Even before Apple’s Steve Jobs published his “Thoughts on Flash,” it was clear to developers around the world that HTML5 would be the markup language underlying the best websites on the Internet for many years to come.
The adoption of HTML5 by the most popular modern Web browsers – Internet Explorer 9, Safari, Firefox, Chrome, and Opera – was eagerly anticipated by Web developers like us, who have many (mostly boring) reasons to praise it. But even if your eyes glaze over at the sight of source code, there are good reasons to share our excitement. Here are a few:
Accessibility
HTML5 provides a better framework for assistive technology like screen readers, improving user experience for website visitors with disabilities.
Audio/Video Support
HTML5’s native support for audio and video playback will make proprietary software like Adobe Flash unnecessary. That’s one less application to interrupt you with updates, or suck down your device’s battery power.
Device Flexibility
What will visitors use to view your site? Smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop computer, or interactive whiteboard? HTML5 features better support for responsive website design, which keeps your site looking its best no matter what device your visitors use.
Interactivity
Web pages have long been limited to treatment as…well, as pages – static documents that are opened, read, closed, and not much else. It’s so 20th century. HTML5 can help turn pages into interfaces – dynamic portals with built-in features for visitors to poke, prod, experience, and explore. Get ready for more exciting, useful Web experiences.
At Etna Interactive, we build all new websites in HTML5. It’s not all sunshine and flowers yet: some HTML5 standards, like supported video file types, are inconsistent and still evolving; also, we have to make extra efforts to ensure compatibility with older browsers (Internet Explorer 6, we’re looking at you). But it’s worth the trouble to build a website with a solid foundation and exciting potential. HTML5 is the future, and the future is now.
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