Mozilla has announced an update to Firefox 34 beta featuring a new calling service powered by Telefonica.
The service, dubbed Firefox Hello, is based on the Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) video and audio chat technology that sets up a p2p connection between browsers.
Firefox Hello is described as “the first global communications system built directly into a browser” and is based on the OpenTok platform from Telefonica’s WebRTC subsidiary TokBox.
The service allows web users to communicate in real-time via voice and video by simply using a WebRTC-compatible browser, such as Firefox, Chrome and Opera (but not Safari or Internet Explorer).
Mozilla underlined that one of the key benefits of Firefox Hello is that users don’t have to hand over personal information to make a free call.
They don’t even need the same browser, software or hardware as the person they want to call.
They simply need to open Firefox 34 beta, click on the chat bubble icon inside the customise menu and connect with anyone who has a WebRTC-compatible browser by sharing the generated callback link.
In addition, contacts management has been added for the first time, with functionality for manual input or importing through a Google account. Firefox Hello will be rolled out to users “over the next few weeks,” said Mozilla.
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Source: Telecompaper