WebVR: What is It?

This episode introduces the WebVR specification. Learn where it is created, the advantages over native VR, and how the VR experience would work on the web.

See the WebVR 1.1 Specification

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In this episode, we'll talk about WebVR, what it is, what you can do with it, and what its capabilities are. I'm your host, Alexis Menard and I will help you understand how you can bring your VR experience onto the web. This is WebVR. 

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WebVR is an upcoming specification, which allows web developers to create immersive experiences within the web browser. It is built on the foundations of the web, HTML, JavaScript*, and CSS. WebVR is not a plugin or an add to install on your browser. It's built right into the browser engine. It is created by the World Wide Web Consortium or W3C, an immersive community group where major players help shape the API. Ultimately, after a few iterations, it will become a full web standout, just like your favorite HTML or CSS feature, and be available in most web browsers. 

WebVR is built on a foundation of the web platform. It uses a modern JavaScript API to draw and get information from the head-mounted display or HMD. With that said, it begs the question, why should you develop VR for the web? 

First, the web is great scaling. You can upload a file into a server, and it becomes accessible to millions of internet users instantly. Second, the web has broad access to the users, which will get you reach. Third, the web is discoverable. It's very easy to share a URL on the web, for example, on Twitter, Facebook, or your favorite chat application. Finally, the web is indexed by various search engines, making a way for your content to be discovered by other means and social media. 

The web is a place where the user experience is frictionless. People just click on the URL, and the latest content appears. There is no download steps, there is no update process, and the latest content is always available right there. With the web, you can reach various types of devices or operating system, and it has a great set of perimeters to handle heterogeneous environments. 

WebVR is built on that premise, and we believe that it can progressively enhance your content to provide a better VR experience, whether or not you have VR hardware, or simple or more advanced VR system. Thanks are watching and subscribing to the Intel Software Channel. We will see you next week for another episode of WebVR.