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Microsoft considering WebRTC standard for future Skype web app

Microsoft considering WebRTC standard for future Skype web app

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Microsoft appears to be considering the use of WebRTC for a future Skype web app.

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Skype Chrome browser mock-up
Skype Chrome browser mock-up

We learned from job postings earlier this year that Microsoft is planning to bring Skype to the browser, but fresh listings hint that the company may be using the draft HTML5 standard WebRTC to bring its Skype web app to life. Gigaom spotted a job post for a "Software Development Engineer, Senior, WebRTC" at Skype's London and Palo Alto offices. The listing, that has since been pulled, included the following:

"You will help create an architecture that allows WebRTC enabled endpoints to directly interoperate with other endpoints on the Skype network, without the need of gateways."

Microsoft's previous job listings noted the need for developers with experience of HTML5 user interfaces and specifically mentioned "Skype for browsers." WebRTC is noteworthy as Google open sourced the framework in early 2011, providing video and voice chat in browsers without the need for additional plugins. The W3C is still drafting the WebRTC HTML5 standard, but Microsoft has started to work on implementing the API. Microsoft is refusing to comment "on future product or technology plans," but the company confirmed to Gigaom that it experiments with "standards based and proprietary technologies."