AfterDawn: News

Google has converted 80 percent of YouTube videos to WebM

Google has said today that it has converted 80 percent of all YouTube videos into the open-source WebM video format, while at the same time working with manufacturers to add more hardware support for the codec.

WebM is H.264's largest rival in the video format world.



Product Manager John Luther noted that Google has been diligent in developments over the past months, but there is still a long road ahead for WebM.

For now, WebM is not widely supported, but it will be in Firefox 4, Opera 10.5+ and Chrome 6.

You can view the videos via Safari or Internet Explorer using third-party additions.

Google added that the first hardware chips with native WebM support will hit in the Q1 2011.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 4 Nov 2010 21:43

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• 6 comments

• Blessedon

  I don't get it; what does Google gain by spending so much time and money converting .flv videos that are already viewable by everyone?
  

  4.11.2010 22:02 #1

• Hopium

  they wanna force the move away from crap flash.

  4.11.2010 23:00 #2

• KillerBug

  Originally posted by Blessedon: I don't get it; what does Google gain by spending so much time and money converting .flv videos that are already viewable by everyone? Google owns YouTube, google owns WebM, google does not own Flash.
  
  Plus, the current iPhone youtube app does not conform to apple standards. Steve Jobs has been very clear...no flash players allowed. I guess he has overlooked this particular flash player because of the extreme popularity, and because it only works with one website.
  

  5.11.2010 05:47 #3

• Blessedon

  Ah well, thank you for making it so clear.
  I had once thought of Google's ambitions as Orwellian, but they now seem more akin to megalomania.
  

  5.11.2010 11:01 #4

• elitepunk

  i dont give a f--ck as long as i can just copy the vids from firefox cache as always, and rename to .flv

  12.11.2010 17:01 #5

• Dr_Shifty

  elitepunk
  
  i dont give a f--ck as long as i can just copy the vids from firefox cache as always, and rename to .flv
  ____________________________
  
  If you are already using Firefox you don't have to do the cache copy thing. Get the Fast Video Download plugin and it does it all for you.
  

  12.11.2010 23:19 #6