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LONDON, Sept. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Reportbuyer.com has added a new market research report:
WebRTC and CloudRTC Platforms: Communications as a Feature
https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/2014042/WebRTC-and-CloudRTC-Platforms-Communications-as-a-Feature.html
Disruption in the communications ecosystem is creating a market opportunity for Cloud Real-Time Communications (RTC) platforms. We expect this market to represent a $4.5 billion opportunity by 2018. Cloud RTC Platforms are cloud services that enable mobile and web developers to integrate communications into their applications with just a few lines of code. Via REST APIs and SDKs Cloud RTC Platforms enable developers to easily integrate voice, messaging and video calling into mobile and web applications supporting more contextual conversations.
These tools have the potential to change in how we interact with each other in the future.In the past experienced telecommunications developer were the only ones with the skills to build applications that included communications features. With technology such as WebRTC and Cloud RTC platforms, communications infrastructure is being exposed and communication interfaces much more flexible. Innovators will combine traditional forms of communications to create new more collaborative and interactive experiences.The increasing ease in implementing in-app communications is disrupting the traditional value chain in delivering communications services. Application developers are gaining more control of the communications market. Many are building communications stacks on top of operator networks, bypassing their service offerings eating at revenues and limiting their ability to add value. Operators are desperately looking for new strategies to play a bigger role in the application ecosystem; embracing WebRTC and engaging with Cloud RTC Platforms is an increasingly viable option.
By providing standardized cross platform APIs and developer relations, Cloud RTC Platforms are providing an opportunity for operators to participate in the ongoing market innovation.Competition in this market will be fierce and we expect technology and software vendors throughout the web and telecom ecosystem to bring solutions to market. Competitive differentiators will revolve around vendors’ ability to provide premium quality of service or superior developer and customer service. Our user survey found that the weighted average premium developers were willing to pay for better quality of service and reliability was 14% for voice, 18% for messaging, and 20% for integrated video and voice. Vendors with background in telecommunications will be better positioned to provide superior quality of service while companies with roots in the web will be better able to interface with developers.
Hence, we expect a fair amount of coopetition between gateway vendors, bringing to market WebRTC gateways exposing IMS features, and web focused RTC platforms players, that bring developer relations and flexible business models.While Cloud RTC Platforms are growing fast, 2014 will be an important year in more mainstream adoption of in-app communications. With Cloud RTC platforms just beginning to make communications much more accessible, the business case for the technology or killer app has yet to clearly emerge. Increasing awareness and outreach is needed to ensure that innovative developers find new ways to wrap context around communications.Demand for in-app messaging presents the greatest shorter term opportunity, with many apps already providing OTT messaging services. We also expect significant demand for voice in the short term with demand for video expected to overtake voice in the coming years. Developing regions are also representing a significant share of the market with the Asia Pacific region making up a disproportional share of the market.
Contents
Executive summary 2
Table of Figures 6
Table of Tables 8
Market Definition 9
WebRTC 9
Importance of WebRTC and Communications Platforms 9
Market Structure 10
Start-up Cloud RTC Platforms 10
Carrier Developer Programs 13
Gateway Vendors 14
Market Drivers and Barriers 15
Market Drivers 15
Ability to Integrate Context with Communications Supports New Experiences 15
Changing Communications Value Chain 15
Need to Bring Together Web and Telecom Developers within the Innovation Layer 19
Rouge IT 19
Emergence of WebRTC 19
Virtual PBX Driving Demand 20
Market Barriers 20
Challenges Working With Operators 20
Limited Innovation 21
Lack of Universal WebRTC Support . 22
Build Your Own Communications System 24
Limitations of Existing Infrastructure for True Interoperability 24
Applications, Opportunities, and Use Cases 25
mHealth 25
Automotive 25
Customer Engagement 25
Social Networking and P2P Community Marketplaces 26
Marketing Strategy and Business Models 27
Business Models 27
Penetration Strategies 28
Competitive Analysis 30
Competing Approaches to Rich Communications 30
APIs vs. Telecom Framework/Platform 30
Differentiators 31
Quality of Service (QoS) 31
SDK or No SDK 32
Leading Vendors Feature Comparison 32
Future Competition 32
Coopetition between Infrastructure and Cloud Platforms 35
Coopetition with SMS Gateways/ Wholesale Messaging 35
Forecasts 36
Revenue Forecast 36
Developer Forecast 38
Regional Forecast 39
Forecast Methodology 41
Developer Survey 42
Survey Demographics 42
Demand for In-App Communications 46
Communications Services Demand 50
Business Models 54
Competitive Analysis 57
Developer Challenges and Requirements 59
WebRTC 61
Future Outlook 63
Short Term 63
Falling Prices 63
Cloud Platforms and Infrastructure Vendors Partner and Finely Solve the Cross-Operator Problem64
Tropo and Nexmo Well Positioned 64
Significant Competition Between Cloud RTC Players With Limited Telecom Integration 64
Business Case Needs to be Fleshed Out 65
Long-term outlook 65
Developers Influence Will Grow at the Expense of Operators but Traffic Will Grow 65
WebRTC and Cloud RTC Platforms will Drive Disruption Across Closed Ecosystems 65
Key Take Aways 66
Profiles 67
AT&T 67
Company Overview 67
Product 67
Competitive Advantage 68
Competitive Challenges 68
Ericsson 70
Company Overview 70
Products 70
Competitive Advantage 70
Competitive Challenges 71
Genband 72
Company Overview 72
Products 72
Competitive Advantage 72
Competitive Challenges 73
Layer 74
Company Overview 74
Product 74
Competitive Advantages 74
Competitive Challenges 75
Nexmo 77
Company Overview 77
Product 77
Competitive Advantages 77
Competitive Challenges 78
Tropo 79
Company Overview 79
Product 79
Competitive Advantage 80
Competitive Challenge 80
Twilio 81
Company Overview 81
Product 81
Competitive Advantage 82
Competitive Challenges 82
Table of Figures
Figure 1 – Cloud Telephony Applications Architecture 11
Figure 2 – Pre – Smartphone Value Chain 16
Figure 3 – Post – Smartphone Value Chain 16
Figure 4 – Post – OTT Value Chain 17
Figure 5 – Innovation Layer in Mobile Value Chain 18
Figure 6 – Biggest Challenges in Implementing RTC in Mobile Apps Identified by Mobile Developers 21
Figure 7 – Mobile Developers Opinion of WebRTC 24
Figure 8 – Preferred Cloud RTC Business Models by Developers 28
Figure 9 – Price Elasticity for Premium Quality of Service 31
Figure 10 – Future and Current Competitive Landscape 33
Figure 11 – Cloud RTC Platforms Market Forecast: 2013-2018 36
Figure 12 – Cloud RTC Platforms Market Forecast Segmented by Communications Service: 2013-2018 . 37
Figure 13 – Developers Integrating Communications into Their Apps Segmented by Communications Service: 2013 -2016 38
Figure 14 – Cloud RTC Platforms Market Forecast Segmented by Region: 2013-2018 39
Figure 15 – Cloud RTC Platforms Voice Service Revenues Forecast Segmented by Region: 2013-2018 . 40
Figure 16 – Cloud RTC Platforms Messaging Revenues Forecast Segmented by Region: 2013-2018 40
Figure 17 – Cloud RTC Platforms Video Revenues Forecast Segmented by Region: 2013-2018 41
Figure 18 – Survey Respondents Segmented by Region 42
Figure 19 – Survey Respondents Segmented by Income from Apps 43
Figure 20 – Survey Respondents Segmented by Development Skills 43
Figure 21 – Survey Respondents Segmented by Type of Organization Employing Developer 44
Figure 22 – Types of Applications Developed by Survey Respondents 45
Figure 23 – Developers Use and Interest in In-App Communications 46
Figure 24 – Developers Use and Interest in In-App Communications Segmented by Developer Type 47
Figure 25 – Developers Use and Interest in In-App Communications Segmented by App Type 48
Figure 26 – Developers Use and Interest in In-App Communications Segmented by Region 49
Figure 27 – Developer Use and Interest in In-App Voice 50
Figure 28 – Developer Use and Interest in In-App One Way Messaging 50
Figure 29 – Developer Use and Interest in In-App Two Way Real-Time Messaging 51
Figure 30- Developer Use and Interest in In-App Video Calling 51
Figure 31 – Developer Use and Interest in In-App Services Comparison 52
Figure 32 – Process Used to Integrate In-App Communications 53
Figure 33 – Process Used to Integrate In-App Communications Segmented by Development Expertise 53
Figure 34 – Preferred Business Model for Consuming In-App Communications 54
Figure 35 – Premium Willing to Pay for Improved Quality of Service for In-App Voice 55
Figure 36 –Premium Willing to Pay for Improved Quality of Service for In-App Messaging 55
Figure 37 – Premium Willing to Pay for Improved Quality of Service for In-App Video Calling 56
Figure 38 – Premium Willing to Pay for Improved Quality of Service; Comparison 56
Figure 39 – Survey Respondents Using Cloud RTC Solution 57
Figure 40 – Survey Respondents Expecting to Use Cloud RTC Solution in Next 12 Months 57
Figure 41 – Survey Respondents Familiar with Cloud RTC Solutions 58
Figure 42 – Survey Respondents Who Have “Never Heard” of Cloud RTC Vendors 58
Figure 43 – Challenges in Implementing In-App Communications 59
Figure 44 – Telephony Features Survey Respondents Have Integrated Into Their Apps 60
Figure 45 – Telephony Features Survey Respondents are Interested in Integrating into Their App. 61
Figure 46 – Survey Respondents Adoption of WebRTC 62
Figure 47 – Survey Respondents Opinion on Barriers to WebRTC Adoption 62
Figure 48 – Preferred Business Model Segmented by Demand for In-App Communications 63
Table of Tables
Table 1 – Cloud RTC Platform Start-ups 13
Table 2 – Operator Cloud RTC Partners and Acquisitions 14
Table 3 – WebRTC Gateway Offerings 14
Table 4 – Browser WebRTC Support Matrix 22
Table 5 – Cloud RTC Platform Feature Comparison Matrix 32
Read the full report:
WebRTC and CloudRTC Platforms: Communications as a Feature