Google has announced that Flash-based ads will cease to play within its Chrome web browser at the end of this month.
The company says essential video content considered central to the website will still play, such as YouTube or Vimeo embeds.
However, ads encoded with Adobe’s prominent but unpopular format will be paused by default.
Folks will still be able to manually play them from September 1, but that’s a tactic web users are unlikely to deploy.
In a post on the AdWords Google+ page (via Arstechnica), the firm is advising advertisers to convert their ads to the HTML5 format in order to retain auto-play functionality. The company says, in a lot of cases, the conversion will take place automatically.
When it made the initial announcement back in June Google said: “Video and interactive media bring consumers rich, engaging experiences on the web–but they can also impact browser speed and battery life.
“A few months ago, Chrome introduced a setting designed to increase page-load speed and reduce power consumption by pausing certain plugin content, including many Flash ads.
“As soon as September, this setting will be turned on by default so Chrome users can enjoy faster performance and view more content before charging their batteries.”
That day is almost here. Be gone, Flash! Be gone, you foul beast!
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.