Flash, HTML5, & Why We Need to Move On
You gotta wonder…how many people really understand the whole Steve Jobs vs. Adobe Flash debate? Sure, if you are reading this blog, you may already have a better-than-average understanding of technology. And you may even work and socialize with similarly tech-minded people.
But the rest of the consumer world? Maybe not so much.
For now, it’s not really that big of an issue. There aren’t that many iPads out there yet, so the device penetration is rather small. If they stay close to home (i.e., mostly use apps they buy in the Apple iTunes store), they’ll be mostly unaffected by the whole hullabaloo.
If the iPad takes off, and it probably will, it will mean that people will start to understand that the standards debate actually does matter to them. It’s the same way that people with old televisions started to understand that they just cannot watch HD television or use TV widgets (like the ones from Vizio).
As a content marketer, I’m rooting for a quick end to the debate. Right now, I know how to push out compelling messages in Flash. And in HTML and widgets and video, etc. If the developers tell me that we can do something with a particular technology, I try to understand what kind of message I can deliver…obviously paying keen attention to the limitations of the medium. It’s just the way it is. It’s not a big deal, we just learn to communicate brand value and message through whatever medium people happen to be using.
If I have to learn the nuances of communicating through HTML5, great, I’ll do that. If I can keep using Flash, terrific, let’s get moving.
In the meantime, I just hope that this debate doesn’t have some kind of chilling effect on people’s willingness to buy new devices, including the iPad. Sometimes people sit out new technology to see which will be the dominant format. Most of the world sat out the latest Blu Ray versus HD DVD. They didn’t care who won. They just wanted to buy stuff, so they waited it out. People who didn’t even remember the VHS versus Betamax debate could reference it as a prime example of the original video-format wars.
Let’s solve this HTML5 versus Flash versus open source versus Apple versus Adobe debate quickly. We need to get on with the business of selling devices, creating great content, and exploiting the best new technology channels.
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The Flash debate is a bit of a red herring. New media is in constant flux and this most recent debate is merely a very high-profile debate. I think what is more relevant than what Steve Jobs says is how he affects the early-adopters.
Those who typically buy Apple products and listen to his opinions are usually the ones who influence the ludites and those who need some “steering” in their decisions and habits. Vocal debates like this one have the early-adopters drawing sides and exercising their influence.
Apple often drives trends and technology. They are very good at developing tech stuff that people want to buy. At this point, however, they have stirred up a pot of controversy that will probably just confuse the average consumer, and may even create a chilling effect for their own products.