Imagine being able to video chat, instant message and share photos, videos, files and links with someone else on your Web browser in real-time with no plugins to download. The technology to make that happen is already here, and is the future of communicating through the Internet. Web Real-Time Communications (WebRTC) leverages software built directly into the Web browser to transform any Internet-connected device into a rich communications endpoint.

Developers can elevate the impact of rich media to create new forms of video and voice interaction for applications such as social networking, gaming, B2C customer support or conferencing. WebRTC disrupts the notion of how subscribers and devices communicate. Harnessing the power of video, voice and data as standard real-time communication features, WebRTC, as envisioned for HTML5 browsers, is redefining technology roadmaps everywhere.

Just last week, Chrome and Firefox revealed the two browsers can successfully “talk” to each other via WebRTC. In addition to not having to download any plugins or configure any chats, WebRTC delivers high-definition (HD) video and audio and low-delay communication to the browser. In order for this project to succeed, a Web-based communications platform needs to work across browsers.

Thanks to the work and participation of the W3C and IETF communities in developing the platform, Chrome and Firefox can now communicate by using standard technologies such as the Opus andVP8 codecs for audio and video, DTLS-SRTP for encryption and ICE for networking. The W3C (News - Alert) recently brought out a stable framework specification of HTML5, which are feature complete for developers to use. The current version, based on word from W3C CEO Jeff Jaffe, is sufficient that developers will know just what they'll need in terms of skills to reach a wide variety of devices, from smartphones to televisions to even “devices not yet known.”

WebRTC promises to unleash further innovations in connecting Web users to telecom networks as well as revolutionizing new possibilities from TV's to in-car systems. Every aspect of the trillion-dollar consumer, carrier, OTT and enterprise communications sphere will benefit from this disruption.

On Wednesday, February 20, 2013 12:00 p.m. EST, Jatin Garg of Dialogic and Dean Bubley (News - Alert) of Disruptive Analysis will present in a webinar, “WebRTC: The Browser Speaks; Telco’s Listen,” on the possibilities and elements of success for WebRTC. The webinar is particularly interesting for telecom and Web Services CTOs, business managers, product managers and developers. To register for the webinar, click here.