Video Chat

Video is a powerful tool for improving communication, and you can easily integrate it into your existing applications using a video APIor SDK. Read on as we explain video chat, how it works, and more. 

What Is Video Chat?

Video chat is a form of real-time communication in which participants can see and hear each other via the Internet. Compared to voice calls, it allows for a more interactive conversation by combining both audio and video streams.

There are two types of video communication:

• Point-to-point: A one-on-one video call between two people.
• Multipoint: A video conference between multiple people, often used for group meetings or conferences.

Most people are familiar with and have used video chat in either personal or professional settings. Zoom is a popular communication platform, with nearly 647.6 million unique global visitors accessing Zoom.us in April 2023. Other popular video call apps include Skype, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and FaceTime.

Video improves accessibility and communication, enabling individuals to connect with one another regardless of their physical location. Video chat increases the efficiency of digital communication, mimicking the experience of in-person conversation. Video is also an excellent way to create trust between app users of any use case, from buyers and sellers to patients and providers. Having video offers flexibility and is more cost-effective than planning physical meetups. For instance, if your company has staff located in different states, virtual meetups eliminate the need for commuting expenses.

Video chats, however, come with several challenges. For smooth calls with no buffering issues, you need a strong internet connection and a good camera. You also need to select video chat software that offers security and privacy, especially if you plan on discussing sensitive information.

Who Invented Video Chat? 

The inception of video chat started when AT&T introduced the Picturephone at the New York World's Fair in 1964. Then, in the 1980s, companies like Compression Labs and PictureTel introduced more advanced video conferencing systems. These were mainly used by large corporations.

In 1992, Macintosh released CU SeeMe v0.1, a video conferencing software for the personal computer. CU SeeMe was developed at Cornell University. In the 2000s, video chat became even more popular through free Internet services such as Skype and iChat, web plugins supporting H.26x video codecs, and online telecommunication programs. 

How Does Video Chat Work? 

Before launching a video chat app, your users need to have a computer or a phone with a good camera and microphone.

Usually, one participant initiates a call either by selecting a contact or entering a meeting ID. The video app then establishes a connection between the participants, often using protocols like Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC).

During the call, the app captures audio and video data and further encodes, compresses, and transmits the digital signals over the Internet. The receiving device decodes and decompresses the data, rendering the audio and video for playback.

Some of the key technologies that enable video calls include:

• WebRTC: This is a popular open-source technology for browser-based calls. It enables peer-to-peer (P2)connections without the need for plugins. It also enables real-time voice, text, and video communication capabilities between browsers and devices.
• VoIP (Voice over IP): Also called IP telephony, this technology transmits video signals over IP networks.
• Session Initiation Protocol (SIP): This protocol enables the establishment and management of video sessions. It enables voice, messaging, and video calls between two or more endpoints on IP networks.
• Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP): This is a protocol that enables real-time transmission of audio and video data. It's used extensively in systems that involve streaming media, such as telephony, television services, video teleconference applications, and web-based push-to-talk features.

What Features Does a Video Chat App Have? 

Video call applications come with several features that enhance the overall user experience. Here are some of them.

Group Calls

In video chat apps, group calls allow multiple participants to participate in the same call. These calls support a variety of layouts, including speaker view, which focuses on the active speaker, and grid view, which shows all participants.

Furthermore, features like breakout rooms allow participants to divide the meeting into smaller group sessions. Group calls include additional tools, such as chats and file sharing, which allow participants to interact without disrupting the flow of conversation. 

Screen Sharing

Screen sharing increases the effectiveness and engagement of meetings by enabling users to share all or a portion of their screen in real-time.

Video apps also typically come with annotation tools, which allow users to draw or highlight specific areas of the screen.

For example, Prezi Video for Zoom, shown above, helps users create custom slides and graphic overlays for their presentations in Zoom meetings.

Virtual Backgrounds

With virtual backgrounds in video conferencing apps, users can customize and maintain their privacy by changing their real-life backdrop to any image or video.

This feature is especially helpful in professional settings, where users might want to present themselves professionally, no matter their current location. Virtual backgrounds can also reduce distractions by concealing messy or cluttered environments. 

Call Recording

Call recording in a video calling app allows users to review previous meetings by providing a reliable reference. In the corporate world, relevant stakeholders can use call records for quality control, legal and regulatory compliance, or even training.

Authentication and encryption protocols

Video calls and private data are secured through encryption protocols like end-to-end encryption (E2EE). E2EE ensures third parties cannot access a call's content by encrypting the data on the sender's device and decrypting it only on the recipient's device.

Additionally, before allowing a user to join a call, authentication protocols ensure secure sign-ins through two-factor authentication (2FA), single sign-on (SSO), and OAuth. 

Privacy Controls

With privacy controls in video apps, users can control their interactions and personal information. During a call, these controls allow users to manage participant permissions, mute audio, and disable video. 

Real-Time Transcription

Video chat apps with real-time transcription translate spoken words into text, improving understanding and accessibility.

This feature, which gives users with hearing impairments instant access to spoken content, will especially benefit them.

Advanced transcription solutions can distinguish between speakers, resulting in a concise and organized transcript. 

Integrating a Video Feature Into an Existing App 

When considering cost, speed, and scalability, using a third-party video API is undoubtedly a better option than developing a video chat app from scratch. With third-party APIs, you can quickly deploy powerful video features without investing heavily in in-house development.

Furthermore, security protocols are often integrated into APIs, mitigating security risks arising from internal development. With APIs, you can concentrate on building your app's core competencies while leveraging top-notch video components.

With the rise of social media apps, video calls have become even more popular. In 2022, social and communication apps accounted for 42% of mobile app usage, while photo and video apps accounted for 25%, up from 24.2% in 2020. Today, many applications come with video calling features that enable seamless communication.

To set up a video chat, first, you need to choose an application that has all the features you need, then download it and sign up for an account. Next, you need to ensure your camera and microphone are working.

Once ready, you can go ahead and start a meeting. If you're not the host of the meeting, you can join using the link provided by the meeting host or enter the meeting ID. Most video call apps come with controls within the app to help you manage certain settings. For instance, you can mute or unmute your microphone or turn your camera on or off.

If you choose to build using an API, here are some steps you can take during development.

Research and Define App Requirements

Start by making a list of your app's most important features. Figure out the most important features and the platforms you'll build for.

Also, determine the exact components of the app's user interface and experience that will make it easy to use and interesting. Setting clear goals for the project will help develop and choose a suitable third-party video API.

Next, explore and compare different third-party video API providers, like Stream, Agora, or Vonage. Review them by checking how easy they are to integrate, how scalable they are, how much they cost, and how much support is available. Make sure the API you choose has thorough documentation and SDKs for the platforms your app will be running on.

###  Set Up Your Development Environment

Install the necessary tools, like code editors, version control systems, and package managers, and define your development stack.

Afterward, create an account with the video API service that you like. As directed by the service provider, create the API keys and tokens needed for authentication and authorization.

Then, follow the instructions detailed in your provider's API documentation to add video calling to your app. For instance, if you want to create an app using React Native, you can follow along with step-by-step video tutorials provided by providers like Stream.

Use the video SDKs or libraries that come with the API to add the features you want to your platform so that the integration goes smoothly.

Test Your App

Test the app thoroughly to make sure it works properly. You should run unit, integration, and user acceptance tests. Also, conduct tests on various devices and network configurations to detect and address any problems with the app's functionality, user experience, and compatibility.

Additionally, consider implementing strategies to enhance streaming quality and lower latency. Ensure the app can support many users simultaneously and scale as necessary by conducting load testing.

When choosing an API provider, ensure that they offer features that can help you optimize your applications. While extending the API, you should be able to:

• Use of adaptive bitrate streaming to adapt the video and audio quality on the fly according to the state of the network.
• Reduce delays by making use of low-latency protocols like WebRTC and optimizing the locations of your servers.

Deploy and Monitor

Deploy your app to a web server or the app store. Set up CI/CD pipelines to make it easier to release updates and new features. The deployment process should be reliable and allow for quick rollbacks if needed.

You should ensure that you consistently track the app's performance after deployment and collect feedback from users. Use this data to make continuous improvements and address any issues that arise. Also, maintain a consistent update schedule that includes bug fixes, performance improvements, and new features in the app.

Frequently Asked Questions