July 8, 2006, 8:31 am
Flash Takes Over Video
by Henry Woodbury
Filed under: Business, Technology
With YouTube, Google Video and other Web sites using Flash as their video format, the animation player has leapfrogged over more established competitors:
Flash has soared from zero to No. 2 in its market in just two years, according to Paul Palumbo, research director for Accustream iMedia Research. Microsoft’s Windows Media format is the leader, handling 60 percent of all streaming video in 2005; Flash has 19 percent of the market, jumping ahead of RealNetworks at about 10 percent and Apple’s QuickTime, with about 8 percent.
“Flash is going to be dominant,” Palumbo said. “You can embed this into the Web page and it’s instantly ‘on.’ It’s a seamless process.”
The fact that Flash is embedded in the browser also means that it “plays nice” with other programs. It does not attempt to establish itself as the default video application on your system. Nor does it relentlessly bug you to upgrade to a “pro” version.
Seamlessness is a marketing decision, not just a design decision.
(hat tip: Paid Content)
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