YouTube released an opt-in experiment let you get videos using H.264 and the HTML5 video tag instead of Flash. What is HTML5? According to Wikipedia, HTML5 is the next major revision of HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), the core markup language of the World Wide Web. Why is this important? not owned by any company (including Apple), it’s much lighter on CPU and battery life than Flash, and doesn’t suffer from increasing malware attacks or onerous “cookie”/privacy issues the way Flash does.
FSM EXCLUSIVE DEAL At the moment , HTM 5 beta is only available for videos played on YouTube and will not work with embedded videos . Also this will only work with a compatible browswer: Google Chrome, Safari (4+) and IE ( really still?!?! ) with Chrome Frame installed. Videos with ads will still be played with Flash and fullscreen is not supported.
A lot of downsides at the moment, but if this will work and other companies will follow, we will assist a major shift in the online video world. The best thing is that this just might fix all the problems that iPhone/Mac users have with flash. If YouTube pulls this one out, and people will start getting their videos without flash, all the complaints about iPhone not be able to play Flash on the page without loading an external player, just might be something we can tell our grandkids about..
Also, it is also important the fact that Google owns YouTube and Google is all-in on WebKit as the foundation for the Chrome browser, Chrome OS, and Android browser. They’ve shown repeatedly they’ll push for standards and for the faster adoption of web technologies because it benefits them. Since Apple’s Safari is WebKit, it benefits iPhone users as well. That makes this interesting.
Also read: Vimeo Joins YouTube, And Adopts The HTML5 Video Player
[via DaringFireball and TiPb]