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May 17, 2013

WebRTC Activated in Newest Firefox Beta


Web-based real time communication (WebRTC) has been one of those things that people talk a lot about, but seeing actual, usable, products available for the general public has been something that's been in a bit shorter supply. At least, it was in shorter supply until Thursday, when Mozilla activated defaults for WebRTC in the newest Firefox beta.

For those not familiar, WebRTC offers a whole new way to communicate by text, voice and even video—along with a little extra support for file sharing—all from a Web browser without the need for extra plug-ins and the like that can get in the way of a system's fullest operational potential. WebRTC support, meanwhile, has been coming in fits and starts, with Mozilla back in April firing up getUserMedia. This was the tool that WebRTC used to access Web cams and microphones, but now, with the activation of PeerConnection and DataChannels starting in the Firefox 22 Beta, the next step has been taken.

PeerConnection allows the browser to set up real-time video calling, as well as audio calling. DataChannels, meanwhile, opens up the file-sharing possibilities during those calls, allowing users to toss documents back and forth during a call. What's more, DataChannels has even been shown to have an unexpected use; gaming apps can use DataChannels to reduce latency when engaging in peer-to-peer connections, improving performance.

That's a big achievement, but Mozilla didn't stop there; an ASM.js optimization module known as OdinMonkey was slipped in to augment the speed at which the browser can load JavaScript. Moreover, there's also HiDPI support for high-resolution screens, support for the Web Notifications API for alerts that come up in the browser itself much like on phones, and even a Font Inspector tool to better match fonts. There's also plenty more to come, including TURN support to work with firewalls and even Android support later on.

This is an extremely big step. Browsers are about to become major new centers of communication and collaboration, and all without the presence of extra plug-ins or other augmentations. How many Internet Explorer users would move to Firefox—or to Chrome or the like—once WebRTC starts getting cranked up in earnest? The impact to mobile devices could be likewise pronounced thanks to WebRTC's ability to work well with mobile systems as well. The sheer number of possibilities associated with WebRTC are mind-boggling for most any outside viewer.

The early days of WebRTC are dawning, and with them a whole slew of changes to a variety of different industries. Knowing how to be ready for the changes that will come along with WebRTC is going to be extremely important, as this is set to change most everything from customer service to the mobile workforce. With WebRTC about to land in users' hands, the changes will start up in earnest, and Mozilla will be among the leaders at the forefront of this new technology.



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