Will HTML5 Streaming Finally Kill Flash?
PHILADELPHIA – Tech giants like Facebook and Mozilla have supported the concept of Flash technology’s demise for more than 10 years. The long-in-the-tooth industry-standard video-delivery mechanism is a constant source of security threats, even though it undergoes frequent security updates.
The problem with replacing the dinosaur? Until recently, no effective, easy-to-use alternative existed.
That changed with the introduction of HTML5 and its native support for Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP, or DASH. DASH plays without the need for third-party plugins like Flash or Silverlight. Due to native integration with all major browsers, DASH makes possible very-high-resolution 4K video streaming at 60 frames per second.
Google already has announced its Chrome browser will drop support for Silverlight in September. The new Microsoft Edge browser integrated with Windows 10 does not support Silverlight at all—and Silverlight was developed by Microsoft. Many companies are moving to HTML5 for exactly those reasons.
Among the companies shifting video-streaming gears is adult video-on-demand purveyor HotMovies. According to a spokesman for the company, HTML5 “gives users the most secure and reliable streaming experience possible, now and in the future.”
“Our customers’ privacy and security are top priorities,” said HotMovies Chief Technology Officer Bill Barron. “We felt it necessary to lead the way in creating a plugin-free experience for our users while also giving the best experience and quality available in the streaming video market.”