Four years ago, we wrote about YouTube’s early support for the HTML5 tag and how it performed compared to Flash. At the time, there were limitations that held it back from becoming our preferred platform for video delivery. Most critically, HTML5 lacked support for Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) that lets us show you more videos with less buffering.
Over the last four years, we’ve worked with browser vendors and the broader community to close those gaps, and now, YouTube uses HTML5 by default in Chrome, IE 11, Safari 8 and in beta versions of Firefox.
The benefits of HTML5 extend beyond web browsers, and it’s now also used in smart TVs and other streaming devices. Here are a few key technologies that have enabled this critical step forward:
Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) streaming is critical for providing a quality video experience for viewers
ABR has reduced buffering by more than 50 percent globally and as much as 80 percent on heavily-congested networks.
HTML5 lets you take advantage of the open VP9 codec, which gives you higher quality video resolution with an average bandwidth reduction of 35 percent. These smaller files allow more people to access 4K and HD at 60FPS
In the past, the choice of delivery platform (Flash, Silverlight, etc) and content protection technology.
Encrypted Media Extensions separate the work of content protection from delivery, enabling content providers like YouTube to use a single HTML5 video player across a wide range of platforms.
WebRTC
YouTube enables everyone to share their videos with the world, whether uploading pre-recorded videos or broadcasting live. WebRTC allows us to build on the same technology that enables plugin-free Google Hangouts to provide broadcasting tools from within the browser.
Using the new fullscreen APIs in HTML5, YouTube is able to provide an immersive fullscreen viewing experience (perfect for those 4K videos), all with standard HTML UI.
Given the progress we’ve made with HTML5 , we’re now defaulting to the HTML5 player on the web. We’re also deprecating the “old style” of Flash embeds and our Flash API. We encourage all embedders to use the API, which can intelligently use whichever technology the client supports.
Those additions mean HTML5 is at least as functional – or more so – than Flash, and if YouTube detects you are running Chrome, IE 11, Safari 8 and beta versions of Firefox, it’ll now deliver video using and flush Flash.
YouTube’s also decided to can what it calls the “’old style’ of Flash
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3 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
YouTube now defaults to HTML5
http://youtube-eng.blogspot.fi/2015/01/youtube-now-defaults-to-html5_27.html
Four years ago, we wrote about YouTube’s early support for the HTML5 tag and how it performed compared to Flash. At the time, there were limitations that held it back from becoming our preferred platform for video delivery. Most critically, HTML5 lacked support for Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) that lets us show you more videos with less buffering.
Over the last four years, we’ve worked with browser vendors and the broader community to close those gaps, and now, YouTube uses HTML5 by default in Chrome, IE 11, Safari 8 and in beta versions of Firefox.
The benefits of HTML5 extend beyond web browsers, and it’s now also used in smart TVs and other streaming devices. Here are a few key technologies that have enabled this critical step forward:
Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) streaming is critical for providing a quality video experience for viewers
ABR has reduced buffering by more than 50 percent globally and as much as 80 percent on heavily-congested networks.
HTML5 lets you take advantage of the open VP9 codec, which gives you higher quality video resolution with an average bandwidth reduction of 35 percent. These smaller files allow more people to access 4K and HD at 60FPS
In the past, the choice of delivery platform (Flash, Silverlight, etc) and content protection technology.
Encrypted Media Extensions separate the work of content protection from delivery, enabling content providers like YouTube to use a single HTML5 video player across a wide range of platforms.
WebRTC
YouTube enables everyone to share their videos with the world, whether uploading pre-recorded videos or broadcasting live. WebRTC allows us to build on the same technology that enables plugin-free Google Hangouts to provide broadcasting tools from within the browser.
Using the new fullscreen APIs in HTML5, YouTube is able to provide an immersive fullscreen viewing experience (perfect for those 4K videos), all with standard HTML UI.
Given the progress we’ve made with HTML5 , we’re now defaulting to the HTML5 player on the web. We’re also deprecating the “old style” of Flash embeds and our Flash API. We encourage all embedders to use the API, which can intelligently use whichever technology the client supports.
Tomi Engdahl says:
YouTube flushes Flash for future flicks
HTML5 tag will henceforth shift video whenever possible
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/01/28/youtube_flushes_flash_for_future_flicks/
Those additions mean HTML5 is at least as functional – or more so – than Flash, and if YouTube detects you are running Chrome, IE 11, Safari 8 and beta versions of Firefox, it’ll now deliver video using and flush Flash.
YouTube’s also decided to can what it calls the “’old style’ of Flash
Kenneth says:
TPM cites higher engagement. Our future is at stake.