Change of heart? IE11 might speed Web graphics with WebGL

The WebGL-powered version of Google Maps shows transparent 3D buildings such as this view of Kowloon and offers other fancy effects.

(Credit: screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET)

Microsoft's next version of Internet Explorer might just support WebGL, a standard for accelerated 3D graphics on the Web that the company previously has attacked as a security risk.

A leaked version of the next version of Windows, code-named Blue, came with a version of IE11, and developer's scrutiny of the browser shows evidence of WebGL.

"It seems like WebGL interfaces are defined but not functional at this time," said Web developer and author Francois Remy in a blog post this week. That means that the IE11 build has some infrastructure in place to support WebGL, but lacks actual support at this stage.

Microsoft won't confirm anything at this stage. "We don't comment on rumors or speculation," the company said in a statement.

WebGL got its start at Mozilla and won Google's endorsement as a way to bring 3D graphics to the Web and to speed them up with hardware acceleration. WebGL, also helpful with 2D graphics acceleration, is good for games and poten... [Read more]