Apple Devices Rejoice! Facebook Gets HTML5 Video Playback Support

[Michael Essany]

It was a stealthy, barely noticed move. But it certainly is a monumental development, particularly for the millions of iPhone, iPod, and iPad owners perpetually confounded and frustrated by the inability to watch the videos posted to Facebook that used to be played solely in Flash.

It looks like those days are over, as folks are beginning to report a strange and much-welcome phenomenon this morning.

It turns out Facebook is ditching the Flash-centric model of video support and running with open arms to HTML5 video playback support, which is now in place on the mega-social networking website. As a result, iPhone, iPod touch and iPad junkies can now check out videos that turn up in friends' newsfeeds. No more absent plug-in graphic.

Of course, the move hasn't been without an occasional bump, as some iPhone users, for example, report being able to watch the vids in the news-feed but not on the actual profile page of the individual who posted the clip. Nonetheless, the step made by Facebook in this new direction is significant and represents yet another industry shift in favor of Apple's staunch anti-Flash attitude and business model.

While most Facebook fanatics will likely be elated by the transition of the social networking giant into HTML5 support territory, Flash fans, on the other hand, will all but certainly take this move as yet another major slap in the face to Adobe and its quickly-eroding support base.

Image via MacStories

[TheWiredHavocMC2.0]

awesome. cant wait for iPhone to adopt this.

[mardinn]

Steve probably bought off facebook. Damned bastard..

[iPhone3G[S]]

Steve probably bought off facebook. Damned bastard..

Doubt it, Flash is fading away. Not having to install a 3rd party plugin to watch videos is plus in my book and big win for any site because they don't have to worry about customers who don't have the plugin and don't want it.

[Bluprint]

Oh great facebook out of all things hurray

[madczech]

Yes I agree! Flash is slowly fading away give it a few years and were all on html5! Which is better and faster in many many ways

[swehbe]

that must have hurt adobe, #1 social network ditching their precious flash...I like the idea of implementing standards, regardless of apple-adobe struggle..

[wolverinemarky]

Sweet hopefully other websites fall in line lol

[Micara57]

Just another example of how flash is fading, and by them not working with Apple, its pushing them away faster.

[Eagleye]

sad to see flash going... but Im excited about the potential of HTML5. Weighing out the pros and cons of flash vs. HTML5, HTML5 is obviously a better choice these days. The less users have to think about doing what they want to do, the better.

[extremzocker]

oh, **** yeah. finally

EDIT: just realised what momentum Apple can create. They ditch it, everybody else does...

[mardinn]

I really hope that flash won't die out... It's the next best format to .mkv. It won't be that easy to change from flash to HTML5 maybe only for video.. But other stuff will remain.. Games,ads ... Many more.

[Carlos]

The Take over starts....

[thisisasticup]

awesome. cant wait for iPhone to adopt this.

" As a result, iPhone, iPod touch and iPad junkies can now check out videos that turn up in friends' newsfeeds. No more absent plug-in graphic.
"

[z3r01]

Yeeeeessssssssss, take that flash lmao

[toyvan]

I noticed a few days ago that YouTube video links posted on FB suddenly started working again..however, videos uploaded directly to FB's servers still don't - Glad this is finally being fixed!

[TheDirtyDiddler]

I really hope that flash won't die out... It's the next best format to .mkv. It won't be that easy to change from flash to HTML5 maybe only for video.. But other stuff will remain.. Games,ads ... Many more.

Uhhh... Really now?

[zozodouce]

nice lol.

[Evilsaint]

sweet move one reason less for the moaners who complain abt lack of flash hope this trend continue and it will be in their faces (them=moaners not adobe they have other products which i prefer to use)

[TheOrioles33]

EDIT: just realised what momentum Apple can create. They ditch it, everybody else does...

Its true isnt it? Amazing.

I guess thats what happens when you have 75% of the mobile browsing market. I would change my website to accomodate iPhones and iPods.