Apeer’s Value Proposition at a Glance
Apeer’s Value Propositions can be grouped into four major categories.
| VALUE PROPOSITION | BENEFITS |
|---|---|
| 1. Real-Time Media Performance | |
| Simultaneous Sharing of Media in Real-Time | Enables/accelerates collaboration and media-centric decision making. |
| Multiple Media Files of Different Formats Open Simultaneously | Creates richer collaboration environment, enables faster workflow and decisions, and increases viable use cases. |
| Direct Real-Time File Transfer | Apeer handles large files generated by digital media creatives, and provides definitive proof that the intended file transfers have taken place (versus post and share models, which offer no confirmation). |
| Zero-Latency in Control of Media | Once the media file is transferred through the Apeer server, any user can control the file and all session users have the same real-time media experience. |
| 2. Natural Communications | |
| Full-Duplex, Peer-Level Participation | More natural than “presenter/attendee” web conferencing model. |
| Full Media Control by Any Participant in Real-Time | Spontaneous input from any participant enables a more natural collaboration versus a presenter/attendee model. |
| Simultaneous Multi-Session Capability | Multiple sessions may be open simultaneously, allowing for separate conversations and contributions. |
| 3. Versatility and Ease of Use | |
| Media Files, Whiteboard, IM are all displayed in Apeer window (no switching or external apps) | Superior performance to desktop and application sharing. Virtually no latency; reduces distraction and facilitates natural communication. |
| File Transfers Outside of Email/FTP | Potential for better network traffic management, also more secure interface than e-mail and FTP – overcomes some restrictions of ISPs and Firewalls. |
| Ability to Play and Display Images, Audio, Video in Multiple Formats | Multimedia workflow can be facilitated by an environment where multi-format, multi-platform is possible. |
| Platform (O/S) and Browser Agnostic | Multimedia workflow can be facilitated by an environment where multi-format, multi-platform is possible. |
| Participants can all upload media at any time | Facilitates faster and more seamless participation, empowering participants; more "conversation-like." |
| Simple Contact Management with User Presence Indication | Enables impromptu Apeer sessions, which accelerates contributions resulting from spontaneous interaction. |
| Intuitive Drag-Drop Interface | Easy to use tool more likely to be used. Generates less support issues. |
| Lightweight Application - rapid one-time download, quick installation | Minimized impact on the performance of user’s machine. New users can be online in minutes. |
| Screen Capture Utility | Screen capture without leaving session to invoke other applications. |
| 4. Session and Media Security | |
| Secure Communications Channel, where files do not remain after session | Enables showing of sensitive data without it being captured (depending on if copy can be disabled). |
| Private Sessions (only those invited may attend) | Enables attendee control and facilitates safe conversation. |
| Session Logging as a snapshot of any moment in time during the session | Enables tracking of session attendees, along with media files used, and IM text. Logs have time-stamp. Therefore useful for approval records. |
DETAILED APEER VALUE PROPOSITION
Overview
Apeer has many unique value propositions that differentiate it from other products. These value propositions fall into several categories, which are detailed below.
1. Real-Time Media Performance2. Natural Communications
3. Versatility and Ease of Use
4. Session and Media Security
Each subsection lists the value propositions by category, followed by the benefits that result, and a description of situations where these benefits are of most value. Apeer’s intrinsic value propositions are also compared to those of other collaboration tools available in the market.
1. Real-Time Media Performance
| VALUE PROPOSITION | BENEFITS | WHERE THIS IS VALUABLE |
|---|---|---|
| Simultaneous Sharing of Media in Real-Time | Enables/accelerates collaboration and media-centric decision making. | Time sensitive workflow common to media supply chain in advertising, news, and other creative industries. |
| Multiple Media Files of Different Formats Open Simultaneously | Creates richer collaboration environment, enables faster workflow and decisions, and increases viable use cases. | Very useful for distributed workflow with multiple contributions, as well as where multiple media alternatives are considered. |
| Direct Real-Time File Transfer | Apeer handles large files generated by digital media creatives, and provides definitive proof that the intended file transfers have taken place (versus post and share models, which offer no confirmation). | Especially useful in decision making use cases where video media is involved. Also very useful to help IT manage bandwidth on corporate LAN. |
| Zero-Latency in Control of Media | Once the media file is transferred through the Apeer server, any user can control the file and all session users have the same real-time media experience. | Predictability greatly helps multi-party collaboration, and most web conf products have unpredictable latency. Apeer can help the web conferencing vendors. |
Table 1: Apeer Value Proposition - Real-Time Media Performance
Two key elements of Apeer provide performance that differentiates it from other solutions: (a) synchronous media sharing with real-time playback; (b) the ability to have multiple media files open simultaneously. These add to utility by enabling participants in an Apeer session to contribute in real-time, with all participants possessing equal status in the session. While Apeer is frequently compared to web conferencing applications, there are no web conferencing tools which possess these two attributes simultaneously
Latency is also an area in which Apeer outperforms its competitors. One of the key complaints that web conferencing users have is that media latency is unpredictable. The bandwidth hogging, screen scraping architecture of nearly all web conferencing applications is the root cause of this problem. When a presenter changes a slide, or pulls in a media file and plays it, the response time of the tool is such that there is no way to predict what the attendees are seeing. This inconsistent latency causes unpredictability and causes meetings to lose synchronization. With Apeer, since media is transferred through and therefore locally present for all users simultaneously in real-time, this problem is eliminated.
2. Natural Communications
| VALUE PROPOSITION | BENEFITS | WHERE THIS IS VALUABLE |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Duplex, Peer-Level Participation | More natural than “presenter/attendee” web conferencing model. | When input is desired by any and all participants. Valuable as an enhancement to web conferencing. |
| Full Media Control by Any Participant in Real-Time | Spontaneous input from any participant enables a more natural collaboration versus a presenter/attendee model. | This is useful anytime active participation is desired. Multi-party approval in a creative workflow is good use case. |
| Simultaneous Multi-Session Capability | Multiple sessions may be open simultaneously, allowing for separate conversations and contributions. | Facilitates project management and user management; also keeping sessions open enables non real-time contribution. |
Table 2: Apeer Value Proposition – Natural Communications
One of the most frequent comments a first-time Apeer user makes is how natural the communications is in the session. This can be simply explained by the comparing the difference between a phone conversation versus a “walkie-talkie.” Apeer enables full-duplex (all participants can contribute media simultaneously, as in a phone conversation), versus web conferencing and many other collaboration tools which have at least some level of non real-time performance, creating a half-duplex situation.
There are sometimes situations where it is necessary to have several simultaneous conversations. Apeer enables this by allowing multiple open sessions to co-exist. In this way, projects and user groups can be kept separate when need be. Sessions may also be kept open for users to contribute on their own, in non real-time – facilitating remote contribution from users in multiple time zones. Instant messaging applications perform in a similar fashion.
The impact of enabling natural communications cannot be over-emphasized. People will use tools when doing so is a natural extension of how they interact; they will reject tools which cause them to behave in contrived and unnatural means. These attributes of Apeer are likely to increase its frequency of use and “stickiness,” since these attributes enable Apeer’s use as a media-centric conversation tool in multiple workflow situations.
3. Versatility and Ease of Use
Versatility
| VALUE PROPOSITION | BENEFITS | WHERE THIS IS VALUABLE |
|---|---|---|
| Media Files, Whiteboard, IM are all displayed in Apeer window (no switching or external apps) | Superior performance to desktop and application sharing. Virtually no latency; reduces distraction and facilitates natural communication. | Highly useful in time sensitive workflow and in high-value conversations, where distractions can be damaging to the outcome (e.g. when used for executive decisions). |
| File Transfers Outside of Email/FTP | Potential for better network traffic management, also more secure interface than e-mail and FTP – overcomes some restrictions of ISPs and Firewalls. | Helps corporate IT manage their intranet resources; also helpful when media security is of concern. |
| Ability to Play and Display Images, Audio, Video in Multiple Formats | Multimedia workflow can be facilitated by an environment where multi-format, multi-platform is possible. | Helpful anywhere contributors and decision makers are on different types of platforms. |
| Platform (O/S) and Browser Agnostic | Multimedia workflow can be facilitated by an environment where multi-format, multi-platform is possible. | Helpful anywhere contributors and decision makers are on different types of platforms. |
Table 3a: Apeer Value Proposition – Versatility
Ease of Use
| VALUE PROPOSITION | BENEFITS | WHERE THIS IS VALUABLE |
|---|---|---|
| Participants can all upload media at any time | Facilitates faster and more seamless participation, empowering participants; more "conversation-like." | Where effective collaboration is essential and multiple parties are expected to contribute. |
| Simple Contact Management with User Presence Indication | Enables impromptu Apeer sessions, which accelerates contributions resulting from spontaneous interaction. | Especially useful in creative ecosystems, where multiple workers contribute ideas. Also good for distributed workflow. |
| Intuitive Drag-Drop Interface | Easy to use tool more likely to be used. Generates less support issues. | This benefit makes Apeer more accessible and likely to be used, meaning higher-level decisions can be accelerated. |
| Lightweight Application - rapid one-time download, quick installation | Minimized impact on the performance of user’s machine. New users can be online in minutes. | Facilitates use in online help, as well as maintains continuity of meetings. |
Table 3b: Apeer Value Proposition – Ease of Use
Apeer is a tool that is both easy to start with, and versatile enough to be used in multiple different workflow situations. These attributes make it the preferred choice, much the way that a Swiss Army Knife is the preferred tool for survival situations. Apeer can be relied upon to work on multiple platforms without complex installations, can playback multiple types of media files and does not need to constantly switch between applications for participants to make contributions to the session. These features help Apeer to become the choice of both creatives and executives alike.
Versatility in types of media handled is an area in which many collaboration tools fall short of Apeer. The biggest issuewith other solutions (especially web conferencing) is that it is a distraction to introduce a new piece of media into the conversation. In a typical web conferencing scenario, an attendee will need to request to be presenter, then they will need to leave the application to find their media, then upload it to the meeting area, and then play the file for the other attendees. In Apeer, anyone can, at any time, bring in media and play it without leaving Apeer and without interrupting the session.
4. Session and Media Security
| VALUE PROPOSITION | BENEFITS | WHERE THIS IS VALUABLE |
|---|---|---|
| Secure Communications Channel, where files do not remain after session | Enables showing of sensitive data without it being captured (depending on if copy can be disabled). | When usage rights may need to be enforced, such as in film and broadcast. |
| Private Sessions (only those invited may attend) | Enables attendee control and facilitates safe conversation. | For sharing of confidential material and when rights must be managed. |
| Session Logging as a snapshot of any moment in time during the session | Enables tracking of session attendees, along with media files used, and IM text. Logs have time-stamp. Therefore useful for approval records. | Approval-based workflow can be better managed, with audit trail. IT governance, compliance also beneficial. |
Table 4: Apeer Value Proposition – Session and Media Security
Baseline security is an established norm for most collaboration tools (web conferencing, collaboration suites, and social software). While security features are a “must-have,” rather than a differentiator in these applications, Apeer is superior in how the security functions are transparent to the user, and do not represent an obstacle to fluid conversation.