WebRTC and Web Design

How WebRTC Will Impact Web Design

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> Web Real-Time Communications

> New standard that allows browser to be endpoint for communications

> “Allows developers to add real-time voice calls, video chats and file sharing to their web apps without the need for plug-ins.” –TechCrunch

> Javascript, open sourced by Google

WebRTCWhat It Is, Exactly

3 Communications at Web SpeedNothing short of a communications revolution

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> A softphone in a browser

> Complexity reduction

> Real-time everywhere

> $2 trillion industry re-invented

> Skype, but better, based on standards

The Vision of WebRTCApproaching reality at Web speed

5 Browser SupportHeading Towards Adoption

Chrome• Desktop: Full support• Mobile: Coming soon

Firefox / Firefox Mobile• Desktop: Full support and interop with

Chrome• Mobile: Announced (Android)

Safari• Apple focused on Face Time walled garden

and H.264• Third party plugin: e.g. webrtc4all • iOS is closed and prevents third party

browsers from accessing certain functions

Opera• Mobile: Available (Android)

IE• Via ChromeFrame plugin• Microsoft chose a proprietary path

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Features• Codecs• Encryption• NAT traversal• Bandwidth

mgmt

Signaling• SIP• XMPP• Proprietary

How Does It Work?Simple, its (almost) all in the browser

WebSocketsWebSockets

7 Basic DiagramPutting the pieces together

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> Voice• Opus (royalty free, open

source)

> Video• Google and Mozilla and W3C

favor VP8 (patent free and open source)

• Microsoft, Cisco, Apple favor H.264 (requires a license)

> Microsoft• Remember RTAudio and

RTVideo?

Ongoing Fight over Codecs and PatentsWebRTC attempts to set a new standard for open source and royalty free codecs

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> Email, such as Outlook, Zimbra

> CRM, such as Salesforce

> Not just voice/video, but screen-sharing, right in the app

> Communications-enablement becomes the standard for web apps, especially at work

Communications-Enabling Web AppsAdding Voice, Video, Screen Share, and Chat capabilities

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Unite Zimbra first version• Initiate calls (click-to-call)• Presence integration• Unified messaging / call history• Conference management• Corporate address book• Calendar free / busy

Unite Zimbra second version• Voice / video in the browser• Screen sharing from the Zimbra

UI• Integrated chat / group chat

VMware Zimbra Communications Enabled WebRTC brings voice / video / screen sharing right into the Zimbra browser UI

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> Fresh Tilled Soil created Video Chat Widget for websites

> Twelephone-WebRTC-based service to use your Twitter handle as your phone #, but works only in browser

> BananaBread game: peer-to-peer, multiplayer WebRTC technology

> CubeSlam: play face-to-face with friends

Some Cool ExperimentsApplications in Social Media, eCommerce, Gaming, more!

“A Million Touchpoints”: Changing the Function of Websites Forever

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> Websites become a key customer service function• Yes, a function

> Scores, on large sites, hundreds of endpoints where a call can—and will—originate

> Forget click-to-chat on sites, the website is the customer service, and sometimes sales, hub

Changing What Websites Can DoNever Further from Brochureware

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> WebRTC will be integrated the way social needs to be now

> Part of the evolution to website as applications

> Once it’s accepted, will need to plan for WebRTC as a key part of any serious enterprise or consumer-facing website

Changing Websites’ FunctionSites Become More Interactive In A Way Social Leads

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> eCommerce

> EDU sites

> eLearning: Any site can enable real-time learning with voice, chat, and video

> Social Media: With applications like Twelephone, social media becomes a true endpoint in the customer service chain

> Community

Impacts Many FunctionsWebRTC Creates Thousands of Touchpoints Across A Site

Designing the WebRTC-Enabled Site

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> Add where it will benefit

> Think about how WebRTC can enhance the:• User experience• Lead generation and sales process• Customer support experience• Community

> Add in functionality in areas where it will have significant impact, given the internal needs to support real-time communications

Reasons to Add WebRTCImprove Functionality, UX, Stickiness

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> Need to be Designed Thoughtfully

> Where are we putting real-time on our site?• Where does it make sense, in terms of

functionality, to have voice? Chat? Video?• Tempting to be a kid in a candy store• Too many different functions, and it can

become cumbersome to manage

Questions to Ask at the Start of a ProjectDesigning WebRTC Into a Site Creates Great New Capabilities

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> Many orgs are still not handling social media correctly, and now WebRTC is social cubed

> Does this need to tie into the phone system?

> Who is responsible within the organization for managing the inbound and outbound communications?• PR?• Customer service?• Sales?• All of the above?• What gets routed where?

Is the Organization Ready?And how to get clients ready for WebRTC

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> Connect to phone system• SIP

> Social media

> Customer service• Call center• Email

> Ensure pieces are in place, backend will support it, and responsibilities identified before a project kicks off

Planning IntegrationMaking WebRTC Work with the Rest of Organizational Infrastructure

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> Consumer adoption first lead the way, pushing the envelope and leading other applications

> Will start to drive enterprise demand

> Applications to customer service and social the greatest

> Consumer sites with service focus

> Organizations will need to know when, how to apply to be effective

What Next for WebRTC?Some predictions