Millions of people join online meetings using Zoom Video Communications’ app by clicking on appointment links from their digital calendars or email services run by Microsoft and Google. That represents a big vulnerability for Zoom as Microsoft and Google make it easier for customers to host virtual meetings through the two companies’ own competing videoconferencing apps.
Hoping to stop its customers from jumping ship to those products, Zoom plans to debut its own email and calendar services, possibly as soon as its Zoomtopia conference for customers in November, according to a person with direct knowledge of the plans. The company has spent the better part of two years quietly developing the new services, which some employees refer to as “Zmail and Zcal.” Executives haven’t unveiled the products to most staff.
