iPad, iPhone, HTML5; Flash Killers? I think NOT!
I keep hearing a lot of “Flash Haters” these days telling me that HTML5 is going to be the “Flash killer” and it started to concern me. So I’ve done a little research, to see if there was anything behind that speculation, and if I should start pondering a new career.
Here is some HTML5 information:
- It has taken the W3C over 5 years to develop the standards for HTML5, and it is still not complete. It is still a ’standards in progress’ so claiming it’s victory is far too soon to predict.
- Browser implementation of these standards “may vary.” As of today only Firefox 3.5, Google Chrome, Safari, and Opera browsers support some of the standards like the Video and Canvas tags. Microsoft, although claiming it will adhere to standards in the future, has only implemented a minutia of the new HTML5 advanced features (local storage, AJAX navigation, and mutable DOM prototypes)
- “One of HTML 5’s goals is to move the Web away from proprietary technologies such as Flash, Silverlight, and JavaFX,” says Ian Hickson, co-editor of the HTML 5 specification. (Hickson is a Google employee, while his co-editor David Hyatt works for Apple.) Hickson adds, “It would be a terrible step backward if humanity’s major development platform [the Web] was controlled by a single vendor the way that previous platforms such as Windows have been.” – Paul Krill – Infoworld
- Yes, YouTube and Vimeo have put out HTML5 test sites to get ahead of the market in delivering video in a less CPU-intensive method than Flash.
Reasons why HTML5 isn’t going to kill Flash, Silverlight and JavaFX:
- The browser market is fragmented and supporting all platforms will be more difficult if implementation of the standards aren’t the same. Here’s a lovely example of “Video on the Web” from Dive into HTML5 by Mark Pilgrim. In this excerpt he explains the multitude of video and audio formats available, and the inconsistencies across browsers using the <Video> tag. Not to mention that ultimately, the solution still requires you to put in something that will play Flash video for those browsers that aren’t HTML5 compliant.
- Microsoft isn’t too excited about killing Silverlight… since it’s invested a lot of resources into filling the gap that the browsers have left open. Although they may make improvements in the future, Silverlight is not going away anytime soon. (Nor will Flash or JavaFX)
- Rich Internet Applications are not just the <Video> and <Canvas> tag. There is far more development required to build truly immersive internet experiences, and there will always be a market for plug-ins that extend the browser’s limited functionality.
As far as Apple’s iPhone.. it doesn’t play any embedded video. You’re forced into the iPhone’s video player regardless of your designs. The iPad seems to have enhanced that by allowing for “in-line” video playback.. using HTML5;
So why does Apple continues to ignore Flash? Performance issues, battery-life draining processes, fear of loosing “Oober Veto Power” of applications within their precious devices… or a dozen other excuses…
Courtesy of Lee Brimelow - theFlashBlog.com
