Video Chat and Video Conferencing Applications
What is Video Chat?
Video chat refers to real-time, visual communication between two or more parties, where each participant uses a camera and microphone to see and hear one another. It merges video and audio streams, allowing participants to interact live, regardless of their physical location.
Video chats are commonly delivered through smartphones or computers and typically incorporate features such as a live chat conversation window or ‘whiteboard’.
Key Features of Video Chat:
Live Video and Audio: In real-time, participants can see and hear each other.
Multiple Participants: Many platforms support group video chats with several people at once.
Screen Sharing: Users can share their screens to collaborate, present, or show information.
Text Chat Integration: Some video chat services also offer text messaging within the session.
Recording: Certain platforms allow recording of video chat sessions for later use.
File Sharing: Allows direct sharing of documents, images, and other files within the video chat interface.
Mute and Camera Off Options Gives users the ability to mute their microphone or turn off their camera without leaving the chat.
End-to-end Encryption: Ensures privacy and security by encrypting the communication between participants.
Interactive Features Includes features like reactions (e.g., emojis or hand raises), polling, and Q&A sessions, particularly useful in webinars or business meetings.
Cross-Platform Availability Supports multiple devices (smartphones, tablets, computers) and different operating systems (iOS, Android, Windows, macOS).
Meeting Scheduling and Invitations: Many platforms allow scheduling video calls in advance with automated reminders and email invitations.
Noise Suppression Reduces background noise for clearer communication, especially in loud environments.
Low Bandwidth Mode: Optimizes the video and audio quality for users with slow or unstable internet connections.
Video chat vs video conferencing
Video chat and video conferencing are both forms of communication that use video and audio to connect participants in real-time, but serve different purposes and often vary in features and scale. Here’s a comparison:
1. Definition
Video Chat: Typically refers to informal, one-on-one or small group conversations. It's often used for casual or personal communication, such as between friends or family members.
Video Conferencing: Usually refers to formal, professional meetings or events involving multiple participants. It is commonly used in business, education, or organizational settings.
2. Participants
Video Chat: Usually limited to a small number of participants (2-10 people). It focuses on more personal or direct interactions.
Video Conferencing: Often designed to accommodate larger groups (3+ participants), including large-scale meetings, webinars, or conferences.
3. Purpose
Video Chat: Primarily for social, informal, or personal communication. It’s common in casual settings or everyday conversations.
Video Conferencing: Used for business meetings, remote work, educational lectures, team collaboration, or webinars. The purpose is more formal and often professional.
4. Features
Video Chat: Basic features like video and audio streaming, text messaging, and sometimes screen sharing. Platforms include Skype, WhatsApp, FaceTime, and Facebook Messenger.
Video Conferencing: More advanced features such as:
Screen sharing for presentations
Recording of meetings
Virtual backgrounds
Breakout rooms for smaller discussions
Host controls for managing participants (muting, removing, etc.)
Live polling or Q&A features
Integration with calendars for scheduling meetings
5. Tools and Platforms
Video Chat: Common platforms include FaceTime, WhatsApp, Google Duo, and Messenger, designed for ease of use and quick setup.
Video Conferencing: Tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, and Google Meet are more feature-rich, designed for corporate, educational, and large-scale usage.
6. Complexity
Video Chat: Easy to set up with minimal requirements. Participants often join via a simple call, with no need for registration or formal invites.
Video Conferencing: Involves scheduling, sending invites, setting up meeting IDs or passcodes, and sometimes more robust internet bandwidth and technical support.
7. Cost
Video Chat: Often free or low cost. Most apps offer free services for small-scale, informal use.
Video Conferencing: Usually includes tiered pricing plans, with free versions available for basic meetings and paid versions offering more advanced features for larger groups and professional use.
8. Usage Examples
Video Chat: Personal conversations, catching up with family or friends, casual group chats.
Video Conferencing: Corporate meetings, remote job interviews, online classes, virtual conferences, large-scale webinars.
Components needed to build a video chat application
When building video chat, you'll want to ensure your app can scale and work in real time to handle any number of users to provide true real-time engagement.
Here are a few factors to keep in mind in order to accomplish this.
Functionality: Having real-time functionality that your users expect like a lightning fast chat and emoji reactions.
Scalability: Ensure you have a robust backend that can support users and devices interacting simultaneously.
Security: Safeguard your video chat with end-to-end encryption for messages and utilize access controls and chat filters for moderation.
Integrations: Check that your video chat has the ability to work with third-party integrations so that you can easily add new real-time capabilities as needed.
Video chat security
Video chat security involves protecting communication through encryption (end-to-end and in transit), password-protected meetings, waiting rooms, and host controls to prevent unauthorized access. Key features include two-factor authentication, meeting locks, and secure recording options. Regular updates, limiting screen sharing, and using unique meeting links further enhance security, ensuring private and safe interactions on video chat platforms.
How to build a video chat app
PubNub specializes in in-app chat. However, customers can take advantage of one of our strategic partnerships in the video communications space to deliver an end-to-end video chat solution.
If you want to learn more about getting started with video chat, book a demo
