Could anyone have thought in late 2019 or early 2020 that after just a few months almost everyone’s entire life would migrate online? Work, studies, communication, new knowledge and much more. It is amazing how the basic format of interaction between people has changed in such a short time. And if before everyone communicated mainly in instant messengers or social networks, then with the onset of the pandemic, they suddenly switched to video communication. To appreciate the magnitude of this change, just look at the growth statistics of the Zoom video conferencing service. In March 2020, the company’s capitalization increased by 30%. That’s over $10 billion!

We are now in 2022. Video communication services are in no rush to give up their positions. And you and I, without expecting it, we kind of became streamers. Why did this happen? How has video communication changed our lives? And what is the result of all this? Let’s find out !

The global rise of the video format, its pros and cons

Quarantine restrictions and fears for their own health have forced millions of people to switch to a remote study and work format. And many have tried (and still try) to reduce contact with strangers. Therefore, live communication has become a real negative. However, the need for communication remains, and messengers and social networks are physically unable to satisfy it. But then online video chats of every possible type and format came into the picture.

Zoom is far from the only service showing insane growth rates. Here are some interesting statistics:

• Shares of slack in March 2020 fell from $17.04 to $25.94.
• The number of Skype visits at the same time reached 100 million. And this despite the fact that in the fall of 2019 there were only 25 million, four times less.
• Google Meet has shown crazy growth rates — 1.25 billion visits at the start of 2020 compared to 100 million at the end of 2019.

It is easy to explain such growth rates. Almost the whole world has shifted to a remote work and study format. Also, people have started actively using video conferencing services to communicate with their friends and relatives. The group video discussions wowed the audience. And given that many platforms allow conferences to be held for 100 or even more people, this has opened up huge possibilities for their use. Moreover, they have made communication much more convenient without long correspondence, email exchanges, endless phone calls, etc.

But this format was not without some drawbacks:

1. Zoom (and its rivals) are not suitable for making new acquaintances. Yes, it’s a practical work tool and a means of communication with friends, but nothing more.
2. For the ordinary Internet user, the in-depth functionality of these sites is irrelevant. They need something simpler, clearer and more practical.
3. For many, interaction via video communication services is associated only with work or study, and it is not to everyone’s taste.

What to do for those who like the video communication format, but these tools are not suitable for them? We know the solution!

Video chat: the choice for those looking for new acquaintances without complications

An online video chat is a website or application whose main function is to connect you with completely random users. You can only set basic search parameters – gender, age, language, etc. (depending on the site). And then the service will randomly select another user for you. You can click “Next” at any time, and almost immediately you will have a new person in front of you.

The video chat format is an ideal alternative to classic sites and dating apps, only simpler, more convenient and without unnecessary actions on your part. You don’t need to spend a lot of time registering, filling your profile information, uploading photos, answering quiz questions, etc.

Video chat is also very affordable compared to dating sites and apps. Many of these sites are either completely free or available for a nominal fee. If you have ever used dating apps, you know that they are usually quite expensive and you have to pay for almost every action.

In a context of pandemic, quarantine and lack of live communication, online video chat services have increased their audience to the same level as video conferencing services. And some even more. For example, video chats including Emeraldchat, Camsurf, Chatrandom, and female video chat CooMeet showed a 2-3x increase in users just a few months into the pandemic. And above all, for more than two years, they have not lost ground. Additionally, many disappointed users of dating apps have now migrated to online video chats.

What will happen next?

1. First, we believe that video conferencing services, streaming platforms and online video chat sites will continue to grow in the years to come.
2. Second, dating sites and apps will more actively implement video chat functionality, as the demand is very high. Many have already implemented it – Tinder, Badoo and others.
3. Third, sooner or later video chat apps will evolve significantly and become something more.

It is on this last point that we should go into more detail.

We talk about metaverses and the use of VR/AR technologies in the dating industry. Facebook has already transformed into Meta, and Mark Zuckerberg is actively working on creating his own meta-universe. And in parallel, Tinder is working on its own metaverse. We are sure more will follow soon.

Metaverses and virtual/augmented reality technologies can fundamentally change the basics of internet dating and communication. And it will certainly be a whole new experience for millions of people around the world. Imagine being able to not only meet new people online and communicate, but also spend time together in a virtual world – going to the VR cinema, walking the virtual streets of unfamiliar cities, or attending concerts of your favorite bands with a crowd of thousands of people, without leaving your home! Incredible, isn’t it?

Of course, all this will not become reality in a week or a month. But we are sure that only a few years will pass before we see a completely different Internet space, which until now can only be read in science fiction magazines. We don’t know about you, but we can’t wait to try something new and original.

In the future we will all be streamers

The world changes. Sometimes much faster than expected. No one could have predicted that literally in an instant, due to a new virus, the whole world would go online and live communication would become a rarity. Fortunately, the development of Internet technologies had already reached such a point that the transition to the Internet turned out to be quite easy for the majority and did not disrupt the rhythm of life.

The situation with the pandemic has shown that people can adapt to a new reality and unexpected changes. Indeed, they have learned to adapt the world around them to their needs. So you and I became streamers, web avatars, and random users in online video chats. And it turned out that it wasn’t bad at all!