There has been a lot of talk about Web-based real time communications (WebRTC) in the recent months, and on the surface, WebRTC offers a wide variety of different possibilities when it comes to making communications both easier to work with and better overall. There's a lot going on in the field at any given time, and trying to make sense of it all can be difficult.
One of the biggest forces in the WebRTC space is Google. Largely, the first to adopt the system for its Chrome browsers in both desktop and mobile, Google has been on the forefront of development when it comes to WebRTC. Followed closely by Mozilla's Firefox and the eponymous Opera browser, Chrome has already brought quite a bit of WebRTC to the fore.
Back in February, Google and Mozilla showed off just what WebRTC could do, demonstrating a video chat using WebRTC that went on over two different browsers. Specifically, the two browsers were Firefox and Chrome, but with that demonstration the two firms showed off something amazing: a communications platform with incredible interoperability that was largely browser-agnostic, providing point-to-point video chatting that was as easy to use as just clicking a link.
The developments, not surprisingly, went on from there. Google itself showed off a host of designs, including a game called “Cube Slam,” a kind of 3D Pong replica that allowed users to talk to each other, while playing, in the game itself. A wide array of others came out, and the idea that users could quickly and easily talk to each other via WebRTC was one that was approaching fruition.
Behind many of Google's advancements in the field of WebRTC was Jan Linden, senior product manager with Google, who brought a substantial amount of technical expertise to the field and helped shape a lot of what Google was out to do in the WebRTC space. One of the things Linden called attention to early on was the importance of having high-quality connections right out of the gate.
Linden realized that the earliest steps were going to be the most crucial for WebRTC, and people needed to see this technology at its best right away to ensure the widest penetration. Those who didn't see the value, immediately and overwhelmingly, were unlikely to use this technology in the future, whether it actually improved or not. These were regarded by some as odd remarks, given that the future was so heavily weighted toward the video side of things, but in the end, without the benefit of closed captioning or the like, video that couldn't be heard correctly and clearly only offered so much in the way of value.
Linden further went on to note, as part of the WebRTC Meetup Group, that he was interested in learning more about what developers wanted to see in WebRTC. This makes it especially worthwhile to note that Linden will be developing a keynote address at the WebRTC Conference and Expo, set to run June 25-27 at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta, Georgia. During his address - which is scheduled for Thursday, June 27 at 8:30 a.m. - Linden will deliver remarks on the current state of WebRTC and how Google's Chrome browser relates to same.
WebRTC has a lot of room to make some very big advancements in the coming months, especially as more of this technology gets rolled out to users. It has a distinct potential to change the way many people think about and use communications systems, so keeping an eye on this entire sector is likely to pay dividends in the long run.
Edited by
Ashley Caputo
