Video as a Service (VaaS)

Building video-based functionality for your app in-house can cost thousands of dollars and months of development time. Learn how Video as a Service (VaaS) can help you embed video calling and live streaming functionality into your app and enable face-to-face communication for your users.

What is Video as a Service? 

Video as a Service, or VaaS, is a software service that allows developers to integrate video capabilities like video calling and live streaming into websites and apps. It can help minimize development costs since you don't have to build everything from scratch.

Use cases across different industries include:

• Telehealth: Video for telemedicine apps facilitates real-time assessments, enhancing communication between patients and healthcare providers.
• Education: Video services can facilitate remote learning so teachers can hold live sessions and students can have group or study sessions.
• Gaming: Video chat can enhance the multiplayer experience by enabling gamers to interact and strategize with each other in real-time.

How Does VaaS Work? 

Using VaaS to integrate video capabilities into your app can add a more personal element. It enables users to connect face-to-face, no matter where they are. Here's how these services work.

APIs

An Application Programming Interface (API) is a set of protocols that enable two or more applications to "talk" with each other, allowing them to exchange data and share functionality.

Using APIs can significantly reduce development costs, as you won't have to build these features from scratch. In fact, 62.6% of developers reported using APIs more in 2022 than the previous year. What's more, over two-thirds said they expected to use them more in 2023.

VaaS platforms provide video conferencing APIs that allow you to embed video and audio calling functionality into your app without having to build the underlying technology yourself. However, you'll need an API key and API token to authenticate API requests.

The example below demonstrates how you can configure the client and user for your app.

Once you enter an API key and token into the API, you can configure the client and user for your app. You can then create calls to suit your use case, whether you want to add live streaming or audio rooms.

SDKs

An SDK provides a set of tools in one installable package, including libraries, compilers, UI kits, and APIs. Platform-specific SDKs include React, iOS, Android, Flutter, and Unity.

For example, a JavaScript SDK provides all the building blocks you need to embed video calling, live streaming, and audio calling into your app. You can also customize the interface to reflect your brand.

Cloud Infrastructure for Video

Cloud infrastructure forms the backbone of VaaS. It provides access to on-demand computing resources needed to deliver video services and audio content. However, latency is a potential issue as data must travel between cloud servers and the users' devices.

Any delays in real-time communication can negatively affect the user experience. That's why some providers use a global edge infrastructure — a distributed network of servers close to end users — to reduce latency and deliver better user experiences.

Common Features of a Video Service 

There are different types of video capabilities you can add to your site or app. Here's a look at each, with definitions and examples.

1. Video Calling

Video calling is more personal and intimate than regular texting. Adding this functionality into your app lets users start or join calls from anywhere. For example, WhatsApp was originally built as an instant messaging platform, but it now lets users make video calls from their devices.

WhatsApp users can make video calls across iOS and Android devices. With picture-in-picture functionality, users can perform other actions on their phone even if they're on a call.

2. In-App Streaming

In-app streaming lets users create live broadcasts and connect with their target audience in real-time. For example, Facebook users can broadcast live videos from their mobile devices using Facebook Live.

Similarly, you can use VaaS to add live streaming capabilities to your site or app.

3. Video Conferencing

Video conferencing platforms like Zoom and Google Meet, which had already gained substantial popularity beforehand, exploded in popularity during the pandemic. These tools enable multiple participants to hold virtual meetings from any location, making them essential for remote and hybrid teams.

Some platforms enable you to add features like interactive whiteboards and gesture recognition, making them useful for remote work, fitness, and online events. 

4. Screen Sharing

Sometimes, users may want to share their screens during a virtual meeting or presentation. Allowing participants to provide feedback or make suggestions can make collaboration more effective.

Screen sharing is useful for collaborative tasks, online presentations, and remote support.

What Are the Pros and Cons? 

Using a video service can help you create more immersive experiences for your software application. However, it's important to consider the pros and cons first.

Pros

Pros include:

• Cost savings: Video platforms provide ready-made APIs that save your development team a great deal of time and effort. These platforms also maintain and update the infrastructure to support these services, resulting in even greater cost savings.
• Unlimited scalability: Some solutions offer virtually unlimited scalability, allowing you to accommodate a growing number of users without worrying about infrastructure limitations.
• Increased engagement: Forty percent of US users report watching online videos, with social video among the most engaging types of content. VaaS can help you increase app engagement rates and boost your bottom line.

Con

Cons include:

• High cloud spend: Using VaaS is more cost-effective than building in-house, but cloud spend can add up if users use a significant amount of bandwidth.
• Security concerns: Security is a concern for any cloud-based service. If a provider doesn't follow strict security standards, there could be risks of data breaches.
• Performance issues: If a provider lacks the proper infrastructure, users may experience issues like latency or poor streaming quality.

Video Calling Features

VaaS platforms enable you to integrate video calling into your app with various features to enhance the user experience. Here's a look at some of these features.

Chat Messaging

Sometimes, users may want to send messages either privately or publicly during a video call.

Some platforms allow you to integrate chat messaging into your app. Participants can use this feature to ask questions, share relevant links, or provide feedback without disrupting the speaker. These features enhance interactivity and facilitate collaboration, making meetings more productive. Other messaging features can include reactions, typing indicators, file attachments, and even real-time language translations.

Audio Track Redundancy

Poor audio quality can lead to frustrating experiences. If the issue persists, users may even consider switching to alternative platforms. To ensure optimal audio reliability, some platforms send redundant audio data (RED).

The idea behind RED is relatively straightforward — it involves transmitting the same audio information twice within an audio stream. If parts of a primary audio data payload gets lost or corrupted, the redundant audio track can replace the missing or damaged portions. This helps ensure smooth and uninterrupted communication for all users. 

Adaptive Resolution

Some users may have poor network speeds, while others may have much faster connections. To accommodate these differences, some VaaS providers enable you to optimize the quality of your video calls with adaptive resolution.

Adaptive bitrate streaming automatically adjusts video quality based on a user's network conditions. If their connection is slow, the resolution is reduced to prevent buffering and lag. If their network speed improves, the resolution is increased to deliver high-quality video. This feature can help reduce bandwidth and save on costs, as it streams only the amount of data necessary.

Multi-Language Transcriptions

More companies are hiring international employees to diversify their workforce and expand into new global markets. However, having an international team can create language barriers.

Some video services allow you to enable multi-language transcription. This feature automatically transcribes calls into multiple languages, making the content more accessible to participants who speak different languages. It also helps promote inclusivity and ensures effective communication across diverse linguistic backgrounds. 

Security and Compliance

An estimated 68% of consumers globally are "somewhat or very concerned" about their privacy online. Before you integrate video calling into your app, you need to demonstrate to your users that you take their data privacy seriously to gain their trust.

VaaS platforms increasingly offer a host of security and compliance features that enable users to host secure video calls that meet data and regulatory standards like GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, SOC2, and ISO 27001. Some providers offer additional security features like end-to-end encryption (E2EE) to encrypt communications and two-factor authentication (2FA) to verify users' identities.

Every service provider is different. Look for a provider that offers the video calling features you need based on your specific requirements.

Speed Up Your Development Processes

Adding voice and video calling to your app gives users more immersive, engaging experiences, but doing it all in-house comes with high upfront costs and long development times.

VaaS offers a more cost-effective way to implement these features into your website or app. Ready-made APIs and SDKs can support a wide range of frameworks and languages, enabling you to accelerate development and deliver more engaging user experiences.

Frequently Asked Questions