Google_Chrome_Material_Icon-450x450Google 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.

Tags: Adobe Flash Player, Chrome

Top Rated Comments

Nozuka Avatar
Nozuka
112 months ago
This is still taking too long.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RichTF Avatar
RichTF
112 months ago
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. ;)
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
b0nd18t Avatar
b0nd18t
112 months ago
Remember when androids big feature was supporting flash? Is this Google admitting it was wrong 9 years later?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thisisnotmyname Avatar
thisisnotmyname
112 months ago
Next, don't allow HTML5 video/audio to autoplay in ANY way without explicit authorization from the user.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MH01 Avatar
MH01
112 months ago
Thumbs up Google.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
69Mustang Avatar
69Mustang
112 months ago
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?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Popular Stories

apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro teal 1

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Coming to These 8 U.S. States, But Rollout Remains Slow

Wednesday March 19, 2025 6:55 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly. It has been three and a half years since Apple first announced the...
Read Full Article • 55 comments
iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

iOS 19 to Have Some of the 'Biggest' Design Changes in iPhone's History

Sunday March 16, 2025 10:35 am PDT by
Apple is planning some of the "biggest iOS and macOS redesigns in its history," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman reiterated that iOS 19 will have a visionOS-like design with more transparent interfaces:The new interfaces will adopt the design principles introduced in visionOS, the software for Apple's Vision Pro headset. That includes greater...
Read Full Article • 158 comments
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro Already Rumored to Have Five New Features

Tuesday March 18, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around a year and a half away from launching, there are already some early rumors about the devices. Below, we recap some key iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. Under-Screen Face ID In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a roadmap showing that iPhone 17 Pro models would feature under-display Face ID. In May 2024, however, Young said ...
Read Full Article • 76 comments
iphone 16 pro models 1

Apple's First Foldable iPhone Estimated to Cost Nearly Twice as Much as iPhone 16 Pro Max

Monday March 17, 2025 6:42 am PDT by
In an investor research note today with British bank Barclays, analyst Tim Long said Apple's first foldable iPhone could have a starting price in the $2,300 range in the United States, which would make it by far the most expensive iPhone model ever. If the first foldable iPhone starts at $2,299, that means it would cost nearly twice as much as the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which starts at $1,199. ...
Read Full Article • 260 comments
Bent iPhone Air Feature

Apple Canned Larger iPhone 17 Air Model Over Fears of Bendgate 2.0

Monday March 17, 2025 4:07 am PDT by
Apple prototyped a larger ultra-slim iPhone 17 Air with a 6.9-inch display, but ultimately decided not to go ahead with the device because of fears that it could be susceptible to bending, according to a new report. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, writing in his latest Power On newsletter: When it first started work on the phone, it prototyped a device with a 6.9-inch screen — matching...
Read Full Article • 94 comments
iphone 16 pro models 1

All Four iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Upgraded 24-Megapixel Front Camera and More

Monday March 17, 2025 7:50 pm PDT by
All four iPhone 17 models launching later this year will feature an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, according to analyst Jeff Pu. In a research note today with investment firm GF Securities, Pu shared a chart in which he reiterated that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with a 24-megapixel front camera. By comparison, all four ...
Read Full Article • 50 comments
General iOS Mail Feature

iOS 18.3.2 Broke iCloud Mail Delivery

Monday March 17, 2025 3:31 pm PDT by
The iOS 18.3.2 update that Apple released last week appears to have broken iCloud Mail for some users. There are multiple complaints on Reddit and the MacRumors forums from users who say that iCloud Mail is not able to push new iCloud emails to their iPhones after the iOS 18.3.2 update. Affected users say that despite having the correct settings enabled, new iCloud emails are not showing up...
Read Full Article • 81 comments
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Max Rumors Allegedly Refer to 'iPhone 17 Ultra' Model

Friday March 14, 2025 7:56 am PDT by
If you've been following iPhone rumors over the last few years, you may remember reading reports that Apple flirted with the idea of introducing a super high-end "Ultra" model that would either replace its Pro Max device or sit above it in Apple's smartphone hirearchy. These reports appeared in the pre-launch iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 rumor cycles, but ultimately came to nothing. Now though, the...
Read Full Article • 147 comments