HP Moves Deeper Into Video Conferencing with Launch of New Presence Line

HP is expanding push into video conferencing with systems designed for simplified management of Microsoft Teams and Zoom meetings.

The new HP Presence portfolio, previewed this week, will be available in February. It consists of a revamped line of cameras, and audio components, sensors and control software.

HP is relatively new in the video conferencing systems market. The PC maker entered with HP Slice for Meeting Rooms, which it launched in 2018. By creating the new HP Presence brand, the company is emphasizing its focus on video conferencing solutions that are more conducive to new hybrid work scenarios.

Currently, many video conferencing experiences focus on select participants, explained Andy Rhodes, global head of HP’s commercial systems and display solutions. Now that many organizations have shifted to more distributed work environments, that can marginalize some people, according to Rhodes.

“The pre-COVID technology just simply isn’t there; it’s not good enough,” Rhodes said during a media briefing. He emphasized that HP has invested significant resources in studying the effectiveness of virtual meeting experiences.

Among the key findings is that current video conferencing systems aren’t designed to put meeting attendees on an equal footing. Notably, those sitting in the back of a room, and remote participants, are less likely to be heard, he said.

“You should have a seat at the table, whether you’re sitting in the room where most people are or whether you’re outside of that room, whether it’s at a Starbucks, or other coffee shops around the world, or whether it’s in your home office,” he said. “Every thought sort of needs to be needs to be heard, wherever you are.”

This is an opportunity for partners to help organizations enhance their video conferencing capabilities more inclusive to all attendees. Ann Lai, HP’s senior director for commercial experiences, software and conferencing solutions, said 79% of companies are investigating how to upgrade conference rooms with a focus on enhancing video.

The HP Presence Portfolio

Lai described the HP Presence portfolio as a combination of a secure conferencing management platform, with hardware, software and services. The software, which is also embedded on peripheral endpoints, is designed to address the issues described by Rhodes.

“The solutions are designed to blend into your conferencing space, while also providing you with elevated audio and video experiences,” Lai said.

When HP surveyed companies, they wanted hardware that wasn’t obtrusive, where all the components can work together, Lai said.

“These were designed together so we can make sure we have an intelligent end to end experience to fit into any kind of space,” she said.

HP Presence is a software platform that manages conferences. The software runs on a small PC, which borrows from its management tools used for HP’s commercial PCs. HP Presence also includes software that allows organizations to run native Microsoft Teams or Zoom meetings.

The new HP Presence portfolio consists of a PC for management and security, meeting controls software that uses sensors to detect presence, a new 4K camera with AI, an AC bar and hub unit with satellite microphones.

A breakdown of the core HP Presence products are in the slideshow above.