Apple Promotes HTML5, First iPhone Game Demo in HTML5, and More

Apple has posted a series of examples demonstrating various applications composed in HTML5.

The demos below show how the latest version of Apple's Safari web browser, new Macs, and new Apple mobile devices all support the capabilities of HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript. Not all browsers offer this support. But soon other modern browsers will take advantage of these same web standards -- and the amazing things they enable web designers to do.

Notably, the demos require the use of Safari. Firefox and Chrome users will be directed to download Safari.

Meanwhile, game developer Brainium Studios has released an HTML5 demo version of their $0.99 iPhone game Hand of Greed. iPhone and iPod Touch owners can play the free HTML5 demo by directing their mobile browsers to http://www.brainiumstudios.com/webapp/. Users are instructed to install the "app" on their homescreen where it can be launched and played. There are some obvious limitations in the HTML5 version -- no sound and limited graphical effects. Still, it's an interesting adoption of some HTML5 standards that Apple has been pushing so hard.

Other notable HTML5 demos we've seen include:

- Akihabara - arcade games in HTML5
- SketchPad - draw, paint, create
- Darkroom - photo/image processing tool, can use offline storage.