App Switching Petition

One Room, All Apps: Support Native Switching on Video Conferencing Devices

Today’s organizations demand flexibility. Users and administrators alike are asking: why can’t dedicated video conferencing rooms switch natively between apps like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and others — just like we do every day on our phones and computers? Despite claims that multi-app support would reduce licensing revenue, the reality is quite the opposite. Organizations that standardize on Zoom or Teams still need to join meetings on other platforms, and enabling true native switching creates new licensing opportunities. Instead of avoiding the conversation, vendors could capture more room licenses by meeting the real-world needs of customers. Some argue it complicates management for administrators — but this is simply not true. Today’s hardware vendors already offer robust device management and streamlined updates. What complicates admin work is not the software stack, but the constant flood of user complaints when rooms can’t easily join external meeting platforms. Current workarounds like Direct Guest Join or third-party connectors (such as Pexip Connect) offer limited functionality, degraded quality, and a poor user experience — all at added cost. These solutions are a band-aid, not a true answer. At the end of the day, this is no different from how users operate on mobile devices or desktop computers: we seamlessly switch between multiple apps, and the software ecosystem still generates healthy licensing revenue. Why should video conferencing rooms be artificially restricted? End users want it. Admins want it. The market wants it. It’s time for the industry to listen — and make it happen.