It wasn’t that long ago that if you were going to watch a streaming video online, that video would be in Flash. It was just expected. That’s how it was and every platform used it.
However, the Internet and the way we receive information are constantly evolving, and we have to keep up with those changes. Not only do we as the public have to keep up with changes, but developers must keep up with those changes, as well.
Take, for example, the move by Google to remove Flash from YouTube and replace it with HTML 5. Could HTML 5 overtake Flash as the go-to animation and video source? Or is this just a fad that may blow over? It looks like Flash may be in trouble.
Steve Jobs Won’t Budge
Steve Jobs is a master at telling consumers what to want. He’s made revolutionary products like the Mac, the iPhone, and the iPad. However, Steve Jobs has certain ideas about how his products should be used. Good or bad, he decided that he didn’t like how the Internet was structured or how easy it was to get pornography on the Internet, much of which was available in Flash.
To get around this, HTML 5 began to emerge as the go-to service for all industries, just because companies wanted to make sure that their videos and web animation would show up on Smartphones of all types, including the iPhone. See, the move to not allow the iPhone to play Flash didn’t just hurt the pornography industry, but it also penalized other video sites that provided great content.
HTML 5 is now the video source of choice for YouTube, and that means the entire dynamic of how we receive content has changed forever. HTML 5 can not only be played on the iPhone, Android phones, and all other Smartphones, but it’s faster, more reliable and it’s far more vivid looking than Flash ever hoped to be.
Did Steve Jobs change this dynamic? Was it the fact that Flash never took an interest in making its service better in the ways in which it delivered information? The world may never know for sure. But one thing is definitely for sure: Flash is on its way out.
YouTube isn’t the only service switching over to HTML 5. It’s like a mass exodus as companies and services across every industry imaginable are making the jump in an attempt to remain relevant in this constantly changing information age.
Just as Myspace was the go-to social networking service when Facebook rose out from out of nowhere to take its place, the same thing has happened with Flash and HTML 5. However, it didn’t just happen overnight. This change has been transpiring ever since it was buzzed, or leaked, that Flash wouldn’t be available on the iPhone or any other Apple product. A new service had to be invented, and HTML 5 rose up and secured its top position.
Will HTML 5 maintain its footing as the go-to service? Again, we can only wait and see. But with things evolving online at such a rapid rate, it’s doubtful that anyone would be surprised if another service rose up from out of nowhere to take its place. Until then, we’ll enjoy our videos; no matter what device we’re watching them on.