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Web Audio API Is a W3C Recommendation

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1–10 of 33 posts

Re: Web Audio API Is a W3C Recommendation

#3
post #2

What effect will this have on the web, for somebody out of the loop?

The API is already available in all the major browsers, so nothing really changes with this announcement. The API itself lets you generate and manipulate audio data in a way that was impossible with just the HTML Audio tag.

Re: Web Audio API Is a W3C Recommendation

#4
post #2

What effect will this have on the web, for somebody out of the loop?

Most of the Web Audio stuff has already been present in all major browsers for a little while, this mostly standardises what's already there. The main thing that this brings in that up until now was just a feature of Chrome is the AudioWorklet, so real-time low-level audio processing in JS worklets will work cross-browser when its implemented in the other browsers. It's very difficult to implement low-level audio processing off of the main thread in non-Chromium browsers at the moment.

Re: Web Audio API Is a W3C Recommendation

#5
post #2

What effect will this have on the web, for somebody out of the loop?

Most of the Web Audio stuff has already been present in all major browsers for a little while, this mostly standardises what's already there. The main thing that this brings in that up until now was just a feature of Chrome is the AudioWorklet, so real-time low-level audio processing in JS worklets will work cross-browser when its implemented in the other browsers. It's very difficult to implement low-level audio pro…

AudioWorklet (which allows you to work with audio sample-by-sample in a dedicated, high priority "thread") is available and works well in Firefox and the latest Safari. I haven't tried it in Edge, but I believe it's also working well.

Re: Web Audio API Is a W3C Recommendation

#6
And I'm sure iOS Safari will still keep annoying restrictions on using it. I 100% understand the reasoning behind not allowing sound to play unless it's "user initiated" but it's really frustrating how small that window is and/or how you can't ask for that "permission". I have a web app that uses the camera for scanning (don't get me started on how Chrome/FF/etc on iOS can't use the camera for streaming) and in Safari I want to play little beep noise (toggleable on/off) after a successful scan but that's impossible.

Re: Web Audio API Is a W3C Recommendation

#7
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most of the Web Audio stuff has already been present in all major browsers for a little while, this mostly standardises what's already there. The main thing that this brings in that up until now was just a feature of Chrome is the AudioWorklet, so real-time low-level audio processing in JS worklets will work cross-browser when its implemented in the other browsers. It's very difficult to implement low-level audio pro…

AudioWorklet (which allows you to work with audio sample-by-sample in a dedicated, high priority "thread") is available and works well in Firefox and the latest Safari. I haven't tried it in Edge, but I believe it's also working well.

Oh yeah, you're right, they've been added since I last looked into it. Nice!

Re: Web Audio API Is a W3C Recommendation

#10

What practical difference does the ceremony of ‘recommending’ make?

I'm not sure it does make any practical difference, but I could be wrong. But as someone who has been a little bit involved in the process since 2010 it's an enjoyable personal milestone. And I'm really happy for all of the wonderful people I've met along the way who contributed way more than I did.
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