MacStadium announced Orka Workspace with Pulse, a new system for virtual macOS desktop delivery that enables high-definition audio and visual streaming on Orka Workspace virtual Mac desktops via any HTML5 supported browser.

Orka's new Pulse feature is the first application of WebRTC on macOS VDI and is now available in Preview within the Orka Workspace solution. The new system for virtual Mac desktop delivery leverages a reimagined transmission protocol to create low-latency, high-performance macOS workspaces required by developers worldwide. It also leverages the industry-leading WebRTC technology, which is backed by Apple, Google, Microsoft and Mozilla and is used by many leading B2B web applications. Customers can toggle Orka Pulse^TM on or off, as needed to experience the new protocol.

"We are excited to deliver all Orka Workspace customers with access to the new Pulse protocol," said Chris Chapman, MacStadium senior vice president and CTO. "With the new Orka Pulse technology, Orka Workspace joins the ranks of other B2B web-based applications such as Zoom, Salesforce and Slack that are using WebRTC technology to drive modern business communications.

In 2021, Gartner predicted that demand for desktops as a service would increase by 150 percent from 2020 to 2023. This reinforces the increased demand for remote work and technology like DaaS, which is required to enable secure and scalable distributed workforce. As more companies continue to adopt DaaS applications, MacStadium's Orka Workspace works as an all-encompassing solution for virtual desktop capabilities.

Many B2B applications use the foundations of WebRTC to deliver audio and video communications over the web, but prior to Orka Pulse, packaging and transferring an entire desktop presents challenges particularly for a macOS desktop.

"Pulse provides a foundation for the transmission of real-time audio and video necessary for macOS virtual desktops to work as they should. But using WebRTC for macOS presented unique challenges that required our team to redesign some of the components with integration to macOS APIs to deliver that uniquely Mac video experience users know and love," Chapman added. "We even published some of our work on the updated Swift RTP as open-source code to enable more macOS, WebRTC tools and development."

Orka Pulse enables faster releases by providing remote developers with access to more powerful Mac virtual workspaces, allowing them to work at a faster pace with more flexible resources. Users can interact with a remote Mac device with the ability to stream 1080p video and no need for local installs or plugins as Orka Pulse requires only a HTML5 browser. Additionally, the solution provides end-to-end encrypted user sessions that are managed by organizations' IT teams and can be terminated on-demand if risks are identified.

The announcement comes after MacStadium recently made public its Orka Small Teams edition, a self-service purchase option, giving DevOps teams immediate access to the industry's leading enterprise-grade macOS virtualization and orchestration tool. As tech companies look to streamline operations and maximize their resources, this automation is critical to remain competitive.