Has HTML 5 killed Flash?

There is a growing debate over the fight between HTML5 and Flash for supremacy. However, many agree that the debate largely focuses on web videos. The reason why this is such a crucial factor is because Flash is primarily used for web-based games and a significant part of YouTube. Flash has little to do with web designs. Therefore, flash is primarily associated with just web videos which HTML5 can also handle a lot more efficiently without sidelining the other aspects of web development.

HTML5 – The Best Way for Delivering Video on the Mobile Platform

The main problem with Flash is that the platform is not adaptable and cannot support different types of videos. The issue of compatibility lies with the hardware and software available on the mobile. This is why a drift towards native playback of videos in the H.264 format is observed. Basically, why would you want to use a container when the file can be played back natively along with memory optimization?

Some might argue that Flash also offers a Flash Lite. However, this version is not supported by all devices and even for the devices that do support flash, the video is optimized to the H.264 format. The use of HTML5 facilitates the integration of this process on multiple platforms. Another factor that comes into play is the licensed nature of the H.264 format. The web browsers usually refrain from using it because of this reason. However, the support of this format is integrated in the hardware of mobiles. In addition, HTML5’s capabilities are continually expanding. The ease with which HTML5 delivers videos on the smartphone platform is the reason why its popularity is increasing with each passing day.

Flash’s Inability to Support Operations on Mobile

While many of you may argue on this point, but the truth remains that Flash has not been able to prove worthy when it comes to supporting operations on mobiles. The following points throw some light on this aspect of flash usage –

• In the age where users have moved to smartphones and tablets, the use of Flash majorly remains restricted to the web browser platform.
• Although, the Flash 10.1 version promises to support more devices than Flash Lite, the version also possesses limitations in terms of the format and types of content that the software can support. One of the major reasons that limits the usage of Flash.
• Flash does not support hardware acceleration as well.
• In several cases, even though the platform may support Flash, the software is mostly not included. The fundamental reason why this has been the case is that the experience is not up to the mark. And Flash having issues while operating on Intel’s Atom Platform and several other devices doesn’t come as a news.

One Size May Not Always Fit All

In the present market scenario, everyone is looking at applications that can work on a number of platforms. Versatility is the latest buzzword in the industry. Therefore, there is a high demand for applications that can work on both, desktop as well as on the mobile platform. Even when applications are designed with that objective, they still have to be optimized to work on different platforms. This is perhaps the reason why native development has picked up lately. It is important to realize that one size may not fit all in some cases.HTML5 has become extensively popular, but Flash still remains relevant to its domain. There is something good in every technology and understanding what works well for a business is where the strength of a  good web development company lies. Depending on the requirements of the project, Flash or HTML5 is used to ensure that the solution is nothing less than perfect.