Video Conferencing -

brought the first webcams and desktop software like CU-SeeMe . Suddenly, a grainy, grayscale image on a computer screen was possible for tech-savvy individuals, moving the technology out of high-end boardrooms and into academic labs. The Mass Adoption (2000s – 2019)

The launch of in 2003 made video calling free and accessible to anyone with an internet connection. The true "explosion" happened with mobile: VIDEO CONFERENCING

: Germany launched the first public video telephone service, connecting post office booths between Berlin and Leipzig. brought the first webcams and desktop software like CU-SeeMe

: AT&T wowed the public at the New York World’s Fair with the Picturephone Mod I . Despite the "cool factor," it was a commercial flop due to its massive cost and the requirement that both parties own the expensive hardware. The Corporate Era (1980s – 1990s) The true "explosion" happened with mobile: : Germany

In the 1980s, video conferencing became a "big business" tool. Systems from companies like cost $250,000 upfront and another $1,000 per hour to run.