New plug-and-play HD video-conferencing solution transforms small meeting rooms into true centers for collaboration

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - February 20, 2019 - Plantronics(NYSE: PLT), an audio pioneer and unified communications technology leader,today announced its first entry into the huddle room video market with its newplug-and-play video bar, Polycom Studio. Packed in a portable USB device, theplug-and-play video bar immerses small meeting groups in an upgradedcollaboration experience with Polycom's legendary HD audio and video quality,and is compatible with PCs or Macs for video collaboration on popular Video-as-a-Service(VaaS) platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype for Business, GoogleMeet, Cisco Webex, Amazon Chime, among others.

Today's open office spaces have resulted in anexplosion of smaller meeting spaces, or "huddle rooms," where groups of 2-6 canescape the noise to collaborate, often with coworkers in other locations. But ofan estimated 32 million huddle rooms globally, only two percent of those spacesinclude equipment for video conferencing[1],which is becoming increasingly important for the mobile workforce. In APAC, arecent GrowingBig Ideas from Small Spaces study by Polycom found anoverwhelming 96% of workers in the region (including Singapore) agreed thatcollaboration technologies such as video-conferencing help them to be moreproductive and to work smarter, but only41% of huddle rooms in Singapore are video-enabled, lagging behind India andChina.

"With an increasingly mobile workforce, workersare no longer bound by physical limitations when it comes to having meetingsand collaborating. There is a growing need for companies to equip theirworkspaces to enable workers to work smarter, collaborate more and achievegreater productivity.  With the HD audioand video clarity that Polycom Studio provides, even the smallest of spaces canhave boardroom capability," said Low Mei Lin, Director, APAC solutionsmarketing at Polycom.

With a simple USB connection, any PC orMac can leverage the power of Polycom Studio to elevate audio and video meetingexperiences. Its patented NoiseBlock and Acoustic Fence technologies reduce oreliminate distracting noise from office environments for professional-soundingcommunications. Automatic speaker tracking focuses on whoever is speakingwithin an ultra-wide 120-degree field of view. With 4K resolution and 5xelectronic zoom, Polycom Studio provides TV studio-like quality and experiencesin a meeting.

"Enterprises around the world have cometo understand the strategic importance of their smaller meeting spaces. Infact, we expect the number of AV-enabled huddle rooms to increase by 15 percentin the next 12-24 months," explains Ira M. Weinstein, managing partner atanalyst firm Recon Research.  "With therelease of Polycom Studio, Polycom can finally bring its decades of experiencein high quality video and audio to smaller rooms with lower budgets. And basedon our initial testing, we think Polycom Studio will meet the expectations ofeven the most discerning huddle room users."

For IT managers, Polycom Studio is refreshinglyeasy to manage. Unlike most USB devicesthat give IT little or no visibility into what is being used or any means formanagement and updating, Polycom Studio wirelesslyconnects to a corporate network to allow IT professionals a "no touch" means tomanage Polycom Studio units -- across a few huddle rooms, a large campus, oroffices around the world. Customers can easily manage their Polycom Studiovideo bars along with their other Polycom devices through the cloud with thePolycom Device Management Service for Enterprise or on premises with PolycomRealPresence Resource Manager.

PolycomStudio will be available in Singapore from February 28^th, 2019through channel partners and distributors at a recommended retail price of US$949.

For more information, visit https://www.polycom.com.sg/hd-video-conferencing/room-video-systems/polycom-studio.html.Email asiainquiry@polycom.comfor product enquiries.

About Plantronics

Plantronics is an audio pioneer and a leader in the communications industry. Plantronics technology creates rich, natural, people-first audio and collaboration experiences so good ideas can be shared and heard--wherever, whenever and however they happen. The company's portfolio of integrated communications and collaboration solutions spans headsets, software, desk phones, audio and video conferencing, analytics and services. Our solutions are used worldwide by consumers and businesses alike and are a leading choice for every kind of workspace. For more information visit plantronics.com.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.