HTML5 Getting Thumbs Down By Developers


Bangalore: HTML5 was heralded as the future of browser gaming, and web applications, minimizing absolute dependency on flash players; instead it garnered criticism from developers, for being tough to code and possessing a string of broken features.

The survey of more than 5,000 developers concluded that the HTML’s overhyped reputation as platform for mobile apps is just a fizzle. Adding to it, Appcelerator, the mobile application development vendor, conducted survey on its own developer base, the revelations are startling, there was dissatisfaction over every key feature of HTML5, like user experience, performance, fragmentation and many more.

Another dent on HTML5 came straight from Facebook CEO Mark Zukerberg, who said, his biggest mistake ever was to bet heavily on HTML5, and now he’s considering native code to work on with.  

Even when HTML5 is mired in criticism, the one feature which got thumbs up is its cross-development capabilities and immediate updates, which were liked by 80 percent of the developers, participated in survey by Appcelerator.

Michael King, director of Appceletor, said that there is a future for HTML5, but only in limited class of applications, like apps on low degree of interaction, and not on immersive and interactive apps. The developers demand a native platform, for performance, and easy access to native features.  

Strategy Analytics (helps client to strategies to win in tech market) analyst Josh Martin said “HTML5 is not the future of apps. While developers dream of ‘write once run everywhere’ the fragmented support for and limited APIs (application programming interface) within HTML5 make this impossible. In fact, we predict the hybrid app is light of the future. Existing business models are protected, differentiation among and within ecosystems remains intact, and consumption continues unabated. The end result is the continued dominance of iOS, Android, and increasingly Windows Phone.”

Some of the companies like, PhoneGap, Sencha, Brightcove and Marmalade have already encouraging developers to combine native app development with HTML5.