Google Meet vs WebRTC: What are the differences?

Introduction

Google Meet and WebRTC are both technologies used for video conferencing and real-time communication over the internet. While they have some similarities, there are key differences between the two.

1. Video and Audio Quality: One key difference between Google Meet and WebRTC is their video and audio quality. Google Meet offers high-definition video and audio quality, ensuring a clear and crisp communication experience for users. On the other hand, WebRTC's video and audio quality can vary depending on the network conditions and the capabilities of the devices being used.

2. Browser Support: Another difference lies in the browser support. Google Meet is a web-based video conferencing tool that is supported on multiple browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. In contrast, WebRTC is a technology that is natively supported by modern web browsers, allowing developers to directly utilize it for real-time communication without the need for additional plugins or extensions.

3. Features and Functionality: Google Meet offers a range of features and functionalities tailored for online meetings and collaboration, including screen sharing, chat, and the ability to integrate with other Google services. WebRTC, being a technology, provides the foundation for real-time communication and collaboration but does not offer these additional features out of the box. Developers can build their own applications using WebRTC and customize the features based on their specific requirements.

4. User Interface: The user interface of Google Meet is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, allowing participants to easily join meetings, access shared content, and interact with others. WebRTC does not have a specific user interface as it is a technology that can be integrated into different applications. The user interface for WebRTC-based applications can vary depending on the developer's design choices.

5. Administration and Management: Google Meet provides extensive administration and management capabilities, allowing administrators to control meeting settings, manage participants, and monitor usage. WebRTC, being a technology, does not offer these administrative features by default. The administration and management of WebRTC-based applications need to be implemented separately by the developers or integrated with existing management systems.

6. Integration and Ecosystem: Google Meet is part of the broader Google Workspace ecosystem, which includes various other productivity and collaboration tools. This integration allows for seamless integration and interoperability between different Google services. WebRTC, being an open-source technology, can be integrated into different applications and platforms, providing developers with the flexibility to build customized communication solutions tailored to their specific needs.

In summary, Google Meet and WebRTC differ in terms of video and audio quality, browser support, features and functionality, user interface, administration and management capabilities, and integration and ecosystem. While Google Meet is a fully developed video conferencing tool with a comprehensive set of features, WebRTC serves as a technology foundation for real-time communication applications that can be customized and integrated into various platforms.