Adobe and Microsoft in Silverlight-Flash clash

Stan Beer
Monday, 16 April 2007 15:29

Business IT - Technology

One must assume that Microsoft and Adobe have been watching each other very closely in recent months because the timing of their mirror image announcements at the NAB 2007 electronics media show in Las Vegas is in no way coincidental. In a nutshell, Adobe wants to put a media player on the desktop where Microsoft dominates with WMP and Microsoft intends to put a rich media technology on the web where Adobe dominates with Flash.

Even the names used by the two companies for their respective products evoke similar imagery and is indicative of the coming head-to-head battle across two arenas which has been steadily building. On the desktop, it's Adobe Media Player challenging the dominance of Windows Media Player. On the web, it's Microsoft's new Silverlight technology challenging the almost ubiquitous Adobe Flash.

Described by Adobe as a lightweight download, Adobe Media Player promises to deliver higher quality Flash format playback, the ability to download and view videos offline, ways to discover interesting new shows, full screen playback, one-click viewer ratings, and a powerful Favorites feature that automatically downloads new episodes of favorite TV shows or video podcasts. The player is also cross-platform and based on open standards – including RSS and SMIL.

While the new Adobe Media Player will be free for users, publishers will be able to monetize content through integrated dynamic advertising. Features will include on-demand streaming, live streaming, progressive download, and protected download-and-play.

Meanwhile, Microsoft's new Silverlight video player for browsers, still in beta, will be available as a compatible plug-in for Internet Explorer, Firefox and Apple Safari (sorry Opera fans) and offers full screen video and MP3 audio. Much like the way users are prompted to download Flash in order to fully view sites that contain Flash content, Microsoft will distribute its new rich media technology to users via sites with Silverlight content.

The coming year promises an interesting clash between two dominant players each trying to pry their way into each other's respective territory.