Google Chrome 53 Browser to Block Flash Content By Default

[MacRumors]

Google announced yesterday that it will "de-emphasize" Adobe Flash in its Chrome browser in favor of HTML5 from next month.

As of Chrome 53, whenever the web browser comes across a site that loads Flash "behind the scenes" it will block the offending content and switch to the faster HTML5 web standard whenever it is available.

Google notified users of the change to its browser's behavior ahead of time in a blog post:

Today, more than 90% of Flash on the web loads behind the scenes to support things like page analytics. This kind of Flash slows you down, and starting this September, Chrome 53 will begin to block it. HTML5 is much lighter and faster, and publishers are switching over to speed up page loading and save you more battery life. You'll see an improvement in responsiveness and efficiency for many sites.

In December, Chrome 55 will make HTML5 the default experience, except for sites which only support Flash, in which case users will be prompted to enable it on initial visit.

The move is another nail in the coffin for Adobe's web standard, which used to serve the majority of online media content before former Apple CEO Steve Jobs decided not to support it on the iPhone.

In Safari 10, set to ship with macOS Sierra, Apple plans to disable Flash by default, along with Java, Silverlight, and QuickTime, in an effort to focus on HTML5 content and improve the overall web browsing experience.

The plug-in has long been problematic for Apple, requiring frequent security fixes and forced updates to patch a stream of vulnerabilities.

Chrome can be downloaded from Google's Chrome website or installed using the Chrome browser's built-in update functionality.

Article Link: Google Chrome 53 Browser to Block Flash Content By Default

 

[SilianRail]

Thoughts on Flash was 6 years ago and Flash was long overdue to be killed by then!

 

[Nozuka]

This is still taking too long.

 

[smacrumon]

Adobe had many years to get the software right. RIP flash.

 

[MH01]

Thumbs up Google.

 

[elvisimprsntr]

Late to the party again Google. Latest version of Safari already does this.

MR, you might want to take notice.

 

[b0nd18t]

Remember when androids big feature was supporting flash? Is this Google admitting it was wrong 9 years later?

 

[69Mustang]

Remember when androids big feature was supporting flash? Is this Google admitting it was wrong 9 years later?

Remember when the vast majority of sites were flash? Times have changed. Did you expect Google not to do so?

 

[Loco Emperor]

Still doesn't make any of googles crapps appealing to me. But a bit late aren't they lol

 

[RichTF]

I remember how massively unpopular it was when Apple refused to support Flash on the iPhone, especially because Flash was still in wide use at that point, and the alternative (HTML5) wasn't yet capable of doing all the things that Flash did, or didn't do them so well. Lots of people (on this very website) declared that they would switch to Android if Apple didn't reverse course and support Flash. But of course, if Apple hadn't taken their unpopular and arguably "premature" stance on ditching Flash, then we'd still be stuck with it today.

On a completely unrelated note, I'm looking forward to getting the new iPhone. Y'know, that one without a headphone jack.

 

[8692574]

I remember how massively unpopular it was when Apple refused to support Flash on the iPhone, especially because Flash was still in wide use at that point, and the alternative (HTML5) wasn't yet capable of doing all the things that Flash did, or didn't do them so well. Lots of people (on this very website) declared that they would switch to Android if Apple didn't reverse course and support Flash. But of course, if Apple hadn't taken their unpopular and arguably "premature" stance on ditching Flash, then we'd still be stuck with it today.

You do realize that Apple or not times passes, and things changes? (People were right back then when flash was popular and citing them now it is out of context since flash is not relevant anymore, but not thanks to Apple...) it was Adobe by not releasing a better version of his c**pware that made flash die!


All i can say though is "At last!!!"

 

[flowsy]

Should be in Mac Blog.

Edit: Done, thanks!

 

[rdlink]

Remember when the vast majority of sites were flash? Times have changed. Did you expect Google not to do so?

Yes, times have changed. But in spite of Google, not because of it.

Jobs (and Apple) had the huevos to stand up and say, "These little machines are not equipped to handle the bloated, security exploit plagued hot mess that is Flash, and we're not going to waste our resources trying to fit a square peg into a round hole."

Google said, "Build bigger processors and shove in more RAM."

Who ended up being right?

 

[RedOrchestra]

When Adobe purchased Macromedia EVERYTHING that Macromedia had in it's stable was left to die - Adobe killed an absolutely great company in Macromedia ... all Adobe did was kill off the competition. Adobe Illustrator will NEVER equal what Freehand was.

 

[69Mustang]

Yes, times have changed. But in spite of Google, not because of it.

Jobs (and Apple) had the huevos to stand up and say, "These little machines are not equipped to handle the bloated, security exploit plagued hot mess that is Flash, and we're not going to waste our resources trying to fit a square peg into a round hole."

Google said, "Build bigger processors and shove in more RAM."

Who ended up being right?

Sorry man, I'm not really into the Google v Apple thing. I was simply responding by reminding the poster that during that time, the majority of sites ran Flash. Google was serving the majority of consumers with Chrome. As HTML5 became more pervasive, Flash moved to background. It's a simple technological progression. Flash isn't gone btw. It's still user accessible on Safari and Chrome. It's not completely gone... yet.

As for who ended up being right... what does it actually matter if both companies ended up at the exact same point?

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

Yes, times have changed. But in spite of Google, not because of it.

Jobs (and Apple) had the huevos to stand up and say, "These little machines are not equipped to handle the bloated, security exploit plagued hot mess that is Flash, and we're not going to waste our resources trying to fit a square peg into a round hole."

Google said, "Build bigger processors and shove in more RAM."

Who ended up being right?

Who cares in the long run? If you don't use Chrome, then this doesn't affect you. Bye bye.

I use Chrome across all platforms (gives me the best experience with Chrome Sync) and rarely, if ever, use Safari. Like most average people, I don't give a crap about Flash. If the site loads, i'm happy. If it doesn't, I'm not and I try a different browser.

I might add whether dropping Flash has made the internet a safer place after all these years? With Ransomware, never-ending data breaches, viruses, and other annoying malware, I don't really hear people saying "Thank God Flash is gone...I feel much safer!".

 

[2457282]

This is still taking too long.

This thing just doesn't want to die. As I am all Apple, it really was only an issue for my iMac and Mac Air. I de-installed Adobe a long time ago. And it still surprises me how many websites are Flash only. I visit, nothing works and asks me to install the plug in, I move on.
[doublepost=1470834777][/doublepost]

Sorry man, I'm not really into the Google v Apple thing. I was simply responding by reminding the poster that during that time, the majority of sites ran Flash. Google was serving the majority of consumers with Chrome. As HTML5 became more pervasive, Flash moved to background. It's a simple technological progression. Flash isn't gone btw. It's still user accessible on Safari and Chrome. It's not completely gone... yet.

As for who ended up being right... what does it actually matter if both companies ended up at the exact same point?

Who cares in the long run? If you don't use Chrome, then this doesn't affect you. Bye bye.

I use Chrome across all platforms (gives me the best experience with Chrome Sync) and rarely, if ever, use Safari. Like most average people, I don't give a crap about Flash. If the site loads, i'm happy. If it doesn't, I'm not and I try a different browser.

I might add whether dropping Flash has made the internet a safer place after all these years? With Ransomware, never-ending data breaches, viruses, and other annoying malware, I don't really hear people saying "Thank God Flash is gone...I feel much safer!".

I do think it matters. Both are correct that Apple and Google ended up at the same point, but would we have take this journey if it were not for Steve Job being a stubborn grudge holder? I agree that it's not about one company versus another, but I do think that the eventual death of Flash (can't come soon enough) is directly attributable to Steve's decision. It was a crazy call at the time and Google to advantage of it in their marketing. But it all worked out for humanity

 

[LordQ]

And people were bashing Steve and the iPad 6 years ago. Tempus fugit.

 

[Traverse]

I don't care for the new tweaked sharper UI they introduced inversion 52

 

[thisisnotmyname]

Next, don't allow HTML5 video/audio to autoplay in ANY way without explicit authorization from the user.

 

[iBluetooth]

You do realize that Apple or not times passes, and things changes? (People were right back then when flash was popular and citing them now it is out of context since flash is not relevant anymore, but not thanks to Apple...) it was Adobe by not releasing a better version of his c**pware that made flash die!


All i can say though is "At last!!!"

You are actually wrong because Steve Jobs said they had to prioritize work and thus, Flash was not being supported and that he didn't expect it in the future as it drained battery and resources. This he was heavily criticized for, but those complaints are still true: it's still battery and resource draining.

 

[yesjam]

On a completely unrelated note, I'm looking forward to getting the new iPhone. Y'know, that one without a headphone jack.

I wouldn't have blamed someone for taking an anti-iPhone position in 2007 or 2008 with respect to its lack of Flash support. It was a different technological landscape at the time; if you needed to use Flash (which was a perfectly legitimate need at the time,) you had to use Android or Blackberry. By the same token, however, it would be ludicrous in 2016 for someone to cite lack of Flash support as being a primary reason for not getting an iPhone. The landscape has changed.

Perhaps eliminating the headphone jack will prove in the long-term to be another ahead-of-its-time progressive move by Apple, but, much like Flash in 2007/2008, I would not blame someone in 2016 for moving away from the iPhone because for one reason or another they need the headphone jack, especially since Apple may not propose an elegant solution for charging+listening at the same time, and particularly because Apple's proposed solution - lightning headphones - will never be the universal standard for wired listening (the only way to truly receive a lossless signal) that HTML5 is for web content. If in 2025 headphone jacks are all-but-obsolete and if there is a truly high fidelity mainstream bluetooth option available, it would be a different story altogether.

 

[MacBH928]

Who still uses Flash?
its a relic from the mid-90s when the whole world was different. Adapt or die.

 

[oneMadRssn]

Apple and Google should begin making a shame-list of popular websites that still use Flash. Near the top of the list would be Hulu.

 

[Altis]

And people were bashing Steve and the iPad 6 years ago. Tempus fugit.

To be fair, 6 years ago there were a lot of websites that you couldn't visit without Flash.