Google trials HTML5 on YouTube

In June 2004, the Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG) proposed a new version of the hypertext markup language standard used by most websites, designating it HTML5.  While the standard is not complete, Google has become an early adopter of the technology for both its Chrome OS and most recently in trials delivering videos via YouTube that don’t require a Flash browser plugin. One of the main reasons that Google is backing these changes is the increasing trend by Internet users of viewing video content online instead of via more traditional means.  This trend is exemplified by the exploding usage of Google’s YouTube within the last few years. The advantages of a migration to HTML5 include its increased infrastructure to support video and audio playback while easing the integration of videos into websites – a huge step forward for YouTube in terms of the site’s structural elements and the inclusion of APIs.  And while not all current browser vers ...