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Fellow developers, gather around as we delve into the treacherous terrain of chat development using real-time infrastructure, a land filled with landmines, caveats, and countless ways to go over budget without realizing before it is too late. Picture this: you're navigating through a labyrinth of code, grappling with timelines tighter than your favorite pair of

The rise of real-time communication technologies, such as video and voice calls, disrupts email and text messaging. When integrating voice chat into an app, a reliable and scalable solution can place you ahead of your competition. However, if you're building your app in-house, it can take years to make voice chat experiences that have excellent

Threads are a popular feature among mainstream chat applications and a great way to focus the conversation without cluttering up a user’s main feed and channel. Apps like Discord and Slack have set the bar regarding user experience and the features or behavior people expect when using threads. Today, Stream is releasing several improvements to

In the fast-paced world of online dating, where connections are made with just a swipe, ensuring safety is paramount. As millions turn to dating apps to find love or companionship, the importance of robust safety measures cannot be overstated. One critical aspect often overlooked in-app chat is moderation, a feature that plays a pivotal role

Mobile app engagement goes beyond opening your app — it's about how often users return and how they use it. Active users are crucial for an app's growth and success, but how do you turn first-time users into lifetime users?  In this article, we'll explore the essentials of mobile app engagement and why it's more

In an age where technology is pivotal in shaping human interactions, religious institutions are also adapting to stay connected with their congregations. Religious institutions with vast and diverse memberships increasingly turn to mobile apps to foster spiritual growth, community engagement, and seamless communication.  However, to truly harness the power of these digital platforms, integrating real-time

Twilio Programmable Video is a WebRTC-based API for quickly adding real-time communication capabilities to your mobile and web applications. If you are currently using Twilio Programmable Video, you are likely aware of the company’s plan to sunset this product by the end of 2024. With the need to find a replacement for this in-app video

Mobile apps are an integral part of our daily lives. From shopping to socializing, we rely on apps for many tasks. But some people are locked out of this world. Individuals with disabilities have difficulty using these apps if they aren’t built with visual, hearing, cognitive, and mobility impairments in mind. App accessibility ensures all

Twilio has recently removed its chat API and video live streaming API. However, the company still offers its Conversations API, mostly intended for omnichannel customer support. Let's take a closer look at how Stream Chat stacks up to Twilio's current offerings. Twilio Provides chat primarily for a customer support use case. The focus is on

Difficult economic conditions have forced every company to look closer at their vendor relationships to ensure they get the most value for every dollar spent. Specifically in the in-app chat service market, there has been a big shift away from technology that is not economically priced and does not effectively scale to meet business requirements.

With new releases stacking up across our frontend SDKs and central platform infrastructure, there’s never been a better time to start building with Video & Audio from Stream. In just the last few weeks, our engineering teams have shipped the 10 updates you see below, with plenty more on the way. Highlights include new live

But, given users' decreasing attention spans, varying needs, and busy schedules, eliciting meaningful app feedback from your users becomes a tall order. So, how can you make it easier for users to share their experiences? What tools can you use to collect and analyze feedback? Read on to learn more. In this article, we'll explain

In this comprehensive comparison, we delve into the advantages and disadvantages of Agora and its competitors for video calling, live streaming, and open-source solutions. Whether you're a developer looking to embed video, voice, or messaging capabilities into your applications or a business searching for the perfect communication platform, this in-depth analysis will help you navigate

In 2023, "There's an app for that!" is more than a catchphrase — it's the truth. With more than 5.6 million mobile apps available on the Apple App Store, Google Play, and Amazon Appstore, users have no shortage of options. Standing out in a crowded mobile app market is tricky, to say the least. How

Integrating chat functionality and robust scheduling capabilities can enhance the user experience of your telemedicine app. In this article, we will explore the power of combining the Nylas Calendar API with the Stream Chat API to showcase the use case of patients and care providers interacting using our products. By leveraging the unique qualities of

Using push notifications as part of your user engagement strategy can boost your app retention rate by 300% during the first 90 days of customer onboarding. This massive improvement means push notification marketing should be one of the core components of your app engagement strategy. Every time you send out a notification, you engage the

Remember when Netflix introduced the "Skip Intro" button? Everyone embraced the new feature immediately — the button is pressed 136 million times every day. It's every product manager's dream to add such a feature to the software products they manage. While we don't advise getting into a feature race with your competitors, the right feature

Social media apps often generate high user engagement due to their ability to connect individuals, foster virtual communities, and offer a platform for personal expression. They use features such as notifications, addictive design elements, and algorithms that curate content tailored to users' preferences, enticing prolonged usage and interaction. In the world of product management, higher

In today's competitive digital landscape, finding innovative ways to market your app and promote your product is essential for success. Mobile marketing can involve anything, from adding new features to shifting to meet market demand and promoting your unique differentiator. Mobile marketing presents a range of opportunities to engage with your target audience, drive user

If you were to download 10 apps a day, it would take you over 1,000 years to install all of the existing Google Play Store apps and nearly 500 years to download all the iOS App Store apps. As more apps continue to flood the market, users ruthlessly purge their devices of apps that don't

Eighty-seven percent of professionals use video calls to collaborate and communicate with others at work. And that's just one use case for video conferencing. People use video calls in both personal and professional capacities, and video conferencing tools are commonly used in everything from dating apps to telehealth and beyond. Just like any other budding

The global virtual events market is forecasted to jump from close to $199 billion in 2022 to $1,066 billion by 2032. That means the number of virtual events every year will continue to rise, and event organizers will need highly engaging platforms to host these events. While Zoom or a similar tool has everything you

But without effective cross-functional collaboration, miscommunication and clashing priorities can lead to release delays and, ultimately, an app that doesn't meet your users' expectations. Collaboration is often a challenge — especially in remote or hybrid settings, where team members can't simply pop into each other's offices to ask questions or workshop ideas. But it's key

In today's rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, telehealth app product managers are constantly looking for innovative ways to drive profitability while improving patient outcomes. One way to do this? Audio-only telehealth features. Audio-only telehealth opens the door to providing equitable healthcare access to individuals in rural or remote areas, those with limited technology, and even patients

The "Snake" game that was built into the Nokia 6110 in 1997 is widely considered to have been the first mobile app. Mobile apps like Snake couldn't be monetized until 2008, when the Apple App Store was launched. Today, mobile apps are big business. But choosing the right monetization strategy for your app is a

Skype was launched in 2003 and had more than nine years to secure the modern enterprise video communications space before Zoom was launched. And yet, when the time came for video communications tools to really take off, Zoom went from 10 million daily active users in December 2019 to 200 million in March 2020. No

Some even integrate with wearable tech for remote patient monitoring. While not all of these apps are built the same, they should all offer video conferencing. Video calling is crucial for telehealth apps as it enables a more personalized and interactive healthcare experience. Video calls facilitate real-time visual assessments, allowing providers to observe symptoms, conduct

In 2023, consumers are spending an average of 17 hours a week watching online videos. From immersive 360-degree product videos to engaging user tutorials, videos are an effective way to showcase your products and enhance your customers' shopping experience. In this post, we'll explore how to use video commerce to increase the visibility of your

Back in 2019, developers placed language and speech at the top of the list of their most commonly used artificial intelligence APIs. A little over three years later, large language models and generative AI have taken the world by storm. Product managers are using all types of AI-powered features to enhance their products: AI-powered natural

APIs are the building blocks of modern software. According to the 2022 State of the API Report, 51% of organizations spend more than half of their development effort on APIs. From the creation of an API to the time it is retired, multiple developers come in contact with it and use it to access relevant

Adnan Al-Khatib, Principal Product Manager of Moderation at Stream, recently joined the GDI podcast during Trust and Safety Month to discuss content moderation. Stream offers a cutting-edge, end-to-end auto-moderation solution that enables real-time adaptability to your app's needs. This powerful tool protects users from bots, scammers, and bad actors. Let's look closely at some key

Wherever computing systems go, security threats soon follow. Microsoft released Windows in 1985 — and the first Windows virus, Brain, swiftly followed in 1986. As edge computing matures, it faces similar cybersecurity challenges. IoT devices are vulnerable to threats such as botnets. Early fitness trackers were quickly hacked back in 2015. With the current reliance

User engagement is the key to building a thriving social community, and the key to a successful business is loyal, active customers—no matter your use case. But this reward comes with risk. While user-generated content (UGC) can be empowering, persuasive, and insightful, it can also be off-topic, spammy, hateful, harmful, or even criminal. By moderating

Earlier this year, surgeons at the OLV Hospital in Belgium performed a successful partial nephrectomy on a patient with early-stage kidney cancer. But this wasn't just any surgery; this was the first-ever AI-powered, robot-assisted surgery. The surgery had been in the works for a while, but the surgeons from Orsi Academy kept running into a

How can edge computing improve your next project plan? IDC has identified over 150 use cases for edge computing across industries. Edge computing is a distributed framework that puts computer processing closer to the data source — like sensors, IoT (internet of things) devices, or servers. By keeping the processor right next to the action,

There is a wide variety of testing tools available with unique features and capabilities, including a handful of different types of API protocols. It's worth noting that API testing software often can't test all API protocols, so we've noted which protocols each tool tests in the descriptions below. Let's look at six of the best

What Is an API Integration? An API integration connects two or more applications or systems together in a manner that allows them to exchange data. Similar to how a bank teller allows you to deposit or withdraw money from a physical bank branch, an API integration allows you to use the data or server resources

One way to do that is to create an online community that is safe, supportive, and enjoyable for everyone. A designated content moderator can reduce the risk harmful content poses. Content moderators can help keep your users coming back because they'll trust that your platform is safe and inclusive. Moderators are trained to effectively search

Everyone goes about dating in different ways.   Yet dating app algorithms are designed to predict romantic attraction. So, how does the algorithm decide who to pair up? Just like any algorithm, a dating app's algorithm tells your app the rules for decision-making. It's the set of instructions the app uses to find and sort potential

APIs are instrumental in getting these apps to talk to each other within a connected, integrated infrastructure. An API (Application Programming Interface) is a structured method by which apps communicate. But, not all APIs are made equal. There are four major types of web API, which commonly use three types of API protocols. Each of

So, when Match launched in 1995, it was a game changer. Today, over 300 million people use dating apps, and industry leaders like Tinder, Badoo, Bumble — and Match — dominate conversations around the online search for love. For product managers looking to build sticky dating apps, keeping up with changing times is a sure

In addition to names and contact details, the stolen information also included passport and Medicare data. The company attributed the data breach to a sophisticated cyberattack, but further investigation reports revealed that Optus used an API that "did not require authorisation or authentication." In hindsight, anyone could have used that API endpoint to access those

Telehealth use skyrocketed during the global Coronavirus pandemic — and the telemedicine market is still experiencing unprecedented growth. But staying ahead of the competition in a rapidly growing and changing industry isn't easy, especially for web and app developers in the healthcare industry who have to provide a best-in-class patient experience and comply with strict

But what's the best way to get in touch with them? We'll cover the difference between chat and SMS, their use cases, benefits, and limitations of each to help you decide which method of user outreach is right for your app.  What is SMS? Short message service (SMS) are text messages that can be up

Now you just sit back, relax, and watch as conversions rise and chat engagement goes up!  Just kidding. We all know it's not that simple. To increase chat engagement and impact your bottom line, you need to leverage the right chat techniques. Whether you use in-app chat for customer support or as a way for

The features you choose can play a huge role in user retention and loyalty. If your app doesn't let a user do what they want to do, they're less likely to keep using it. By exploring and researching social media app features that increase engagement, you can get a better idea of what your users

Case in point: users began leaving Twitter quickly after Elon Musk purchased the site in October 2022. Twitter competitor Mastodon gained 10,801 users the day after Musk took over. People leave social media apps for many reasons, such as a lack of trust in leadership, to improve mental health, or because of political alignment. Many

Introducing in-app communication to your software product can help you increase engagement and retain customers.  But building such a feature from scratch is a resource-intensive task. By using communications APIs, you gain access to pre-built and customizable features instantly. There are many communications APIs out there --- learning about their features, pricing, and user reviews

Clubhouse was an invite-only, iOS-only app where users could join audio chat rooms around industry in-groups, listen to famous speakers, and raise their metaphorical hands to join in the discussion. An invite was a symbol of social status. Less than three years later, it's no more than a niche app that's been passed over in

But with the right approach, smaller apps can come in and take some of the market share from the bigger guys. The social media app space is constantly evolving and growing, offering many opportunities for companies that want to build a social media app product. There's a right social media app type for your business

"Fintechs are popular, yet few are profitable," opined Capgemini's World Fintech Report 2021. Every financial technology company needs to make money and a sound business model is the fulcrum upon which a fintech company can scale. These five fintech business models can help you choose the best way to monetize your fintech offering. 1. Recurring

In the late 1600s, the first personal ads were printed in a newspaper and released into the world. Fast forward a few centuries, and today we use online dating to do the very same thing. Unlike newspapers, apps provide us with more dating options. They allow us to be more selective about our dates, to

Financial technology companies raised $210 billion in financial investments in 2021. This is the second-highest annual total ever recorded. Now is an excellent time to take advantage of the market by learning how to build a fintech application. In this guide, we outline the step-by-step process you can follow to develop your own app ---

No matter where you are in the world, you can use devices and software that enable real-time communication. It feels so easy and simple!  Yet how these messages are exchanged is a bit more complex than hitting the send button. Relaying messages from one part of the world to another is possible in part thanks

But, there are three major unexpected costs of choosing to shoulder the entire engineering process in-house. If your team is weary of integrating out-of-the-box components, learn what it’s costing you below. 1. Competitive Advantage An average of 1,042 new apps are added to the Apple app store and over 3,000 to the Google Play store

As of 2021, there were over 26,000 fintech startup companies globally, compared to just over 12,000 startups in 2018. The fintech market is expected to reach nearly $700 billion by 2030. In this saturated market, it can be challenging to stand out. The features you add to your app can help, but you have to

Many sites are still using outdated communication channels like phone or email. But consumers want a live chat option. According to a report by Kayako, many consumers would spend as much as $500 extra per month with companies that provide easy live chat experiences. And in the same report, consumers said they would more likely

However, the increasingly digital world demands a seamless care experience for all parties. The global telehealth market is expected to grow to $101.2B in 2023 and compound at an annual growth rate of 24% til 2030. The introduction of HIPAA-regulated digitized protected health information (PHI) data and patient resources profoundly impacted the industry. This boon

When you create a live stream video application, you should aim to create an experience that gives your users confidence in the safety of using it. It's easy to focus on how your app will look, but it's important to give extra attention to certain safety aspects that can make your users feel more safe

In 2022 the install-to-purchase conversion rate for non-gaming apps was 5.5%, while for gaming apps, it was just 2.6%. What counts as a conversion will vary depending on your app's functionality. But in general, in-app conversions are events or actions a user takes in the app, such as completing a purchase, upgrading their account, or

Unfortunately, gaming communities can turn toxic. What should be a place for players to connect over a shared love of a game becomes a hostile environment filled with harassment and intimidation. Trolls, bad actors, and bots harass other players, post offensive or discriminatory messages, or share spam content. New players feel unwelcome or intimidated, making

But as the video calling app market becomes more saturated, knowledge is power. Keeping conversations private and data safe and secure is top of mind for most users. Knowing the risks of unsafe video calling, the best security features to look for, and having a few trusted options to choose from can help you call

If you're currently struggling with hosting virtual classes for students, you're not alone. Many teachers and students are frustrated with online learning. In a McKinsey survey, 83% of U.S.-based teachers rated online learning a six or below out of 10 compared to real-life classes. Fifty-eight percent of teachers gave it a four or lower.  However,

According to CB Insights 2021 State of Venture Report, venture capital investments reached a record high of more than $600 billion last year. And venture capital investors didn't just make more investments in 2021 than they did in 2020; they also gave each recipient more capital. But not every industry received equal funding. Financial technology

Today, over 300 million people use dating apps, with about 20 million of those people paying for premium features. But how do you grab a slice of this competitive and fast-growing market that is set to reach over $8.4 billion in annual revenue by 2024? The key is differentiating your app from what's currently on

A lot of dating apps on the market, like Tinder or Hinge, are too general and casual for serious singles to be able to find "The One." They don't appeal to a specific demographic, which makes it hard for people who know exactly what they want to make a meaningful connection. You can stand out

Delivery apps have taken the market by storm, with an expected revenue annual growth rate of over 8% and $291 billion USD in market volume by 2027. It's no surprise—they're convenient, save time, and are easy to use. With a few clicks, a delivery app can get your favorite dish or latest fashion delivered directly

But far too many logistic apps end up with feature-bloated and buggy user interfaces that don't solve real problems. This guide can help you develop the right logistic application and find product-market fit. Start With Your Problem and Market Research Understanding the problem holistically improves your chances of finding effective solutions. Some market research can

What is a Live Streaming App? A live stream is multi-media digital content broadcasted by one host and transmitted to many viewers over the Internet in real-time. It can feature live events, like sports, news, a security camera feed, or on-demand content, like TV and movies. Video streaming complements social, gaming, telehealth, remote learning, online

What is HIPAA?  The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 protects patient privacy and provides easy access to their medical records. While medical appointments are typically held in person, the telehealth industry has boomed over the past few years. This has introduced patients' protected health information (PHI) to a new digital environment

The most important feature of an API is that it's highly available and reliable. Unfortunately, it's hard to see a company's track record when you make the purchasing decision. At Stream we put a ton of effort into infrastructure, monitoring, high availability and ensuring you have the highest possible uptime. Our infrastructure gracefully handles server

However, for good reasons, they're not always the most popular among remote employees. Often, video conferences come with many technical issues. Nuisance, such as background noise or low video quality, can ruin the productivity of a conversation while making the meeting feel less "real." Getting the most out of video conferencing requires more than just

User acquisition is integral to growing your product and customer base. But that's just the first part: success depends on retaining those existing users and keeping them engaged in the long term. As Brian Balfour, former VP of growth at HubSpot, once said: "If your retention is poor, then nothing else matters." As a product

Companies realize that investing in their community can deliver huge benefits --- since 2020, there's been a 22% increase in organizations with a dedicated Community team. Building a thriving SaaS community takes a significant investment of time and resources --- especially for startups, which will have fewer resources to invest than SaaS scale-ups. So follow

Research from Microsoft shows that over 52% of people are considering switching to a fully remote or hybrid job. Working from home became our new normal within just a few years. As a result, many companies have studied how remote work directly impacts employee productivity. With so much research on the subject of remote work

Remote onboarding has its challenges. It's hard to convey your company values and culture through virtual communications and an inconsistent remote onboarding experience. Consider a first day in person: When a new hire walks into an office on their first day, they're usually greeted by someone in HR or management and shown around. They're surrounded

Video conferencing is essential for remote teams to not let distance get in the way of effective communication. However, your business might not want to pay for a web conferencing service right now, especially if you're on a tight company budget. The problem with using free video conferencing services is dealing with the limitations of

It’s always been possible to build beautiful chat applications on desktop and web using Flutter and Stream Chat with our core or low-level client chat packages. But, users can now target desktop and web using our UI package, enabling you to get the complete Stream Chat experience regardless of platform. Version 5.0.0 has been overhauled

Stats show that app users in the US, on average, uninstall 43% of the apps they install on their phones after 30 days. It's why mobile apps must shift their focus to improve retention to set themselves up for long-term success.  The truth is that user acquisition isn't enough to secure your mobile app's long-term

According to research by Microsoft, over 53% of people are currently considering switching to a hybrid or remote job. However, this push for remote work brings up new challenges that in-person managers have never faced: How do you communicate effectively with employees when you're not face-to-face? And how can you make sure that remote employees

Video conferencing technology is essential to nearly every modern business, from managing remote teams to closing deals across time zones. There are several ways video and voice calls can form a stable connection, one being peer-to-peer (P2P). This real-time communication solution is a popular choice among users who prioritize security, bandwidth, and a lightweight architecture

Ninety-five percent of employees believe that having good relationships with co-workers is important to create a happy and productive work environment. However, remote work can sometimes make building co-worker friendships a bit tricky. The responsibility of team building often falls to managers. And ensuring your team gets along and collaborates together requires more creativity when

By the end of 2022, it's estimated that 25% of all job vacancies will be remote. Apart from the improvement in work-life balance and increased benefits, remote work has the potential to be advantageous for both companies and employees. However, old concerns remain for management, while the younger employees embrace change and drive improvements. Here's

It won't matter how many users download your app if they don't understand how it works or how they can maximize its benefits. And since half of all mobile apps get deleted within one month of downloading, you won't have long to win users over and earn their loyalty. The fastest way to help your

Over the last few months, our React Native team has been making substantial improvements to the React Native Chat SDK. Among bug fixes and other minor changes, this release introduces two new features: offline support and enhanced debugging capabilities. Offline Support Offline support has been one of our most requested features, and we’re thrilled to

High installs mean nothing if you can't retain your new users in the long term. In fact, according to AppsFlyer, American app users uninstall 43% of the apps they download on their phone within 30 days.  Indeed, app retention isn't something you have direct control over. After all, you can't physically stop people from deleting

The Home Shopping Network (HSN) pioneered live commerce in the ’70s, which means we’re due for an eCommerce renaissance right about now. By blending entertainment with instant purchasing, live shopping offers brands, retailers, and online marketplaces the opportunity to build stronger engagement and loyalty with their audience. What is Live Commerce? Live commerce combines the

To help you out, we’ve listed our top picks of the best APIs you can use to build the best online marketplace possible. These APIs will help improve your customer engagement and retention by optimizing the most critical aspects of your online marketplace, from the second the customer hops on your website to the checkout

The shift from office to home has called for a rearrangement of employee engagement strategies, communication channels, and company dynamics so employees can acclimate to a new office landscape. In a remote workspace, improving the employee experience (EX) means relying on new technologies and adapting work collaboration strategies. This impacts engagement strategies, company culture, career

It’s a helpful pulse check on the growth of a product and trends in user behavior. And it gives insight into how many people check your product and the perceived value from the interaction. But keep in mind that not all apps should use DAU as a measure of success. This is because not all

The combination of data and storytelling is a powerful one. Steve Jobs once said, “The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.” A user scenario is a tool to imagine a user’s journey when using your app.

Did you know that 71% of app users churn in the first ninety days after downloading an app? Keeping users engaged can be tough, especially when time is precious and users are impatient to resolve actions quickly. Yet, making the effort to include features for user engagement is important for retention. There are certain app

What was once a safety precaution, remote medical appointments, events, classrooms, and meetings are now popular and even preferred alternatives to in-person communication and transacting. Your app will need to incorporate an element of video chat to stay competitive. Luckily, video calling APIs make it quick and easy for your development team to integrate reliable

While the benefit of these standalone functionalities is clear, there are plenty of solutions working behind the scenes, like social preferences, geo-location, and usage history that enhance UX even more. Mobile APIs make these advancements possible and affordable for engineers to integrate with their app’s infrastructure. In this article, we’ll cover the most common mobile

However, as Steve Jobs said, “Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it’s really how it works.” Ultimately, your app's UX design will be what converts repetitive and engaged users. A good UX design caters to a customer’s needs by enhancing the user experience and facilitating brand

If users feel dissatisfied or have bad experiences with your product for too long without checking in with how the user is doing, they’ll leave before you can make the improvements they want. In fact, according to research by Zendesk, 76% of customers are willing to switch to a competitor after “multiple bad customer service

Research from Gartner predicts that by the end of 2022, 70% of customer interactions will involve technologies like chatbots and mobile messaging. It doesn’t stop there. More and more companies are already adopting chatbots as part of their customer service experience. According to data from Mordor Intelligence, the chatbot market expects to grow 34% from

As businesses strive to stay ahead of the competition, they often turn to data to inform their decisions. But not all metrics are created equal, and some can be more harmful than helpful. You've probably heard the term "vanity metric—metrics that don't uncover meaningful data about your app—and you're probably here because you don't know

A north star metric is a company’s primary metric to measure its app’s success. Sean Ellis, entrepreneur and founder of GrowthHackers, was the first person to coin the term. “The North Star Metric is the single metric that best captures the core value that your product delivers to customers,” says Ellis. “Optimizing your efforts to

It is the responsibility of online platforms to create a safe environment its users can trust, enjoy, and recommend to others. When businesses fail to moderate user-generated content, they risk alienating their audience and contributing to churn. Many businesses are looking to Trust and Safety policies and professionals to protect their customers and reputations. What