Microsoft unveiled that there will be two Internet Explorer 10 versions. One full desktop version and one Metro app for Windows 8 that includes no plugins at all and will be 100% flash free with a great focus on HTML5.

HTML5 Will Play A Major Role In Windows 8 Metro Apps

Microsoft unveiled on the Building Windows 8 blog that the new IE10 on Metro will not be using plugins. The reason given is that it does not play well with the Metro “Style” and modern HTML5 browsing. This could also mean that the most dominant browser plugin of all time — Flash — will soon be losing its position in the world’s most dominant OS. Of all the comparisons made between Apple and Microsoft, this one similarity actually has the same logic working behind it.

The Metro UI is all about responsiveness, there’s no need for flash plugins to slow it down. IE team leader Dean Machamovitch mentioned in the post that the presence of flash on the new system not only slows down the performance but it also degrades battery life and creates security and stability issues for the users.

Moving Away From Flash Was A Critical Decision That Has Been Well Reasearched

According to Dean Hachamovitch, head of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer team, plugins were an essential part of the web experience in the past. But now that the world has moved on to HTML5, those advanced features are now a part of the web itself.

And he is quite right. If you take a look around you, all major websites using Flash have now either moved on to HTML5 or are providing HTML5 as an alternative. Sites like YouTube and BeatPort have started offering alternatives based on what browser you are using. Some browsers having HTML5 support but others not so much.

Microsoft conducted a study of the top 97,000 sites around the world and found out that 62% amongst them use Flash. They also found out that most of those sites are already offering a HTML5 alternative. Beyond Flash, the next most common plugin used was required for merely 2% of the websites. However, it does not say which plugin it is.Including no plugins is a decision that Microsoft will definitely not be regretting.

And now that the Tech-trinity — Microsoft, Apple & Google have all moved away from Flash, it is only a matter of time before it dies a slow death. Adobe shouldn’t be terribly hurt by it. Flash is only a small part of their business.

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