CBS has been testing HTML5 on the upcoming iPad, giving us a hint at what we can expect from media and its consumer interface on Apple’s latest family member. The iPad won’t be available for you until April 3, but pre-order sales have already soared based on the anticipation around the device. Large content distributors like CBS are hoping to take full advantage of the hype around the iPad, seeing it as another opportunity for delivering media into the hands of consumers.
So why is this such a big deal? The importance behind HTML5 is that it enables a video to be played back in a browser, even without a web connection. The browser HTML5 standard is an upcoming one, though its specific importance for Apple devices is its use as a substitute for Adobe Flash, which is not supported on Apple devices (RWW has a good breakdown here). Media companies and developers have been seeking a viable workaround for this particular issue, and now they have one.
The timing, of course, couldn’t be better. The iPad is very media-centric, honing in on all the cool ways the personal device can become your media central for movies, television shows, magazines and news papers. The media companies themselves have hopped on the bandwagon, seeing the iPad as the next generation in consumer electronics, helping to revive interest in media.
That media, however, still needs to be on-demand, and accessible. So finding a way for both Apple and media distributors to push content through the iPad is something that will be of large benefit on each side of the equation.
There are also a number of possible marketing opportunities that can come as a result of the HTML5 and its support on Apple devices. Incorporating more advertising into video content is something Apple’s been after for quite some time, even before the days of opening its iPhone mobile platform for development by third parties. While Apple has alleviated some of this by working directly with content providers, the limitations of connectivity have been another obstacle in monetizing the ongoing consumption of media.
With the iTunes App Store now filled with third party content, the monetization of those apps could be increased with the inclusion of HTML5 and additional advertising that can be incorporated as a result. There are likely several aspects of Apple’s monetization strategies that the company has yet to reveal, which could be applied to the iPad over the next few months. With Apple’s own chance at becoming an even more loved brand through the iPad, the relationships it builds with content providers (big and little brands alike) could further cement Apple’s position as a dominant player for mobile platforms and devices.
