What exactly is WebRTC?
WebRTC stands for Web Real-Time Communication. Simply put, WebRTC is a piece of code, an HTML5 specification to be exact, that can be used to enable real-time communications between web browsers and mobile applications. It’s a technology that allows people to make audio and video calls using just their browsers without needing to install an external application or a downloadable plug-in.
If you’re not sure what WebRTC is and how to use it, think of it this way: it’s what you are using every time you want to start a video call or chat using VoIP in applications like Zoom, Facetime, Skype, or WhatsApp. However, you had to download these applications and go through the registration process first in order to use them. Think of a system where you can simply open your browser, log on to a predefined website, and begin a conference call.
The underlying technology for WebRTC was first developed by a US-based company called Global IP Solutions (GIPS), which was bought out by Google in 2010. Subsequently, in 2011, Google released WebRTC publicly, leveraging the progress made by GIPS.
WebRTC is what you’d call an open-source project. It’s completely free to use for any company or developer that wants to build on it to offer a real-time communication solution. The adoption and popularity of this technology have grown exponentially since it became available. At Class5 Technologies, our system has employed native WebRTC for years—when the above mentioned platforms were still one-off and stand-alone applications that are only recently embracing the advantages of native WebRTC.
Why Is A Technology Like WebRTC Important?
As an enabler of direct, live, and hassle-free communication, WebRTC can be adapted into solutions that can benefit every person on the planet. This technology is what has allowed us to connect and communicate virtually. It has obvious utility for businesses, in that it can streamline communications across the board for them. In fact, WebRTC is a key component of unified communications systems worldwide. The global unified communications market is projected to grow at nearly 17% through to 2025 and be worth over $167 billion by then.
What Is It That Makes WebRTC So Popular?
Being open-source has been key to the widespread usage of WebRTC. It enables technology providers to create secure business communication solutions, or even businesses to custom-develop a solution in-house for their specific needs.
WebRTC is supported by all modern browsers, including Google Chrome, Apple’s Safari, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera, as well as implemented by Facebook and Amazon in their applications. It can also be applied in mobile environments, with Software Development Kits (SDKs), easily available for developers.
WebRTC’s specifications have been published by the relevant international standards organizations World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
While peer-to-peer (P2P), i.e. person-to-person audiovisual calls, are WebRTC’s primary benefit, it has many more uses. WebRTC supports data transfers and any kind of file sharing. It enables recording, group calling, and all kinds of advanced call management functions. It really is up to a developer how they want to leverage this technology.
Moreover, since it is constantly evolving and improving, WebRTC is what is considered a bankable technology, with utility for years and years to come.
Most importantly is the security that WebRTC offers, with mandatory encryption required for all of its components. Additional security concerns are eased when you consider that since WebRTC is not a plug-in and does not require an installation process (other than setting up the above-mentioned compatible browsers), there is no risk of malware.
What Are The Important Elements of WebRTC?
WebRTC uses a number of key JavaScript API elements that help developers build communication applications. If you’re interested in learning what those are for your IT department, these include:
- RTCDataChannel allows for the sending and receiving of data transfer between two peers.
- RTCPeerConnection enables P2P audiovisual communication.
- getUserMedia() accesses the video and audio from your device through its camera and microphone.
- MediaRecorder records the necessary video and audio from your device.
Leveraging WebRTC for Powerful & Secure Business Communications
To understand exactly what WebRTC is capable of, it might be helpful to put it in the context of an example.
Wildix VoIP, a unified communications web interface used by businesses nationwide, builds on WebRTC technology to offer a host of collaboration tools to improve organizational productivity. The platform enables businesses to operate VoIP phone systems, and collaborate via features like conferencing, e-faxing, and chat and file sharing, which are a staple of a WebRTC-based solution.
In addition to these, the system also offers advanced call management features like group paging, call announcement, voicemail-to-text, and more. Businesses also benefit from WebRTC call reporting, which gives them detailed analytics and visibility into their employees’ call patterns, with datasets such as number, type, duration, and cost of each call.
At its core, WebRTC is a technology that’s able to connect people and let them exchange media, without the need for a download or an installation, making it accessible for anyone to connect easily with colleagues, friends, and family. This is what is driving WebRTC usage worldwide, including in applications like Wildix. ‘
For a deeper understanding of how a WebRTC-based platform can bring about a fundamental shift in productivity and security for your enterprise, reach out to us for a consultation.