We’re seeing huddle rooms proliferate at a phenomenal rate across the enterprise, to the tune of 32.4 million huddle rooms worldwide that currently host 8.1% of all video meetings, according to Frost & Sullivan. Their future trajectory looks even brighter, as less than 2% of huddle rooms are currently video-enabled, yet they will represent almost 70% of all video conferencing room meetings by 2022.

There’s a cross-industry imperative to outfit huddle rooms and mini rooms now, and to do it the right way on the first go-round, investing in technology that facilitates collaboration at scale and fosters a video-first culture. Today from our Connect Global Partner Summit, Lifesize is announcing an array of new ways for customers to enjoy more choice, flexibility and cost savings in that endeavor. 

Extend configurability and customizability to your huddle room video conferencing solution with touch-enabled Micpod and Lifesize Room Controller tablet app. 

The first element is the next-generation Micpod, designed exclusively to be paired with the Icon 300™ and serve as a versatile alternative to our long-standing Lifesize® Phone HD™ meeting room anchor. We understand that huddle rooms or mini rooms can be, well, small. There’s not always an abundance of free space on tabletops or furniture to place a full-sized Phone HD, so we’re downsizing with the Micpod while maintaining the same high-fidelity audio that customers have appreciated and praised for years in Lifesize meeting room systems. Touch-sensitive buttons with LED indicators on the Micpod allow users to answer or hang up calls, mute and turn volume up or down. Additionally, selecting the Micpod brings the entire Lifesize huddle room hardware package price down to $1,999, an exceptional value. This innovation is about increased choice, though, so take your pick — Micpod or Phone HD — your perfectly outfitted huddle room will still feature crystal-clear audio. 

The logical next question is: If I choose the Micpod, how do I control the Icon 300 and other settings in my huddle room? That’s where the Lifesize Room Controller application comes in. Available for both Android tablets and Apple® iPads at no cost, the Room Controller app lets you search your company directory, access the room’s calendar, start or join a meeting, wirelessly share your screen, adjust preset camera positions or pan/tilt/zoom (when applicable) and toggle in-call controls like mute, add participants and call recording, all from the comfort and flexibility of your preferred BYOD tablet. Effectively, the familiar consumer-grade tablet device you procure becomes an intuitive mission control center for your huddle room and meeting experiences.

And it doesn’t stop there. The Room Controller app can also enable added touchscreen control in larger conference rooms that house an Icon 700™ with Phone HD or future next-generation Lifesize Icon meeting room devices, providing a consistent user experience, adaptable seating arrangements and increased configurability across all rooms and systems.

When space is at a premium and technology that’s purpose-built for huddle rooms seems like a scarcity, it’s nice to have maximum flexibility, control and choice in how you outfit your rooms for the ideal video communication experience. Whether through hardware with the Micpod, software with the Room Controller app or any combination with our existing systems, Lifesize can be your partner in extending configurability and customization for those spaces, ensuring that your business is ready to harness video in the huddle room-heavy future of work.