Earlier this year, Google added a setting in Chrome that allowed users to switch off specific plugin content, such as Flash-based ads, to help speed up page loads and reduce power consumption. Chrome users could access this setting by clicking the menu button, choosing “Settings,” “Show Advanced Settings,” and then the “Content Settings” button within the “Privacy” section. Users could elect Chrome to run all plugin content, let the user choose what content can run freely on web pages, or allow Chrome to detect and run “important” plugin content.
Back in June, Google offered advertisers three methods for getting ads to the eyes of Chrome users without using Flash: letting Google’s AdWords to automatically convert Flash to HTML5, create an ad from scratch using HTML5 tools supplied by Google, or upload their own HTML5 ads that were produced without Google-supplied tools.
Now Google is reporting that Flash ads will be paused by default starting September 1. According to Google AdWords, the company’s online ad network, “most” Flash ads will be converted to HTML5 by default, however, if they’re not, advertisers need to identify the Flash ads that can’t be altered and begin converting those ads to HTML5 using third-party tools.
“If you already have Flash ads uploaded to AdWords, we highly recommend that you create new image ads instead,” Google states. “Eligible Flash campaigns are automatically converted to HTML5 when you upload them in AdWords, AdWords Editor, and many third-party tools.”
Many websites use Flash to “wow” potential customers and at times require the visitor to wait a short duration until the full Flash-laden site is loaded on the screen. While this method is truly annoying, what’s worse is that many advertisers use audio in Flash ads that can be hard to locate in open tabs. To remedy that, Google added an icon to Chrome that shows up whenever a tab is playing unwanted audio.
Web surfers may agree that the use of Flash has become a bit dated and out-of-hand. Over the years, hackers have taken advantage of the security flaws found in Flash, allowing them to steal identities and install malware, hence the need to move away from Adobe’s cash cow and use the supposedly safer HTML5 technology instead.
With that all said, is Google canning the use of all Flash media altogether? Not yet. Chrome will “pause” all minor Flash files, allowing the visitor to click and play the Flash elements if desired. Again, the change will begin to roll out next week.
From maximumpc
from http://bit.ly/1IrsYLI
