WebRTC API Platform Vendors: Not Many of You Will Be Around for Long

I already wrote there is no value in plain vanilla communication services. Why, because you can get them from the big guys for free – Google Hangouts, Skype, Facebook, WhatsApp…

If you are a newcomer launching such a service, put it in context, serve a well-defined community or you will not survive.

Does this rule apply also for WebRTC API platforms?

With reference to what was mentioned above about end user communication service companies, API platform companies are different:

• Not free – There isn’t any free WebRTC API service platform. If you are using an API platform for a real service with scale you will need to pay for the API platform
• Context is not their problem – Those using the API platform embed communication as a feature so it is for the API platform to worry about putting it in context

While both are true they don’t solve the problem of the smaller WebRTC API platform vendors. Here is why.

Big enough

Right, there isn’t a WebRTC API platform in the size of Google a small API platform vendor needs to compete with but there sure are the leading ones and those coming from large companies.

If a developer needs to make his choice between “no name A” to TokBox from Telefonica or Twilio what are the chances for “no name A” to be the chosen one?

Be special

If you are not one of the larger WebRTC API platform vendors you need to offer something special to a specific segment, something that will justify choosing your platform over the larger ones.

If you want to target the healthcare segment, make sure you handle all the regulatory requirements and provide special functionality that makes life easier for your customers to comply with these requirements.

Maybe doing integration with some medical devices and systems will be a strong competitive advantage.

If you are targeting the financial services market maybe you need to offer an on-premise option others don’t offer or some increased security measures.

Every segment will have its own special requirements and things that will make companies in that segment turn over to the one platform that solves their special problem.

Choose your segment and serve it well, this will help you dominate that segment and be around as a company going forward.

If all you do is provide the common WebRTC API platform capabilities your chances for being around for the long run are not so high.

I can help

As part of the consultancy work I do for companies, I help in the process of defining the target markets, GTM and market & product requirements.

Contact me for an introductory call to talk about your needs. It’s free with no further commitments.