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Apple, Google and Microsoft commit to 'end-to-end' password-free sign-ins
Apple, Google and Microsoft are uniting to improve support for password-free sign-ins across your devices.
What would the internet look like without third-party cookies?
With recent news about Google committing to disabling third-party cookies in Chrome, it seems like the internet as we know it is about to undergo a seismic shift — at least behind the scenes. What will it look like?
The web just got an official password-free login standard
Web Authentication (aka WebAuthn) has been a de facto standard for no-password web sign-ins for a while given that many tech giants are already using it, but now it's official. The World Wide Web Consortium and the FIDO Alliance have finalized the Web Authentication format, making it the go-to option for logging into accounts with potentially greater security and convenience than typing in your credentials. If a site supports it, you can get in using biometrics (such as fingerprints or facial recognition), USB security keys, or nearby mobile devices like phones and smartwatches.
Web standard brings password-free sign-ins to virtually any site
Tech companies have been trying to do away with web passwords for years, but now it looks like they've reached a key milestone. The FIDO Alliance and W3C have launched a Web Authentication standard that makes it easier to offer truly unique encryption credentials for each site. That, in turn, lets you access virtually any online service in a PC browser through password-free FIDO Authentication, not just specific services. You can continue to use familiar methods like fingerprint readers, cameras and USB keys, and it can serve both in place of and in addition to passwords.
Web gets built-in copy protection hooks with a few key flaws
Like it or not, the web is getting some built-in padlocks. The World Wide Web Consortium has decided to publish Encrypted Media Extensions, a standard for hooking copy protection into web-based streaming video, without making significant changes to a version agreed to in March. While it's not perfect, the W3C argues (you still need to deal with a vendor's content decryption module), it's purportedly better than the make-it-yourself approach media providers have to deal with right now. There do appear to be some improvements to the status quo for digital rights management. However, there are more than a few detractors -- there are concerns that the W3C simply ignored concerns in the name of expediency.
Microsoft hopes 1080p Netflix makes Edge your next browser
As Microsoft continues to nudge folks into trying its new Edge browser on Windows 10, its latest tease is the promise of better looking, more efficient video streaming. Just like Apple's Safari browser on OS X, it turns out that on Windows only Microsoft's browsers stream HTML5 Netflix in 1080p, while Chrome, Firefox and Opera all max out at 720p and a much lower bitrate. It also claims the browser makes use of Windows 10's enhancements to offload video and audio processing to the right hardware in ways that save significant battery life.
Google will fix Chrome's scrolling with Microsoft's help
Smoother scrolling is coming to Chrome, as Google will integrate Microsoft's Pointer Events API into a future version of the browser. To say that Google and Microsoft haven't had the best working relationship would be an understatement. The companies have been warring on several different fronts, with browsers and the future of the web being a major sticking point. As Ars Technica reports, now that Internet Explorer (and all the legacy that comes with it) is about to be retired in favor of a sleeker, standards-friendly browser, the two companies -- or at least their browser teams -- are starting to warm to one another.
Mozilla bends on 'built-in' Firefox DRM so it can keep streaming Netflix
While Netflix and others work on new ways to stream movies to your browser through HTML5 that don't use Flash or Silverlight plugins, Hollywood's requirements for DRM to prevent copying have put Mozilla in a bind. The DRM proposed means user's don't know exactly what's going on their machines or if it's violating their privacy, but without it Firefox will eventually be locked out of streaming most movies and TV shows. As a result, Mozilla announced plans to roll it out in the next few months on Windows, Mac and Linux versions of the browser, so one upside could be official Netflix support on Linux.
Internet infrastructure groups push for more independence from US monitoring
Internet overseers like ICANN, the IETF and the W3C aren't happy that the US strongly influences their operations, especially when it likes to spy on much of the world. Accordingly, several of these organizations have just called for truly international governance of online affairs. The groups want to speed up the globalization of their roles and let everyone contribute "on an equal footing." In other words, they want national institutions like the US Department of Commerce (which monitors ICANN) out of the picture. A statement of intent doesn't guarantee action, but it's clear that Americans shouldn't expect to maintain their current level of control.
W3C to explore a proposal bringing DRM hooks to HTML
The web is defined by the free, open exchange of information, right? Not necessarily. The W3C has decided that it's "in scope" for its HTML Working Group to explore a specification for the Encrypted Media Extensions framework, which would allow companies to plug in their own copy protection for web content. In other words, the effort would add support for DRM extensions to the web itself, rather than leave it to content plugins like Flash. The W3C's Philippe Le Hegaret is careful to note that this isn't an explicit endorsement of EME as it's suggested, or even the call for consensus on the proposal -- there are already concerns that the spec would lead to an abundance of DRM plugins that wouldn't work in certain browsers or operating systems. However, there's a chance it may become reality when EME's backers include content hosts or producers like the BBC, Google, Microsoft and Netflix.
W3C completes HTML5 definition, starts interoperability testing
Long heralded as the darling of the open web, the standards for HTML5 haven't actually been finalized by the W3C -- it was just recently that the international consortium pledged to get it done by 2014. So it's good to hear the group just hit a significant milestone on the road to that goal by publishing the full definition for the spec this Tuesday. With that accomplished, the next step is interoperability and performance testing to make sure HTML5 plays nice with any and all browsers, servers and other web tools. The W3C hopes that this will bring "broad HTML 5 interoperability" by 2014, which fits right in to the organization's philosophy of bringing the entirety of the web -- however divisive -- together.
W3C teams with Apple, Google, Mozilla on WebPlatform, a guide to building the open web (video)
The World Wide Web Consortium might just be the United Nations of web development, as it's bringing together some frequent enemies to fight for a common cause through WebPlatform.org. The collaboration will see Adobe, Apple, Facebook, Google, HP, Microsoft, Mozilla, Nokia and Opera pool educational resources to create a comprehensive, frequently updated guide to creating HTML5 and other content for the open web. The companies' instructional oversight is just the start, however -- visitors will have chats and forums to devise their own solutions, and they'll even have a better than usual chance at influencing mid-development web standards. It may be some time before we'll see the first fruits of the organization's work, but we're already happy to see technology companies set aside some of their differences.
Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, others to launch new Web standards resource
Apple is just one of quite a few big tech companies signed on to help support the Worldwide Web Consortium (known as the W3C) in developing a brand new web standards resource called WebPlatform.org. The new site is simply designed to get all available information about how to code for the various web standards out there (from HTML and CSS to newer tech like the Canvas API and various Audio plugins) all together in one clean, easy-to-find place. If you do coding for the web, the site is probably a valuable resource already, and all of the companies involved are trying to convince content creators to help them grow it by contributing to the forums, docs and tutorials currently available on the site. Apple's got lots of reason to support a movement like this, especially as its various Macs and iDevices claim more and more of the web's browsing audience. So it's no surprise that Cupertino is contributing to make a resource like this available. [via TheNextWeb]
W3C says HTML 5 will be finalized in 2014, HTML 5.1 to follow in 2016
HTML 5 has been a buzz word around the interwebs for so long you'd be forgiven if you thought it was a well-established standard looking for a successor. In fact, nothing could be farther from the truth. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), which helps establish the primary standards used online, didn't actually intend to complete HTML 5 until 2022. Thankfully, the group has reconsidered that seemingly absurd timeline and now plans to have this whole mess wrapped up by the end of 2014. The revised plan calls for an HTML 5 Candidate Recommendation (sort of like a feature-frozen beta) to be submitted by the end of 2012, before being finalized in 2014. All existing bits of the standard that are unstable or that suffer interoperability problems will be pulled from that candidate and pushed to a draft version of HTML 5.1. While HTML 5 is being completed, its evolutionary successor will begin the process of marching towards standardization, with a target completion date of 2016. For a more detailed exploration of the future of HTML hit up the source link.
Microsoft no fan of existing WebRTC standard, proposes its own to get Skype onboard
Microsoft, objecting to a web standard promoted by its competitors? Get out. While Firefox, Opera and now Chrome have implemented WebRTC on some level for plugin-free VoIP and webcam chats, Microsoft doesn't think the existing, proposed standard is up to snuff for linking with existing devices or obeying "key web tenets." It's suggesting a new CU-RTC-Web standard to fix what it claims is broken with WebRTC. Thankfully, the changes are more technical improvements than political maneuvering: Microsoft wants a peer-to-peer transport level that gives more control as well as to reduce some of the requirements that it sees holding the technology back as of today. There's no doubt an economic incentive for a company that wants to push Skype in the browser, but the format is already in front of the W3C and could become a real cross-platform standard. If other W3C members are willing to (slightly) reinvent the wheel, Microsoft's approach could get Chrome and Internet Explorer users talking -- no, really talking.
Google, Microsoft and Netflix want DRM-like encryption in HTML5
HTML5 is supposed to set the web free. Free to deliver and shape online media in any web browser. However, several of the standard's greatest champions want to be able to restrict the use of audio and video tags through encrypted media extensions. A draft proposal has been submitted by Google, Microsoft, and Netflix to the W3C -- the curators of HTML5 -- to add encrypted media extensions to the web standard's spec. The proposed system works using a key-based content decryption system controlled by applications, thusly providing the copy protection that so many content owners desire. Naturally, the proposal specifically states that "no DRM is added to the HTML5 specification" if it's adopted, but letting apps lock up audio and video content sure sounds like digital rights management to us. However, there's already some discord amongst the W3C's members as to whether the proposal will work as promised, so its addition to HTML5 is far from assured. You can read the full proposal at the source below, and check out the more coverage links for some added perspective. and tags through encrypted media extensions. A draft proposal has been submitted by Google, Microsoft, and Netflix to the W3C -- the curators of HTML5 -- to add encrypted media extensions to the web standard's spec. The proposed system works using a key-based content decryption system controlled by applications, thusly providing the copy protection that so many content owners desire. Naturally, the proposal specifically states that "no DRM is added to the HTML5 specification" if it's adopted, but letting apps lock up audio and video content sure sounds like digital rights management to us. However, there's already some dischord amongst the W3C's members as to whether the proposal will work as promised, so its addition to HTML5 is far from assured. You can read the full proposal at the source below, and check out the more coverage links for some added perspective on the proposal.
W3C goes after Apple on HTML5 patenting
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has put out a call for prior art request in hopes of invalidating patents Apple has applied for over the HTML5 standard. At issue are two patents Apple holds which describes how mobile apps can request sensitive material, according to ComputerWorld. The W3C's issue with these patents is that, if Apple is allowed to hold them, HTML5 developers who use the technologies will need to pay royalties to Apple. The W3C says that those specific technologies are already part of the royalty-free HTML5 stack and thus encompasses web standards that can be used without paying royalties to any company. As a member of the W3C, many feel Apple should provide a royalty free license for the patents in question -- something Apple has yet to do or even comment on. Until Apple does so, the W3C hopes to find examples of the technologies in Apple's patents that were in use before Apple patented them. Proof of pre-patent use would invalidate Apple's patents, thus allowing the technologies to be rolled into the HTML5 standard and be used royalty free.
HTML5 gets a brave new logo for this brave new world
The lynchpin for all discussions of open web standards, HTML5, has been spruced up with a dedicated logo from its parent organization, the W3C. We'd wax poetic about it, but that job has already been done: "It stands strong and true, resilient and universal as the markup you write. It shines as bright and as bold as the forward-thinking, dedicated web developers you are. It's the standard's standard, a pennant for progress. And it certainly doesn't use tables for layout." [Thanks, Matt]
New HTML5 and web standards support in iOS 4.2
Mobile Web Programming has a detailed writeup of the new HTML5 and W3C future standards support included in yesterday's iOS 4.2 release. These new APIs haven't been fully documented yet by Apple, but these changes have been uncovered as part of Mobile Web Programming's own independent research. They include new standards like Accelerometer and Gyroscope support in the DeviceOrientation API, the WebSockets API that's part of HTML5, and information on how to invoke printing dialog in mobile Safari. Some of the new functionality includes expansion of the DeviceOrientation API to include the accelerometer and gyroscope on devices that have them, so web apps can react to the device being moved around. WebSockets is a new HTML5 standard that allows developers to build even more responsive web apps (by allowing JavaScript to create raw TCP socket connections to HTTP servers), and now comes to mobile Safari for the first time. Not only is Mobile Web Programming's information detailed and informative, the comments to the post are also fairly illuminating. There's a lot more going on in yesterday's iOS 4.2 release than a casual user might suspect, and there's a lot of great news in this release for web developers. If you have any interest in the spinning cogs and gears that make the mobile web work, it's definitely worth your time to check out this writeup. These additions help buttress the idea that Apple is committed to supporting the ongoing growth of HTML5 web standards and the importance of those open standards.
W3C tests HTML5 browser compatibility, crowns IE9 the champ
The World Wide Web Consortium -- you know, the team responsible for certifying and standardizing HTML5 -- has put together its first table of official conformance test results, giving us an idea of how well prepared each of the most popular browsers is for the oncoming web standards revolution. The data show Internet Explorer 9 as the most adroit performer (again), though Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Safari don't seem to be too far behind in their HTML5 compliance, either. Of course, these checks don't cover the entire spec, which in itself isn't even finalized yet, but they provide us with a glimpse into a brave new world where Microsoft actually cares about coders keen on maximizing interoperability by adhering to web-wide standards. Good stuff. Check out the full results at the source link below. [Thanks, Mehran]
