The highly anticipated update to Windows 8 and Windows RT, called Windows Blue, leaked last week. Windows Blue build 9364 gave us a sneak peek at whats to come. In that build, we caught our first glimpse of Internet Explorer 11 and a feature that was previously removed but has now made a return.
Back in 2011, Microsoft announced that they would not be “endorsing” WebGL in its current form as a security precaution. The key concerns included the exposure of hardware functionality, a heavy reliance on third parties to secure web experience, and unproven denial-of-service protection capabilities.
Now, it is being reported that Microsoft may be “endorsing” WebGL in the upcoming Internet Explorer 11. Several references to WebGL were uncovered in the leaked Windows Blue build which gives hope that Microsoft may indeed enable support.
Perhaps with WebGL support in Internet Explorer 11, we may see the software giant’s favorite little browser go head to head with Google’s Chrome browser. While Microsoft may have thought it was a security risk to use WebGL, it seems that the company is changing its mind after seeing Chrome dominate in market share. The internet is shifting towards a more 3D and immersive experience, so having WebGL support is a do or die moment for Internet Explorer.
Further reading: Chrome, IE11, Windows Blue
