A video calling app is a software application that allows users to communicate in real time through video and audio on their electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets, or computers, with people located in different geographic locations. During the Pandemic, while people were confined in their homes, they missed interacting with friends and family.
Video Calling came as a survivor of the people. As a result, Video calls app market saw a surge. Today, it is expected to be growing at a CAGR of 11.3%. If media reports are believed, then the global video conferencing marketing size will be 14.58 billion USD. With the integration of the latest technology like IoT, AI, and machine learning, the market is expected to grow further.
Virtual offices and meetings are the new buzzes of corporate houses. Which makes it the perfect time to invest in a video calling app. If you are also looking to develop your video-calls app, you are in the right place. Here you will learn how to build a video calling app and what features you should include. But let us talk about the industries mainly disrupted by video calling first.
Table of Contents
What Industries Use Video Conferencing?
Before taking your first step towards building your video calls app, let’s understand who your target audience is. So, here are the top industries that are using video calling apps.
- Education
- Healthcare & Wellness
- Gaming
- Banking and financial services
- Global Business
- Public sector
- Manufacturing
- Human resources
- Marketing
- Information technology
- Media and entertainment
- Sales
- Consultancy and professional services
What are the Types of Video Conferencing?
Besides other things, it is also essential to know about the types of video conferencing –
- 1 to 1 calls: It is the most common way people like to video chat. These video calls connect family and friends, possible employees and employers, clients and their service providers, and teammates.
- Conference calls: They bring together thousands of participants at once.
Video callings can also be classified depending on the number of participants:
- Team meetings or internal meetings: People working on or within the same company are connected through them. Such video calls are essential to ensure everyone’s on the same page.
- Vendor or external meetings: These are used to build functional client relationships.
8 Must-Have Features For A Video Calls App
- 1 to 1 video calls: Individual video calls between 2 people.
- Group chat & video calls: Video meetings can include more than two people. Excellent choice for a friend, family, or work meeting.
- Instant messaging: Chats and text messages can be sent anytime. Video calling apps can be used as regular messaging apps no.
- Voice calls: In case of users can’t or don’t want to video chat, they can still make and create group voice calls.
- File-sharing: Share media files like images, video, audio, etc. Files can be sent anytime by the user. It may be after, before, or during video calls.
- Push notifications: Immediate notifications for new messages, incoming videos, or voice calls.
- Security and safety: The app is cloud-based and end-to-end encrypted to protect personal data.
- HD quality of connection: Works with any type of Internet connection: 2G, 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi.
Why You Should Have Your Own Video Calling App?
Having your own video calling app can be beneficial in several ways, especially in today’s world, where remote work, online learning, and virtual events have become the new normal. Here are some reasons why you should consider developing your own video calling app:
- Customization: By developing your own video calling app, you have complete control over its features and design, allowing you to customize it to your specific needs and requirements.
- Data Privacy: Since the app is owned by you, you have complete control over the data privacy policies, ensuring that sensitive information is protected and secure.
- Brand Awareness: A video calling app with your brand name and logo can increase brand awareness and recognition, which can help you establish a stronger brand identity.
- Seamless Integration: Having your own video calling app allows you to seamlessly integrate it with other business applications and tools, making it easier for users to use and switch between different tools.
- Cost-Effective: Developing your own video calling app can be more cost-effective than using a third-party app or service, as you won’t have to pay for licensing or subscription fees.
- User Experience: A custom video calling app can provide a more streamlined and optimized user experience, as it can be tailored to the specific needs of your users.
- Competitive Advantage: A custom video calling app can give you a competitive advantage over your competitors, especially if video calling is a critical part of your business.
In summary, having your own video calling app can provide several benefits, including customization, data privacy, brand awareness, seamless integration, cost-effectiveness, improved user experience, and competitive advantage.
How Video Call Apps can help businesses
- It drives team-building. Make off-work virtual corporate parties to increase employees’ motivation and spirit.
- It helps to track the productivity of employees. Report daily tasks’ status, brainstorm, and discuss important questions and issues in meetings.
- It improves relations between employees and employers. In-person communication provides a better standard of association and faith.
- It prevents a lack of communication. Instant communication and notifications will inform you about essential questions and problems.
How to Create a Video Calling App?
Let’s know about the significant development steps that help in making a successful video calling app –
Select the Team for Video Calls App
To develop any app, you’ll need a software development team. If you are targeting long-term cooperation, an internal development team should be better for you. With a team of your own, you will get face-to-face communication and can fully manage the video calling app development process.
But for all this, you must hire an office, pay for hardware/software, and waste time on recruiting. In-house developers usually charge too much compared to outsourcing teams. On the other hand, you can also hire an outsourcing development team.
First of all, it is attractive in cost flexibility. The average rate is $50/hour. You can find developers in no time. But you may face some communication issues as well.
UI/UX Design for Video Calls App
Your design should be minimalistic and intuitive if you target a broad audience. A UI with particular features may suit a specific audience. If your video call app is for all ages and technical expertise, ensure that it will be appropriate for every user.
Backend Development
For a video chat app creation, server logic is its foundation. You can build the backend in several ways. It can be either made from scratch or by using various software as service solutions. If you build an app from scratch, it will offer you more flexibility, while SaaS solutions will save you time as well.
Video Streaming Protocol Integration
WebRTC (Real-Time Communication) protocol allows for transmitting a live video/audio via the app. WebRTC provides unique features like peering, streaming, audio, and video codecs allowing user communication.
Some data is exchanged by the server between the clients that are willing to communicate with each other. Besides that, WebRTC is a secure protocol for creating a video call app. Even software companies are developing healthcare HIPA-compliant manageable compliant apps using this protocol.
Testing Stage
Check and ensure that every line of your code works as it should. Bugs can cause audio-video desync, non-working of some features, or even leakage of personal data. This is the reason why quality assurance is that much important.
The issues will be fixed by the developers after they get feedback from the users. Yet, the fewer the number of bugs in the initial version of the app, the better the user experience.
What is the Cost of Developing a Video Calls App?
It is not economical to make a video chat app. And depending on the vendor’s location, the price could be different. The cost of developing a video calling app can vary significantly depending on various factors. Some of the key factors that can affect the cost are:
- Features: The more features you want in your video calling app, the higher the cost of development. Some of the features that can add to the cost are screen sharing, file transfer, call recording, and virtual backgrounds.
- Platforms: The cost will also depend on the number of platforms you want to support. Developing a video calling app for multiple platforms, such as iOS and Android, will cost more than developing it for a single platform.
- Complexity: The complexity of the app also impacts the cost. If the app requires integration with other systems or software, it will require more development effort and cost more.
- Development Team: The cost of development will also depend on the size and experience of the development team. More experienced developers will charge higher rates, and larger teams will require more resources and therefore cost more.
Taking these factors into account, the cost of developing a basic video calling app can range from $10,000 to $50,000. However, more complex apps with advanced features and integration with other systems can cost upwards of $100,000 or more. It’s important to keep in mind that the cost will also depend on the location of the development team, as rates can vary widely across different regions and countries.
For example, hiring a developer from Eastern Europe is considered economical and will cost you $30/hour without any compromise on the quality. On the other hand, an American specialist’s hourly rate is very high, amounting to $80.
Conclusion
From an always-growing requirement for reliable ways of communication, the increasing acceptance of live video calling apps isn’t going to slow down. As a consequence, more and more companies are focusing their efforts on developing video calling apps.
Now the advantages of video calls are crystal clear, and if you look at the trends, you will quickly understand that they will keep running for a longer time. To create your video chat app, you need a clear idea and a team to implement it. You must know how to please the eyes of the customers with functional products.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about video calling apps:
What is a video calling app?
A video calling app is a software application that allows users to communicate in real-time through video and audio on their electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets, or computers, with people located in different geographic locations.
How does a video calling app work?
A video calling app works by using the internet to transmit audio and video data between two or more users. The app uses the camera and microphone on the device to capture and transmit the video and audio data to the recipient’s device.
What devices are compatible with video calling apps?
Video calling apps are compatible with a wide range of electronic devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. Most modern devices come with built-in cameras and microphones, making them suitable for video calling.
Are video calling apps free?
Many video calling apps are free to use, such as Skype, Google Meet, and Zoom. However, some apps may require a subscription or charge for certain features.
Can you make group video calls with a video calling app?
Yes, most video calling apps support group video calls, allowing users to communicate with multiple people at once.
Is it safe to use a video calling app?
Most video calling apps use encryption to protect users’ privacy and security. However, it’s important to choose a reputable app and follow best practices, such as not sharing personal information during the call and avoiding unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
He has a good understanding of SEO and digital marketing which has been helping him to increase his website visibility and reach a larger audience. Lawrence also keeps himself updated with the latest trends, tools, and best practices in blogging.
Lastly, Lawrence is passionate about his topic and writes with integrity, providing accurate and reliable information.
3 thoughts on “Creating a Video Calling App: Step-by-Step Tutorial”