Microsoft is working with Apple on getting Silverlight (their Flash-like technology) content onto the iPhone? Made our eyes widen as well, but it wasn't what we expected. Unlike the debate over Flash, and a Flash player/plugin for iPhone, this doesn't involve a Silverlight player/plugin at all. According to Microsoft User Experience Platform Manager Brian Goldfarb:
"So we've worked with Apple to create a server-side based solution with IIS Media Services," Goldfarb continued, "and what we're doing is taking content that's encoded for smooth streaming and enabling the content owner to say, 'I want to enable the iPhone.' The server will dynamically make the content work -- same content, same point of origin -- on the iPhone. We do this with the HTML 5
"We're translating the content to support the MPEG2 v8 [decoder] format that the iPhone format; we're moving it to their adaptive streaming format. So it's the same IIS smooth streaming content, the same server, the same point of origin, but now I can get that content to play without any code changes, without any real work, on the iPhone. That's the critical thing for our customers."
Goldfarb clarifies that "worked with Apple" means his team did everything, but made sure Apple was "comfortable" with the solution.
TiPb clarifies that if this ends up working well, it gets more video to more iPhone users without the security, privacy, performance, and dodgy plugin architecture that plagues desktop implementations of code-interpreters.
So add to the list of YouTube, Ustream, Stickam, and Vimeo, we could now see all Silverlight video (including Netflix?) made compatible with the iPhone and H.264.
Rather than Flash 10.1, maybe Adobe should be looking to build this cleaner, safer-sounding solution into their next plugin as well?
Reader comments
Microsoft "Worked with Apple" on Silverlight for iPhone -- On the Server Side
Netflix?? Please!!!! Over 3G????!!!! Hey! It's my fantasy..
Adobe can do this for video content too. So we know only "need" flash for monkey banner ads now?
Three cheers for Microsoft!!!
Hip hip....
Netflix.
That means we can watch Sunday Night Football on the iPhone (it also runs Silverlight)
Since when us flash only used for video?
@Dman
Conventional wisdom around here is that flash is only good for video, monkey punching ads. They would insist Flash is used for boiling life puppies before conceding any of it's actual uses.
This is great!
I've been waiting to see the Silverlight running on iPhone/iPod Safari. I beleive Silverlight is running much more efficient than Flash.
Way to go Microsoft.
@Sigh :
Nonsense. It's also used for encoding entire sites so as to have an animated top banner menu. And for electronic press kit material for media promotion.
How /can/ I live without THOSE?
Use this link http://www.abyty.com/browser/ for get alternative solution to get silverlight and flash application on any iDevices. It little bit ugly and not have sound, but working in basic.