As noted by 9to5mac, Skyfire will release its first iPhone app on Thursday, which will allow users to load Flash videos on the device using the startup’s on-the-fly conversion technology.
Skyfire takes a Flash video, sends it to its own servers and translates it to HTML5 on the iPhone in a few seconds. I’m not really sure whether Skyfire’s servers will hold up on Thursday, or if there’s anything more to be noted about this app besides Flash conversion.
CNN interview with Skyfire CEO Jeff Glueck:
As for the limitations of the app:
But one major website that Skyfire won’t have an effect on is Hulu, which blocked the app from downloading its videos. Hulu, which hosts TV shows and movies from the major networks and studios, is free for PC users in the United States. But mobile users have to pay $10 a month for a subscription to Hulu Plus.
The app won’t translate games or other non-video content that runs in Flash, however. Still, Glueck estimates that the number of websites and videos that Skyfire will open up to iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users is in the millions.
Skyfire has been working closely with Apple to get the browser into the App Store, the app has been approved and will go live at 9 AM E.T. at $.99 on Thursday. We’ll keep you posted about it, although I’m not really sure if my need for Flash justifies a $2.99 purchase aimed at enabling Flash videos on those website that still don’t support HTML5.
As a matter of fact, it looks like the majority of web video is now available in HTML5.
