• What is WebRTC?

    WebRTC is an open-source project enabling plugin-free, Real Time Communications (RTC) in the browser. It includes the fundamental building blocks for high-quality communications such as network, audio, and video components used in voice and video chat applications.

    These components, when implemented in a browser, can be accessed through a Javascript API, enabling developers to easily implement their own RTC web app.

    WebRTC is made up of three APIs:
    1. GetUserMedia (camera and microphone access)
    2. PeerConnection (sending and receiving media)
    3. DataChannels (sending non-media direct between browsers)

  • Who is supporting the WebRTC project?

    The development of WebRTC is supported by the W3C, Google, Mozilla, and Opera. Other parties with a vested interest in the resulting standard include Apple, Microsoft, Ericsson and Cisco.

  • What is the goal of WebRTC?

    WebRTC aims to give the development community access to open, high-quality, real-time communications technology. Before WebRTC, this type of RTC technology has only been available to large corporations who can afford the expensive licensing fees or through proprietary plugins like Adobe Flash. WebRTC will open the door for a new wave of video, voice, and data web applications.

  • Where does WebRTC work?

    WebRTC is currently only officially supported in Opera and Chrome versions 23+. Mozilla currently supports WebRTC in their Firefox Nightly and Aurora release, with an anticipated production launch by Q2.

  • Why is WebRTC important?

    The WebRTC project is incredibly important as it marks the first time that a powerful real-time communications (RTC) standard has been open sourced for public consumption. It opens the door for a new wave of RTC web applications that will change the way we communicate today.

    Significantly better video qualityWebRTC video quality is noticeably better than Flash.
    Up to 6x faster connection timesUsing JavaScript WebSockets, also an HTML5 standard, improves session connection times and accelerates delivery of other OpenTok events.
    Reduced audio/video latencyWebRTC offers significant improvements in latency through WebRTC, enabling more natural and effortless conversations.
    Freedom from FlashWith WebRTC and JavaScript WebSockets, you no longer need to rely on Flash for browser-based RTC.
    Native HTML5 elementsCustomize the look and feel and work with video like you would any other element on a web page with the new video tag in HTML5.

    Get a comprehensive overview of WebRTC from Justin Uberti’s Google I/O video:

  • What are the WebRTC development roadblocks?

    1) The video codec debate. Browser vendors can’t agree on which video codec—VP8 or H.264—should be included in WebRTC.

    • What is VP8?
      VP8 is a video-compression format created by On2 Technologies and owned by Google. VP8 was open-sourced by Google in 2010.
    • What is H.264?
      H.264 is a standard for video compression, and is currently one of the most commonly used formats for the recording, compression, and distribution of high-definition video. H.264 is patented, and the MPEG LA group holds this patent.
    • Why does WebRTC use VP8?
      The standard committee has chosen to use VP8 due to H.264 licensing issues with the MPEG LA group.
    • Do either of those video codecs work on mobile devices?
      Both codecs can work on mobile devices, but to get truly real-time performance and quality, mobile phones must have hardware to help decode the video. As of today, only H.264 hardware is found in mobile devices.
    • Where do all the interested parties stand on the issue?
      CompanyVP8H.264
      Google✓
      Mozilla✓
      Opera✓
      Cisco✓
      Microsoft✓
      Apple??

    2) CU-RTC Web submission by Microsoft.Microsoft submitted an alternative proposal to the W3C WebRTC 1.0 Working Draft dubbed CU-RTC-Web (Customizable, Ubiquitous Real-Time Communication).

    • How is the CU-RTC Web standard different than WebRTC?
      The Microsoft draft outlines a low-level API that allows developers more direct access to the underlying network and media-delivery components. It exposes objects representing network sockets and gives explicit application control over the media transport.

      In contrast, the WebRTC API abstracts these details with a text-based interface that passes encoded strings between the two participants in the call. With the WebRTC draft, developers are responsible for passing the strings between communicating browsers, but not explicitly configuring media transport for a video chat. Read the TokBox blog What the CU-RTC-Web vs. WebRTC debate means for developers.

      Michael Smith of the W3C offers a great summary here.
    • Why would Microsoft submit a competing standard?
      Microsoft believes that SDP is too difficult for Web programmers to tackle. SDP is a broad specification—there are lots of options and settings. Browsers are only going to implement a limited part of it, and the WebRTC specification does not yet say which SDP extensions are required to be understood by browsers. The CU-RTC-Web approach only exposes relevant options and settings, which eliminates the uncertainty of what is or is not a valid use of the API.

      In addition, based on Microsoft’s experience with Skype, they believe that the standard shouldn’t be tied to an individual codec. Multiple media formats should be supported in order to avoid making the standard obsolete as newer technology hits the market.
    • How did the W3C Working Group react?
      The Working Group decided to continue using SDP to configure media transport[5]. Microsoft is continuing forward with CU-RTC-Web, and recently released a demo using the proposed API.

    3) Browser incompatibility.Browser implementations of WebRTC are not interoperable out of the box.

    • Do any browsers interoperate with out-of-the-box WebRTC?
      Yes. As of February 4, 2013, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox announced WebRTC interoperation between the two browsers. here.
    • How will I build WebRTC applications that interoperate across all browsers?
      In order to build an application that operates across browsers, outside of Chrome and Firefox, you’ll need to use a third party API like OpenTok on WebRTC.
    • What about Safari?
      Apple is staying quiet at the moment, so it’s hard to know where they stand on WebRTC in general.

  • How does OpenTok help me with WebRTC?

    TokBox created the OpenTok platform on WebRTC, enabling developers to create WebRTC-enabled apps that allow for live face-to-face communication between users on iOS, Chrome, and Firefox. OpenTok on WebRTC's flexible API gives developers access to cutting-edge WebRTC technology without the infrastructure headache. No need to think about server setup, scalability, browser compatibility, codec wars, or device support.

    Features:
    Support for Firefox Nightly and Aurora
    The first WebRTC solution for iOS

    Start building today or reach out to our Business Development team to learn more about how OpenTok on WebRTC fits your needs.

  • How are companies using OpenTok on WebRTC?

    Double Robotics: The Double is an ultra-slick iPad on wheels controlled via a remote web app or iOS device. OpenTok on WebRTC for iOS powers the video streams between users and is integrated seamlessly into the robot's interface.

    LiveNinja: LiveNinja offers live face-to-face video consultations with experts across a wide range of verticals. OpenTok on WebRTC powers the video streams on their web interface.

    MeeDoc: MeeDoc offers a web and iOS interface that enables patients to connect with their doctor remotely. OpenTok on WebRTC is used to power the video streams for both their web and iOS interface, which interoperate.

    Cambly: Cambly enables native English speakers to interact with non-native speakers online. OpenTok on WebRTC for iOS powers the video conversation.

  • What is the media saying?

    March 20, 2013The Next Web, Harrison Weber
    Here's an early look at plugin-free video chatting on a Nexus 7, powered by WebRTC

    February 25, 2013TechCrunch, Frederic Lardinois
    TokBox's WebRTC-based video chat platform now supports Firefox Nightly and Aurora

    February 5, 2013Forbes, Anthony Wing Kosner
    Google And Mozilla Strike The Golden Spike On The Tracks Of The Real Time Web

    February 4, 2013The Next Web, Emil Protalinksi
    Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox Video Chat via WebRTC

    January 17, 2013GigaOM, Janko Roettgers
    Microsoft pushes ahead with its own take on WebRTC

    January 8, 2013The Next Web, Emil Protalinski
    Firefox 18 gets up to 25% faster Javascript with IonMonkey, Retina and preliminary WebRTC support

    December 1, 2012The Next Web, Emil Protalinski
    WebRTC plus Social API: Mozilla demos browser sharing in Firefox like you’ve never seen it before

    November 7, 2012GigaOM, Janko Roettgers
    Plugin-free video chat via WebRTC arrives in Chrome and Firefox

    November 6, 2012The Next Web, Ken Yeung
    TokBox launches its WebRTC solution for iOS, making real-time chat easier, better, and without Flash

    November 5, 2012TechCrunch, Frederic Lardinois
    TokBox’s New OpenTok for WebRTC Lets Developers Add Cross-Platform Video Chats To Their iOS and Web Apps

    October 2, 2012GigaOM, Janko Roettgers
    WebRTC gets real as Google adds more video chat functionality to Chrome

    What are other WebRTC resources?

    The WebRTC Project: The WebRTC initiative is a project supported by Google, Mozilla, and Opera. This page is maintained by the Google Chrome team.

    W3C: The Web Real-Time Communications Working Group is the official body involved in the development of WebRTC.

    IETF: The Internet Engineering Task Force is an open standards organization that is helping to develop and promote WebRTC.

    WebRTC on Twitter: See what the Twitterverse is saying about WebRTC.