AI will increasingly automate workflows and assist occupants.
Advanced Interoperability is Key
With technologies converging in the AV realm, interoperability between different solutions has become highly critical. Vendors are working to enhance communication between disparate systems.
Some interoperability advancements to watch out for:
Open standards support: Initiatives like ATENE, SDCI, USB-C DA will see increased adoption for universal device control.
Tight developer APIs: Manufacturers will expand APIs and SDKs to promote seamless third-party system integration.
Cross-platform compatibility: Products will have unified interfaces and connection protocols to work across iOS, Android, Windows, Mac desktop platforms.
Integrations marketplace: Marketplaces may emerge for installers to browse pre-certified integration solutions between conferencing, control, display brands.
Voice assistant control: AI assistants like Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant will gain expanded AV device control functions.
As systems interconnectivity grows in complexity, prioritizing flawless interoperability will be vital for vendors to future-proof their products. Their focus on open ecosystems will deepen.
In Conclusion
To summarize, the key trends that will shape the AV software ecosystem next year include a focus on cloud-centric delivery models, ongoing advancement of collaboration capabilities, smarter meeting room technologies leveraging analytics and AI, as well as tightened interoperability between different platforms. Vendors will prioritize enhancing these aspects of their solutions to keep pace with evolving demands. While 2023 shows every sign of bringing transition and innovation in the av design services industry, it promises to yield software that delivers better experiences for integrators and end users alike.