The rapid growth of Web-based real time communications (WebRTC) has brought with it plenty of opportunities and challenges. The old ways of staying in touch are starting to fall by the wayside as this new communications method allows for fast and simple connections. But with all these new opportunities and challenges come a host of new developments, and keeping on top of all of those can be no small task. This week proved no exception, so with the weekend on hand, it's a great time to step back, settle in, and take it just a little bit easier as we run down the biggest events of the week with our Week in Review coverage!
First, we had a look at Rabbit, who emerged from a desktop app for Mac systems to become a much wider-scale proposition, putting WebRTC to work to drive a browser-based operation instead. The Rabbit system offers users an easy way to chat back and forth, in groups as big as about 10 for the time being, and even pass materials back and forth like documents and the like. Ideal for small groups, this may well have quite a few applications that some haven't even considered yet.
Next we saw how Google and Microsoft might have buried a few differences and come out the other side on the concept of browser-based video chat. The biggest evidence yet of that occurring came out in the form of “Object RTC API for WebRTC,” allowing for more access to WebRTC tools in Microsoft systems. While there were certainly some concerns this might ultimately serve as a means to shut down Skype business, there are also some expanded possibilities to consider here as well.
A step back often comes with a step forward, and that seems to have happened with Google's refusal to consider Pointer Events, a technology that had already been added as a standard by the World Wide Web Consortium. However, issues of performance did seem to be part of the reason that Google was out of the action on Pointer Events, along with a comparative hesitation on Apple's part to join in.
Then we had a look at BigMarker, a provider of free Web conferencing solutions, as well as a set of paid premium options. With such technology becoming an increasingly large part of a mobile workforce, it's easy to see where advancements would come into play here, and BigMarker has recently announced the launch of its new WebRTC Web conferencing platform. In public beta form, the service offers up a range of tools and offers these tools available at the browser level.
Finally, a new partnership between CounterPath and a major supplier of networking material made the news, offering a new market for CounterPath's line of SIP-based softphone solutions and the like. Bringing in CounterPath's systems can be a huge help for enterprise and operator over-the-top (OTT) solutions who want a clear way to stand out from the competition, and with the new partnership, more firms will have access to these tools.
That was the week that was in WebRTC, and clearly, this is a field where plenty is taking place. It may not always seem like forward momentum, but sometimes, you've got to back up a bit to get ahead in the long term. Our global online community was in the thick of things, bringing back the best in news for us, so be sure to join us next week for all the latest in the field and every weekend for our Week in Review!
