Google Chrome 53 To Choke Out Adobe Flash, Chrome 55 Will Default To HTML5 By Year’s End

The complete eradication of Adobe Flash from the face of the internet can’t come soon enough. Browser manufacturers and many websites are doing everything in their power to send Flash packing as quickly as possible.

Google today gave an update on the state of Flash depreciation in its popular Chrome browser. Luckily, things are proceeding swimmingly for those that can’t wait to be completely rid of the plugin. According to Google, 90 percent of Flash loads in the background to support operations like page analytics. However, starting with the release of Chrome 53 in September, Google will block this Flash activity by default.

Google says that as web publishers move away from Flash to HTML5, users will see vast improvements in page load times and battery life. Not to mention, we should see a dramatic decrease in security exploits as Flash no longer finds an audience with consumers.

However, the big change will come at the end of 2016 when Chrome 55 is released. Chrome 55 will see HTML5 enabled by default for all users (the lone exception is for websites that only support Flash). “For those, you’ll be prompted to enable Flash when you first visit the site,” wrote Google’s Anthony LaForge. “Aside from that, the only change you’ll notice is a safer and more power-efficient browsing experience.”

In addition to putting the chokehold on Adobe Flash, Chrome 53 will also result in significant battery life improvements during video playback. A Google spokesman stated earlier this month, “By Chrome 53, we feel confident that we'll be at parity with other browsers in terms of power consumption for the majority of video playback on the internet."

Mozilla will begin blocking flash in its Firefox browser this month, and click-to-play arrives in 2017.