HTML6 is coming to a screen near you

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Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is undoubtedly the most recognisable piece of web technology. It’s the language of the internet – the standardised medium for displaying web pages online. This spans all major on-page resources from content, imagery through to video. Although HTML is readily augmented by additional technologies like Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and scripts like JavaScript, HTML is still the backbone of all web pages and even the custom mobile applications we see today.

The latest iteration of HTML, HTML5, was released in 2014. In fact, the first public-facing version was made available in January 2008, but significant updates based on W3C recommendations were made in readiness for widespread release in October 2014. The overarching goal of HTML5 was to improve support for burgeoning multimedia available online, ensuring multimedia content was consumable across multiple platforms, considering the rapid proliferation of smartphones and tablets.

Sectors that benefitted most from the arrival of HTML5

One industry that’s benefited greatly from ushering in HTML5 to replace the redundant Flash is the eLearning sector. Online courses have made remote teaching more accessible and efficient than ever before, allowing individuals to change course with their careers at will and enhance the knowledge of professionals looking to take their existing careers to the next level. Multi-browser support for HTML5 has meant eLearning sites can offer video courses and multimedia materials to users of all devices, regardless of screen size or operating system.

HTML5 proved to be a breakthrough in the mobile iGaming sector too. The ability for sites to offer online slots across multiple devices like desktop and smartphone has ramped up the popularity of slot titles, making them more accessible to casual players at home or on the go. Historically, casino slots were designed and built using Flash. However, Flash has long been considered a resource-heavy plugin for most devices, slowing down computer and mobile performance. In an age where time-poor consumers have no seconds to waste waiting for games to load, HTML5 has helped slots and table games to another level, with unprecedented browser-based accessibility. Even in light industrial manufacturing, HTML5 is having a transformative impact. Manufacturers are being encouraged to utilise HTML5 technology because many of their vendors and suppliers are also ditching Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) and ActiveX in favour of the cross-platform HTML5-powered web applications; thereby creating a universal approach to visuals and interaction.

What’s next for HTML6?

Given that HTML5 has now been in the ether for six years, it’s no surprise that plans are afoot to roll out HTML6 soon. According to WHATWG, the body driving standards in terms of HTML specification, future roll-outs like HTML6 will be via a ‘living document’ rather than a large-scale release overnight. What this means is that HTML6 and any future HTML specifications will be reviewed and enhanced all the time. But what are the game-changing additions we can expect from HTML6 in the months ahead?

• Support for native modals
  It’s hoped that the dialog element will soon be operational across all browsers in near future. The
  element will work in the same way as a JavaScript-powered modal window. At the time of writing, only Samsung and Chrome web browsers have full support for this, but a more standardised

  element will ensure native models are the future, enhancing user interfaces for the better.

• Browsers’ freedom to resize imagery
  Many experts within the industry anticipate enhancements to HTML6 that give browsers the flexibility to alter the size of images and other multimedia to provide the optimal viewing experience for users. There are suggestions that a new tag could be utilised to allow browsers to choose between several image sizes to optimise viewing based on screen size and device.

• Smarter customised menus
  HTML5’s UI and OL tags fit the bill for most sites but customisation will be key in HTML6. A revised menu tag is necessary to operate interactive elements within a menu such as adding items to lists.

• Enhancements to user authentication
  Whilst it’s fair to say that HTML5 has done a reasonable job in terms of browser and web application security, there is still plenty of room for improvement. Embedding keys rather than cookies could guard against intrusion from fraudsters, while enhancing digital signatures should also be a top security priority.

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