More than half of all web video is available for playback using HTML5, according to a new survey that says the amount of HTML5 video has doubled over the last five months.
Video search engine MeFeedia says that 54% of web video can now be played in HTML5-compatible browsers, such as Safari, without requiring the Flash plugin. Five months ago that figure was just 26%.
For most users, HTML5 is likely to be even more prevalent. MeFeedia’s data includes huge amounts of Flash-only that you’re never likely to watch — either cause its old and largely forgotten or part of vast foreign-language collections.
MeFeedia notes that the growth in HTML5 is being driven by mobile devices that don’t support Flash — most notably the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Consequently popular video sites such as YouTube and Vimeo now automatically serve content optimised for the particular device being used.
Such has been the spread of HTML5 video that it is now possible to surf much of the web without ever seeing Flash content; in fact, it is now possible to use Safari without the Flash plugin installed, a fact that Apple advertised by deciding not to include the plugin on its new MacBook Air laptops.
