ISE 2026: Where the AV Market is Heading?

After four transformative days at ISE 2026 in Barcelona, one thing is crystal clear: the audiovisual and collaboration technology industry is at an inflection point. The conversation has fundamentally shifted from hardware specifications to holistic workplace experiences, from one-time purchases to managed ecosystems, and from flashy demos to solving real business problems.

This year's show revealed not just incremental improvements, but a complete reimagining of how organizations approach collaboration technology.

Here's what ISE 2026 tells us about the direction of the AV market through 2027.

Key Market Trends for 2026-2027

1. AI Becomes Infrastructure, Not Feature

The most significant shift at ISE 2026 was the maturation of AI from a marketing buzzword to embedded infrastructure. AI-powered camera framing, noise cancellation, auto-switching, room analytics, and occupancy detection are now standard features and not premium add-ons.

The conversation has evolved from "Does it have AI?" to "How reliable is your AI over a 5-year lifecycle?"

Organizations are no longer impressed by AI capabilities alone; they want to know about long-term platform stability, ongoing model improvements, and how AI integrates into their broader technology stack.

This shift reflects a broader enterprise trend: AI is becoming table stakes, not a differentiator. OEMs who can't demonstrate reliable, consistent AI performance over extended lifecycles will struggle to win enterprise deals.

2. Interoperability is No Longer Optional

Mixed collaboration estates are the new normal. Organizations work with customers on Microsoft Teams, suppliers on Zoom, and internal teams on Google Meet. Cross-platform joining without friction has moved from competitive advantage to baseline requirement.

The industry's embrace of standards like MDEP (Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform) signals a fundamental shift away from proprietary ecosystems.

3. Multi-Camera Intelligence Goes Mainstream

The industry has moved decisively beyond single-camera framing. Multi-camera AI systems that act as intelligent directors; selecting optimal angles, following speakers, capturing audience reactions, and creating production-quality experiences automatically are becoming the norm for large spaces.

This trend addresses a critical pain point: organizations need consistency across thousands of conference rooms, not just better cameras. The requirement is reliable, repeatable experiences that don't need instruction cards or IT support calls.

4. As-a-Service Models Dominate Procurement

Rising capital expenditure costs are pushing buyers decisively toward managed service models. What stalled a few years ago is now accelerating & driven by enterprise demand for ongoing support, remote monitoring, and lifecycle management rather than one-time installations.

Network management capabilities that allow remote deployment, updates, and troubleshooting with one click are no longer nice-to-have features, they're procurement requirements. This isn't a trend; it's becoming the dominant procurement model.

5. Security and Sustainability: The Quiet Priorities

Cybersecurity is 2026's most critical yet least discussed requirement. While vendors focus marketing on AI and user experience, IT leaders are quietly prioritizing zero-trust security frameworks, encryption standards, and compliance certifications.

Meanwhile, sustainability has become embedded in product design rather than a separate initiative. Low-carbon materials, replaceable parts, efficient system-on-chip designs, and extended lifecycles are now standard considerations. This reflects both regulatory pressure and genuine enterprise commitment to ESG goals.

6. Platform Lifecycle as Competitive Advantage

Vendors who can't commit to 5-7 year platform stability with clear embeded OS upgrade paths and new software features will struggle in enterprise deals. Long-term support roadmaps are now procurement deal-breakers, not nice-to-have features.

This trend reflects enterprise frustration with frequent refresh cycles and the total cost of ownership associated with constant technology churn. Organizations want partners who can commit to long platform stability.

7. Solving Real Business Problems

The focus has shifted from flashy demos to solving actual operational pain points: ghost meetings that waste resources, space utilization analytics that inform real estate decisions, facility management integration, and creating consistent experiences across thousands of rooms without requiring IT intervention.

This represents a fundamental maturation of the industry. Technology for technology's sake no longer impresses buyers, they want measurable business outcomes.

Major OEM Announcements at ISE 2026

Cisco

Cisco launched the Room Kit Pro G2 and Desk Pro G2, both featuring local AI processing and AVoIP architecture. These systems support up to 8K output with eight Power over Ethernet ports, delivering enterprise-grade performance with embedded intelligence designed for long-term deployments.

The significance of these announcements lies not in the specifications themselves, but in Cisco's commitment to on-device AI processing and future-proof connectivity. Organizations investing in these systems can expect them to remain relevant through multiple platform generations.

Logitech

Logitech made waves with the Rally AI Camera and Rally AI Camera Pro, their most intelligent camera systems to date. The Pro model features a dual-camera system with 15x hybrid zoom and AI-powered RightSight 2 technology. The standard Rally AI Camera introduces Logitech's first in-wall mounting option, offering nearly invisible aesthetics that address a common complaint about conference room technology.

Both models deliver automatic room booking and release capabilities, occupancy detection, and ghost meeting elimination features that solve real facility management problems rather than just improving video quality.

HP Poly (pre-ISE annoucement)

HP Poly released VideoOS 5.0, a major upgrade to Android 13 with a support roadmap extending through 2032 to Android 17. This represents one of the longest platform lifecycle commitments in the industry and directly addresses enterprise concerns about frequent technology refresh cycles.

DirectorAI multi-camera switching capabilities are coming in version 5.1, bringing intelligent camera direction to HP Poly's video systems. The company also launched the Mission Series headsets, featuring replaceable parts and sustainable materials for extended lifecycles—addressing both total cost of ownership and environmental concerns.

Jabra

Jabra introduced PanaCast Room Kits featuring the new PanaCast 55 VBS with Huddly Crew multi-camera technology. These kits deliver scalable 1-3-5 camera configurations that work plug-and-play, making large room deployments simpler and more consistent.

The significance of this announcement lies in Jabra's focus on deployment simplicity. Large organizations struggle not with individual room quality but with achieving consistency across hundreds or thousands of spaces. Jabra's modular approach directly addresses this challenge.

Shure

Shure launched the IntelliMix Bar Pro, bringing a century of professional audio expertise to MDEP-powered collaboration. This all-in-one bar delivers professional-grade audio processing with seamless ecosystem integration.

Shure's entry into the collaboration bar space represents an important validation of the all-in-one approach while bringing audio quality standards that professional users demand. For organizations where audio quality is non-negotiable, Shure provides a compelling option.

DTEN

DTEN unveiled the D7X 27, which won Best of Show at ISE 2026. Developed in partnership with Appspace, this interactive workplace kiosk features 4K cameras, AI-enhanced audio, and Microsoft Places integration for room reservations, digital signage, and workplace analytics.

The D7X represents an important trend: the expansion of AV technology beyond meetings into full workplace experience management. Organizations increasingly view collaboration technology as part of a broader workplace optimization strategy rather than as isolated meeting room equipment.

Neat

Neat showcased the Pad Pro and continued its focus on MDEP-powered solutions, emphasizing clean design and simplified deployment for Microsoft Teams environments. Neat's approach prioritizes aesthetic integration and user experience simplicity.

Crestron

Crestron demonstrated its commitment to true interoperability through embrace of MDEP (Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform), signaling an industry-wide shift beyond proprietary ecosystems. For a company with Crestron's history in proprietary control systems, this represents a significant strategic evolution.

Lenovo

Lenovo announced ThinkSmart Core Gen 2 bundles with Huddly; one of the first AI-optimized compute devices purpose-built for video conferencing. Powered by Intel Core Ultra processors with integrated Neural Processing Units (NPU), these bundles combine Huddly C1 videobars and Crew cameras with unified device management through ThinkSmart Manager.

The modular approach allows the same system to scale from single-camera to multi-camera AI director setups, providing consistent Teams Rooms and Zoom Room experiences. Lenovo's focus on purpose-built AI compute represents an important evolution beyond repurposing general-purpose PCs for collaboration workloads.

The Fundamental Shift:

From Hardware to Complete Solutions

Beyond the product announcements and technical specifications, ISE 2026 revealed a fundamental transformation in how organizations approach collaboration technology. Customer conversations are shifting from hardware procurement to ecosystem optimization.

The Old Conversation

Historically, AV procurement focused on hardware specifications: resolution, field of view, codec support, microphone pickup patterns, and similar technical details. Buyers compared spec sheets, conducted technical evaluations, and made decisions based primarily on device capabilities and price.

The New Conversation

Today's IT leaders are asking fundamentally different questions:

• How will this technology reduce our real estate footprint by 20%?

• What space utilization analytics will inform our facility management decisions?

• How will this improve our ESG scores and support sustainability commitments?

• What is the total cost of ownership over seven years, including support and lifecycle management?

• How will this measurably improve workforce productivity outcomes?

• How does this integrate with broader workplace platforms like Microsoft Places, Appspace, and facility management systems?

Expanding the Stakeholder Table

This shift has expanded the decision-making table beyond IT departments. CFOs care about seven-year total cost of ownership and capital expenditure optimization. Corporate Real Estate leaders need space utilization data to justify square footage. Chief Sustainability Officers require environmental impact reporting to meet ESG commitments.

The announcements from DTEN (workplace kiosks), Logitech (room analytics), HP Poly (decade-long support roadmaps), and Lenovo (unified device management) aren't just product features; they're responses to this expanded stakeholder landscape demanding business outcomes rather than technical specifications.

What This Means for Buyers?

For organizations evaluating collaboration technology, ISE 2026 provides clear guidance:

Demand Long-Term Commitments

Vendors who can't commit to 5-7 year platform stability should be approached with caution. Ask for specific roadmaps extending to Android 17 or equivalent operating system versions. Demand clarity on security update lifecycles and end-of-support dates.

Prioritize Interoperability

Require multi-platform certification as a baseline. Your organization will work with external parties using different platforms ensuring seamless interoperability isn't optional.

Think Beyond Meetings

Collaboration technology should integrate with broader workplace experience platforms. Room booking systems, digital signage, workplace analytics, and facility management integration create more value than isolated meeting room improvements.

Evaluate Total Ecosystem Cost

Compare five or more year total cost of ownership including hardware, software licenses, support contracts, IT labor for management, and refresh cycle costs. As-a-service models may cost more per month but deliver better total economics.

Demand Business Outcomes

Require vendors to demonstrate measurable business outcomes: reduced real estate costs through better space utilization, improved employee productivity through reduced meeting friction, and sustainability impact through lifecycle reporting.

What This Means for Vendors/Service Integrators?

For vendors and integrators, the message from ISE 2026 is equally clear:

Shift from Product to Platform Thinking

Winning vendors will position themselves as platform providers with decade-long commitment horizons, not hardware suppliers with 18-month product cycles.

Build for the Ecosystem

No single vendor controls the entire workplace technology stack. Success requires seamless integration with competing platforms through open standards like MDEP.

Expand Your Value Proposition

Hardware sales alone won't sustain growth. Managed services, analytics platforms, adoption programs, and sustainability consulting create recurring revenue and deeper customer relationships.

Solve Real Problems

Features that don't address actual operational pain points won't drive purchasing decisions. Ghost meetings, space utilization inefficiency, and deployment complexity matter more than incremental specification improvements.

Conclusion: The Invisible Technology Era

ISE 2026 marked the beginning of what we might call the "invisible technology" era in collaboration and AV. The most successful products aren't those with the most impressive demonstrations, they're the ones that fade into the background, working reliably without requiring user attention or IT intervention.

Logitech's in-wall mounting options, HP Poly's decade-long support commitments, and the industry-wide embrace of multi-platform interoperability all point toward the same goal: making technology disappear so people can focus on collaboration itself.

The vendors who will win in 2026 and 2027 aren't those with the best specifications, they're those who can answer the question: "How will this make my organization more productive while reducing costs and supporting our sustainability goals?"

The innovation isn't in flashy demos. It's in making technology invisible so people can actually collaborate, while giving CFOs, Corporate Real Estate leaders, and Chief Sustainability Officers the data they need to justify every square foot and every dollar.

That's the future the AV industry is building. And based on what we saw at ISE 2026, it's arriving faster than many expected.