Wowza modernization brings HEVC support and standardized WebRTC ingest protocols

This update transitions Wowza from proprietary WebRTC handshakes to IETF-standardized protocols, significantly reducing integration friction for low-latency ingest and delivery. By adding HEVC for WebRTC, Wowza aligns with the broader industry move toward bandwidth-efficient codecs for sub-second streaming applications. The modernization of underlying components like Tomcat and Jetty addresses long-standing security risks in self-managed infrastructure, a critical requirement for enterprise and government-grade deployments. Watch for increased adoption of WHIP-based encoders in mobile and IoT devices, as this release simplifies the path for integrating Wowza into decentralized edge-streaming environments.

The shift toward standardized WebRTC protocols follows a broader industry trend toward interoperability. Per Dacast (March 2026), the adoption of WHIP (WebRTC-HTTP Ingestion Protocol) provides a predictable signaling baseline similar to what RTMP did for the previous generation of streaming, allowing any compatible encoder to connect to a media server without custom logic. This standardization is critical as the WebRTC market is projected to expand significantly; Technavio (February 2026) estimates the market will grow by $247.7 billion through 2029, driven by real-time requirements in telehealth, security, and industrial IoT.

Wowza’s emphasis on infrastructure reliability comes as it maintains a strategic focus on mission-critical applications. In early 2026, the company noted that government-grade providers like Granicus rely on its hybrid infrastructure to power meeting video for over 7,000 public-sector organizations. This enterprise positioning is bolstered by recent private equity backing; per Clearhaven Partners (June 2025), investment in Wowza aims to accelerate innovation in complex media challenges such as low-latency delivery and internal security compliance.

Competitive pressure is also mounting from cloud-native and API-first platforms. Industry analysts from FastPix (February 2026) noted that while Wowza offers deep infrastructure control, many modern teams are gravitating toward managed services that bundle AI-driven content delivery and automated scaling. Wowza is responding by integrating AI capabilities into its core engine, following its 2025 acquisition of AVA Intellect, an AI-native startup focused on intelligent video agent technology.