HTML5 developers had hoped that the new iPad would offer greatly improved support for the burgeoning Web standard. Instead, they got a device with about the same level of HTML5 port as its predecessor. In its “HTML5 Scorecard,” mobile development tool vendor Sencha called Apple’s latest tablet a “mixed bag.” Sencha’s Aditya Bansod noted, “It’s still the best HTML 5 platform on the market, but we had hoped for a bigger advance than this [in the new iPad]. Instead, we’re treading water and even slid back a bit. That’s a little disappointing from Apple.”
In particular, developers find fault with the new iPad’s HTML5 data storage features, and its performance in benchmark test wasn’t as good as the Motorola Xoom. “No new features showed up between iOS 5.0 and iOS 5.1,” added Banson. “iOS still features some of the best HTML5 support on any mobile browser, but this latest incarnation hasn’t increased the depth of Mobile Safari’s support for the standards.”
