Published: September 19, 2016
Adobe Flash has always been the go-to for companies when it comes to digital ads and videos promoting their brand online, but with the growth of smartphones (literally) and the sudden mobile friendly need — Flash is likely making a permanent exit.
Accessibility
Acting as a mainstay for more than a decade, Flash has offered many versions of the software amongst users over the years. As such, finding an outdated version of Flash on a laptop is all too common and acts as a constant barrier for leveraging the tool online.
HTML5 does not run into this issue as it’s a coding language, not a software platform — like Flash — meaning users are never required to download.
Availability
As mentioned above, Flash is a software platform which means it is not available on mobile devices. Websites are already problematic if not mobile friendly — add Flash media and site visitors are guaranteed a substandard user experience.
HTML5 is available on mobile, desktop, tablet and more — the flexibility that HTML5 provides for brands when it comes to responsive and mobile friendly sites is something to highlight. In addition, Google Chrome recently announced it will not support external plugins with other browsers following suit, which means Flash and websites that support it are in trouble.
Performance
Because Flash is an external plugin, it tends to drain battery on devices. Whereas HTML5 video is completely coded into websites — playing video doesn’t drain the battery as rapidly.
HTML5 beats Adobe Flash in almost every category, though it is not universally supported … yet. Flash is a mature technology known by most companies and users, but HTML5 offers the solution that allows all users at all touchpoints the ability to view videos.
HTML5 is the future for live-streaming and on-demand videos on desktop, mobile and all devices in between. Ready to jump on the mobile friendly bandwagon? Fill out our contact form and let’s chat!
By Loy Vang, Senior Digital Designer
