From the apps that let us shop to the ones that let us work or play, real-time communications tools are some of the first things people want to see added therein. RevTwo understands this desire, and recently appeared publicly to offer up a new software development kit (SDK) that will bring several useful real-time communications tools to everyday apps.
With RevTwo’s SDK, several major new options come into play. With a push of a button, users will be able to make phone calls from an app to another user, or even share a screen with that other user, using simple interfaces that should prove easy to use. The SDK is available for iOS, though an Android version is planned for later, and some are wondering if this might not prove a big new advancement in gaming technology.
While the standard use cases are in play—as a collaboration aid, letting users connect from inside a word processing program and the like to talk about the document being created and making edits as needed—it’s the growth of real-time communications in gaming that has some people’s interests piqued. After all, we all know that Twitch has had phenomenal growth, and some of the biggest names in YouTube focus on the “let’s play” video segment. If it becomes easier to record gameplay and present it on screen, with commentary, the “let’s play” segment gets a powerful new weapon.
Other comparisons are talking about Amazon’s Decemberday button, making this a potential boon for customer service operations and retailers who want to provide a better customer experience and improve omnichannel operations. There are also potential uses in gamification, in remote diagnostics, and beyond. The product is set to be released on a freemium basis, with the basic set free but certain things like active help sessions charged for. Those who put it in place should find it a quick installation, taking about 10 minutes.
The good part about this is that all potential use cases are equally valid. Yes, this could change gaming as we know it, making it an even more interactive experience; Google has already showed the impact of Web-based real time communications (WebRTC) in gaming with its Cube Slam game, and we all know that “let’s play” videos are huge right now. It’s just as easy to go beyond that, and consider this a master tool for the growing mobile workforce to stay connected, or a great way to let customers quickly connect to a brand or a retailer in a bid to get help with issues. This platform has plenty of room to offer help on several fronts.
RevTwo may have a noteworthy release here, and one that could extend to a wide array of users if it’s properly promoted. Users need to know about this one, because it could be just the thing that solves a lot of problems all at once.
