Networking equipment manufacturer Cisco is upgrading its collaboration tools. Cisco recently announced that it is planning to upgrade the Spark text-messaging app into a cloud-based platform. Reports claim that the upgraded version of Spark will include features like video-conferencing as well as core features of a phone system.
Spark was launched in 2014 as an app dubbed Project Square. The project plays a vital role in in Cisco's cloud computing platform as it provides collaboration tool to everyone in an organization.
As part of its newest plans for Spark, Cisco said that it will ditch the original collaboration tool model. Instead, the company is offering ways for users to connect desk phones and video conferencing devices into Spark.
One of the core features of Spark is persistent one-to-one and group messaging features that also include content sharing. Persistent messaging means that exchanged messages are still available on the platform even after the conversation is terminated.
The new features of Spark are expected to roll out within the first quarter of 2016. Once the features are rolled out, it will allow users to make and receive voice calls as well as host and participate in video conferencing calls.
Cisco senior director of collaboration marketing told PC World, "When we launched Project Square we said, 'We're showing you an app, but what we're building is a platform."
Many tech experts believe that the vision to turn Spark into a cloud-based messaging platform stems from Cisco's acquisition of Tropo. The acquisition gave Cisco access to technologies that integrates SMS and voice call features into apps, according to ZDNet.