Cisco announces wave of Webex innovation for hybrid future of work

Cisco announces wave of Webex innovation to provide smart and seamless collaboration in a hybrid future of work

Webex has a rich history of helping employees innovate and remain productive wherever they are. Since the pandemic, Webex has not only continued to help businesses thrive, it has also been an integral platform for governments to continue to lead remotely, doctors to meet with patients safely, and educators to teach students at a distance.

The announcement of the latest innovations come as companies across the world are preparing for a "hybrid" future of work – where employees move between office-based and remote working with greater frequency – in a post-pandemic world. Cisco has set out a clear vision of how technology can help customers realise that future today and create a more inclusive world for all.

Jeetu Patel, SVP and GM, Security & Applications, Cisco, said: “Cisco’s purpose is to power an inclusive future, and collaboration technology plays a critical role in leveling the playing field so everyone is able to participate in the global economy regardless of geography, language, and personality type. This is why we are driven to deliver a Webex experience that is 10 times better than in-person — and at the same time make in-person interactions 10 times better too. Webex enables a shift towards hybrid working and less reliance on geography-based hiring, opening the global economy and giving everyone a seat at the table — no matter where the table is. Our team is passionate about delivering this vision which fuels every device we build, every line of code we write, and every feature we create.”

The all-new Webex

The all-new Webex available today provides a single secure place for connecting and getting things done: call, meet, and message in one app. More than 50 innovations announced today fall into three areas: seamless collaboration, smart hybrid work experiences, and intelligent customer experiences, all built on the rock-solid security and privacy synonymous with Cisco.

New features available today include noise cancellation and speech enhancement, transcriptions and closed captioning, highlights and action items, enhanced video layouts, and Webex Huddle (spontaneous meetings with a single click), a number of AI-powered features in messaging and new calling features which help users focus on what matters most. Besides these, new analytics features (People Insights powered by the Webex Graph) deliver highly personalised insights and actionable recommendations to individuals, teams, and organisations.

Cisco also announced real-time translations in nine different languages, in-meeting gestures powered by body movement recognition, and immersive sharing capabilities. These features will be available in the coming months.

New Webex devices

A range of new devices, which together with the rest of Cisco’s intelligent portfolio, will provide seamless, smart experiences whether clients are at home or office.

Webex Desk Camera: packed with intelligent features like facial recognition and occupancy metrics, the Webex Desk Camera is perfect for both the home or office. You can now mute and unmute your microphone with a simple gesture – an industry first that no other USB camera can do.

Preview - Webex Desk Hub: With many organizations rethinking and reconfiguring their office space,getting back to the office may mean more hotdesking for employees. With the new Webex Desk Hub, it is super simple to make any available desk your personal space. This new category of device is powerful enough to provide amazing quality video meetings and phone calls but also allows you to connect all the things you have come to rely on for productivity and collaboration such as your own camera, headset, display, laptop, and mobile. It is wrapped with intelligence to provide a consistent experience that enables users to get stuff done. In addition, Webex Desk Hub lets you reserve a desk using your laptop, badge, or cell phone to authenticate your identity. This is not a basic device for hotdesking as you know it; the Webex Desk Hub is truly built for a new way of working.

Preview - Webex Desk: Just like it’s “big sister” the Webex Desk Pro, the Webex Desk allows users to engage their audience by using slides or videos as backdrop while they present — a feature Webex calls “immersive presenter”. It transforms user experience by enabling them to connect to meetings, co-create, and stay productive whether they are at home or in the office. It is competitively priced for an all-in-one device with intelligent features users want like noise cancellation, virtual backgrounds, and facial recognition. It is usable as the primary display and can be connected to any meetings service. With a high-quality camera, microphone, and speakers, it is super simple to set up, with no IT or technical knowledge required. Users can be up and running in minutes.

Webex App Hub and ecosystem

The App Hub will make it easy for users to find and use integrations within a Webex messaging space, and soon they will be able to experience the same thing in a Webex meeting. Users will be able to easily add and collaborate with third-party applications while in a Webex meeting, then save the work to follow up afterwards. It is also great for IT managers who are looking to make native integrations company-wide. Available today, the new Webex App Hub includes prebuilt integrations with Box, Dropbox, Salesforce, ServiceNow, MIRO, Mural, and Workplace for Facebook.

New in contact centre: drive intelligent customer experiences

The new Webex Contact Center delivers powerful new benefits for businesses, customers, and agents. Now businesses of all sizes (even with the smallest of contact centres) can have the robustness of a cloud contact centre with thousands of agents on day one.

Thuy Thi Le Luong, country general manager, Vietnam, Cisco said: “The challenges of 2020 have prompted businesses in Vietnam to re-evaluate their technology and accelerate digital transformation plans. At Cisco, we are also continuously enhancing our platforms and solutions to align with the changing needs of Vietnamese companies to empower both remote workers and those who come in to the office. We are thrilled to announce the latest WebEx suite of innovations designed to create seamless and secure collaboration experiences for a hybrid future of work.”