San Francisco, California-based Macromedia Inc. will announce on Tuesday plans to partner with VitalStream Inc. to provide customers with the Flash Video Streaming Service. The new service will stream Flash video much the same way that Apple Computer Inc. uses Akamai Technologies’ network to stream its QuickTime content.
“We feel the Web is prime for a video revolution,” Chris Hock, director of product management, Macromedia, told MacCentral.
Hock cites Flash’s ability to include interactive content and become a part of a Web site as key components that developers and businesses look for in a product today, but isn’t available to them. Macromedia does acknowledge that education will be key for people to accept Flash Video as an alternative to the competition, which is already entrenched in the market.
Apple, Microsoft and Real Networks are the big players in the streaming video market today. All three offer customers free and pro versions of their applications as well as Web sites to view content specifically designed to highlight the benefits of their technology. But Macromedia doesn’t feel any of these companies are doing it right.
“We don’t feel video is being deployed correctly on the Web right now,” said Hock. “We are offering the next generation of video delivery — this is our coming out party.”
To showcase the new Flash Video service, Macromedia will launch a Flash Video gallery featuring content from companies that have already adopted the Flash Video Streaming Service.