The pandemic shifted employee expectations. Now, 71% of workers now want a hybrid or remote work setting, according to Owl Labs “State of Remote Work” study. A major downside to hybrid and remote work is that 70% of workers find it difficult to participate in conversations on hybrid video calls. This comes down to the fact that employers are not upgrading employee video technology to better suit hybrid collaboration.
“Most companies are vastly underprepared for the complexities of hybrid work, so they need to quickly and affordably overhaul their office spaces to ensure they’re meeting the needs of their newly hybrid teams,” said Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs.
Owl Labs sought a way to offer a more updated and cost-effective hybrid meeting solution and partnered with Verizon and its secure video collaboration platform BlueJeans. Through the partnership, users gain access to Owl Labs’ meeting technology combined with BlueJeans Meetings video conferencing software licenses.
The Meeting Owl is a 360-degree camera, microphone and speaker combined into one device. It is powered by proprietary AI technology that automatically focuses on whoever is speaking by using audio and visual cues.
The device creates a much more in-person experience for hybrid teams and integrates seamlessly with many video conferencing platforms, including the BlueJeans platform, of course. BlueJeans offers 4K video and built-in Dolby Voice audio that minimizes background noise.
Together, BlueJeans and Owl Labs add video conferencing capabilities to any meeting room or space, serving companies of all sizes with plug-and-play setup and minimal IT support required.
“We are excited to partner with Owl Labs to bring immersive, 360-degree hardware to companies of all sizes for an affordable monthly fee, to enhance our BlueJeans software for the hybrid workforce,” said Chris Lewter, vice president and general manager, BlueJeans by Verizon.
Available in North America, the Meetings+ with Owl Labs package starts at one monthly fee of $29 for companies that sign up in the first 90 days and then increases to $39 per month for users who sign up after. The monthly fee includes the Owl Labs device and app, three BlueJeans Meetings Enterprise licenses, product warranty and customer support.
Edited by
Erik Linask
