Microsoft proposes Chromium update to improve Web calling experience
Microsoft is proposing a change to Chromium to enhance the calling experience in popular web browsers. This update would benefit web applications like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and any other service utilizing the Notifications API. To support this, Microsoft has already developed a working prototype and shared an explainer in Chromium’s repository.
On GitHub, Microsoft elaborated on the proposal: “We want to extend the Notifications API for incoming calls, allowing notification action buttons to be customized and enabling applications to play a ringtone.” The company emphasizes that this update would make incoming call alerts more noticeable, ensuring users can respond quickly. Additionally, it would improve web accessibility by making call notifications more distinct from standard alerts.
A key advantage of this proposal is that browsers would be able to prioritize call notifications over regular ones. While web apps can already send notifications for incoming calls, these are quite basic and lack essential interactive features like answering or rejecting a call directly from the alert. Microsoft’s proposed change would introduce customizable action buttons alongside the standard dismiss option.
In a recent blog post, Microsoft outlined the major benefits of the API extension:
- Call notifications would stand out visually from other alerts.
- Users could interact with calls directly using custom buttons (e.g., answer or decline).
- Notifications could include a ringtone for better audibility.
- When supported by the platform, these notifications would take priority over others.
For those interested in testing this feature, Microsoft has provided a sample app in Microsoft Edge, along with step-by-step instructions in its blog post. The company is also encouraging feedback from developers and users to help refine the API. “If you’re interested in this feature and want to contribute to its development, check out our explainer and share your thoughts by opening a new issue in our repository,” Microsoft stated.
