This is exactly one of the things the proposed Media Capabilities wants to solve: an API to query the browser about the decoding abilities of the device based on information such as the codecs, profile, resolution, bitrates, etc. The real question though should be: 'how well it would perform on this device?' Today, web developers rely on isTypeSupported() or canPlayType() to vaguely know if some media can be decoded or not. Audio is not muted anymore for extreme playbackRate.Chrome now pauses all background video-only media.An error is now thrown when media playback rate is unsupported.The default preload value for and elements is now 'metadata'.Offline playback with persistent licenses are now supported on Windows and Mac.Chrome now supports HDR video playback on Windows 10.Web developers can now predict whether playback will be smooth and power efficient.
