WebRTC data channels have various use cases, several of which are outlined in our WebRTC Metrics Reports. Over the past several weeks, we delved into the different use cases for WebRTC, including the IoT, P2P Video Calls, P2P Messaging, Content Sharing, and Onion-routed Communication.

What is WebRTC?

Web Real-time Communications (WebRTC) is an open source project built to enable peer-to-peer communication in web browsers and mobile applications through application programming interfaces. It eliminates the need for plugins or native app installations, with the distinct goal of making peer-to-peer communication user and developer friendly. Peer-to-peer communication includes audio, video, and data transfers. WebRTC empowers developers to create high-quality RTC applications used in Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Android, as well as natively on iOS and Android.

WebRTC was released by Google in 2011, and has gained popularity ever since. Several high-profile companies implement WebRTC in their applications to provide fast, reliable, and secure communication, including Facebook, Google, Amazon, and others. It has the potential still to be useful for even more companies, such as Netflix, whose users consume 1 billion hours of content per week as of 2017.

In the first post of this series, we delved deeper into what exactly WebRTC is, including the most important elements and how secure it is. To read the first post in this series, please check it out here.

WebRTC and IoT

The internet of things device industry has expanded significantly in the past several years, and only has more room to grow. Using WebRTC with IoT devices is a natural fit, and can have a positive impact on communication between these devices. The two work together cohesively where connected devices introduce a human element, and where their function can be improved through person-to-person communication. To understand more about the importance of WebRTC and the IoT, please check it out here.

WebRTC and P2P Video Calls

66% of CXOs consider mobile video and real-time information sharing to be critical aspects of their daily communication. WebRTC is changing the video call landscape and making real-time video calls more accessible in multiple ways. WebRTC adds to P2P video calls by providing:

1. Improved Quality
2. Enhanced Security
3. No Friction on Setup

To read more about the effect of using WebRTC with P2P video calls, please check it out here.

WebRTC and P2P Messaging

P2P messaging is huge right now, popularized through apps like WhatsApp and Slack. What does WebRTC bring to the table, and where is it all headed? WebRTC has improved P2P messaging, and holds great things for the future. WebRTC improves P2P messaging by providing:

1. Security
2. Scalability

To find out more about how WebRTC is driving successful P2P messaging, check out this post.

WebRTC and Content Sharing

WebRTC receives its fair share of focus and attention due to its ability to integrate audio, video and text communication within a web or mobile application. An often-overlooked feature, however, is the ability to use WebRTC to facilitate content sharing. WebRTC an appealing option for any company looking to integrate content sharing into their web or mobile applications without relying on specific third-party servers or the need for browser plugins, extensions, or installations. Specifically, it addresses three main concerns:

1. Accessibility
2. Security
3. Scalability

To understand more about how WebRTC is consistently enhancing content sharing, check out this post.

WebRTC and Onion-routed Communication

While onion-routed communication has already proven quite effective, thanks in large part to Tor, this is another area where WebRTC can significantly improve the status quo. While there are some concerns implementing WebRTC with Tor, it can still be useful for other onion-routed communication implementations. WebRTC looks to address three things:

1. In-browser Experience
2. Scalability
3. Security

To read more about how WebRTC robustly augments onion-routed communication, check out this post.

How Can You Use WebRTC?

WebRTC is being used to build new and exciting products every day, at large and small companies alike. It is a dynamic, useful tool that developers can leverage to make their products scalable, secure, and high-quality. For more information on WebRTC data channels, check out one of our previous posts here.

Want to learn more about how to improve the quality of audio and video calls in your WebRTC application? Try out our dashboard.

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