YouTube has decided to drop Flash support. The Google-owned video streaming service is making HTML5 the standard format for videos played back through their site. All videos streamed via Safari 8 Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome will be delivered via HTML5. It’s hoped that the change will diminish problems with buffering. The adaptive bitrate of HTML enables content providers to change video quality depending on what bandwidth is at play.
Additional benefits include VP9 codec support, which means 4K video can be played at 60fps. WebRTV support will make it easier for users to share content, and faster loading times can be expected. HTML5 is also better suited to platforms including tablets and smartphones than Adobe’s Flash, say experts. It’s thought that Flash is now likely to become defunct in the near future.
YouTube was founded by three ex-PayPal employees ten years ago. It was bought by Google in November 2006. The service recently announced a deal with the NFL, with exclusive content to be shown before and after Superbowl XLIX. It’s estimated that YouTube is worth more than $40 billion.
Are you glad to see Flash being dropped? Do you think problems with buffering really will disappear? Let us know your thoughts below.