Macromedia plans to unveil its Flash 8 software later this month with an emphasis on video capabilities that some think could up-end the Web video market.
Macromedia is expected to announce the latest version of its signature Flash software on 8 August and release the software a few weeks later, said a source familiar with the company's plans. Macromedia, whose shareholders will vote on a proposed acquisition by Adobe on 24 August, released the Flash 8 public beta earlier this month.
Flash, originally a Web site animation tool, has emerged as a potentially formidable competitor in the race to build powerful Web-based applications. Macromedia has officially re-designated it as a platform for application development.
But it is the software's video capabilities that are stirring the most interest, particularly among those who think the new version's improved codec, which is its particular video compression format, and various other advantages could make it a significant threat to Microsoft's Windows Media technology, RealNetworks' Real format and Apple's QuickTime format.
"This new version of Flash is quite an improvement," said Tim Bajarin, an analyst with Creative Strategies in Campbell, California "If positioned more as a media engine, then it could cause Real, Apple and Microsoft some concern since it will evolve into a competitive platform for streaming video."
Macromedia, which has pencilled in a summer release date for Flash 8, declined to comment further on its timetable for the release.
The company has promised big changes in Flash 8, and many of them centre on its video capabilities. Flash 8 boasts a new codec, On2 Technologies' VP6, that both companies claim will provide dramatically improved quality over the Flash 7 video codec. Flash 8 also supports alpha transparency, which lets authors combine Flash video with text, vector graphics and other Flash elements.
But while Macromedia touts Flash 8's new video bells and whistles, those betting on a Flash video ascendancy point to longstanding Flash benefits, particularly its cross-platform reach.
Because of its small size and its being bundled with Microsoft Windows and other operating systems, Flash is almost universally distributed. More than 98 percent of personal computers connected to the Web have some version of the Flash player installed, according to Macromedia, and more than 100 equipment manufacturers are building Flash into their devices.
In several demonstrations of Flash video in recent months, Macromedia has mocked the experience that some Web surfers go through when trying to access RealNetworks or Windows Media video clips. In the demonstration, the people trying to access the video are confronted with dialogue boxes prompting the download of large players. Then they have to choose bandwidth speeds and other options.
