Google has been slowly throwing support behind HTML5, signaling it's considering making the next version of YouTube compatible with the standard.
Google has rolled out a new HTML5-based player on YouTube that allows users to watch videos without needing Adobe's Flash plug-in. Apple has been eyeing HTML5 and is a decent sized backer, so perhaps the move is to help with upcoming devices and future compatibility.
Another big Web video hosting site, Vimeo, has followed suit and unleashed its own HTML5 beta test. These two services are a bit behind DailyMotion and a few others that launched HTML5 tests last year, but YouTube and Vimeo represent a very large audience.
The prototype YouTube player is available at www.youtube.com/html5, while Vimeo's new player is enabled by clicking a "switch to HTML5 player" link below its videos. So far, the players seem restricted to Chrome, Safari and Internet Explorer users running the ChromeFrame plug-in.
Some are saying the shift here is coming as a response to pressure from users demanding standards-based solutions that are more compatible with the open Web. While there are such tech-savvy users, they don't represent the general online audience - especially when it comes to these video services.
One reason for the switch might be demands from content producers and developers who want to distribute their content without having to code for Flash. It also might open up the platform for other services - like a check-out or rental offering - allowing Google and Vimeo to partner with a wider variety of companies, instead of investing time to create their own applications.
HTML5 video integrates "seamlessly with conventional HTML content" and is easy to edit and "manipulate through Web tools and platforms, making it easy to match videos and video players" with the style of a user's Web site, according to a Memphis-based Web design firm.
Vimeo, through a blog post, said it feels the advantages of its new HTML5 player are quicker video loads, smoother playback and easier navigation without the wait for buffering. It also expands the service to more devices that don't support Adobe - like the iPhone.
What's to Gain?
A shift to HTML5 for Google would enable it to avoid getting stuck in proprietary video clients, especially those controlled by a single source instead of a group or consortium.
Ryan Paul of Ars Technica said, "The future of native Web video can be guided through an inclusive process in which stakeholders are allowed to participate."
Paul also said another big win would be simply allowing users to step away from Flash if they so desired: "Flash is often criticized by users who are frustrated with its poor performance and stability; high resource consumption; frequent security vulnerabilities; lack of conduciveness to accessibility; poor browser integration; and a multitude of other problems."
Mac and Linux users also seem to feel the burn from these problems a little stronger.
Standing in the Way
While many are already hailing HTML5 as the wave of the future, it hasn't hit the shores for most users.
The biggest gap here is the support for HTML5 on standard browsers. Microsoft's Internet Explorer has no native support for the standard, and the Chrome-based plug-in isn't a solid way to reach users. Microsoft is reportedly working with the standard and publically endorsed it last year, but there's never been any firm date for compatibility.
Like all emerging standards, there are also a few versions and a concern over what to support; here, that's the Web's choice of video codec.
Google and Apple prefer the "h.264," while Opera, Mozilla and a handful of other smaller providers favor the "Ogg Theora." Currently, Ogg doesn't match h.264's performance, but it's able to be used royalty-free and can be distributed and included in open-source software.
A great comparison of the two codecs can be found here: http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2009/07/decoding-the-html-5-video-codec-debate.ars.
Vimeo and YouTube are both supporting h.264, which means Mozilla's Firefox browser is completely out of the loop for now, a decent slice of the market.
The Coming Tide
This argument isn't about to peak soon, which gives Adobe plenty of time to shore up more support for Flash and address some of its issues.
There seems to be major support for HTML5, but the concerns over codecs for implementation will stall the adoption on a lot of machines.
Another big stalling point for now is user education. This is one of the hardest areas to crack for things like video codecs and formatting. The best bet here is to make information available to savvy users and just ignore the masses until it can reach all of them. Forcing a shift to HTML5 would seriously hurt any video services; they need to be browser-neutral instead of forcing users to a compatible browser.
HTML5 will likely bring a better age of Web-based video, but it'll be a long fight for it to become the PC standard.
Even if it does, don't expect Adobe to go anywhere. Adobe has said it is aiming at the TV set and other connected-CE devices through new developments and consolidating its Flash standard. While video sites look at what may come, they will still need to support Flash. If Adobe makes its way onto more connected devices, it'll be that much of a harder decision for YouTube and others to leave Flash behind. |
