With the latest details about the iPhone from the Apple WWDC today, it made me consider the main thing that I feel the iPhone lacks – support for Flash. With Apple rolling out the developers, the example apps along with all the marketing and “I want one now” encouragement, Flash is losing out.
RocknRolla trailer Corvette Summer psp
Where is Adobe Flash, Air and everything else? There have been lots of ’sort-of’ promises, even some from Adobe themselves. However, I think one thing is clear – support for Flash is not going to appear on the iPhone. This is nothing short of a disaster for Adobe. The fantastic Flash tool is seriously missing out by not being part of the iPhone.
Gone Baby Gone film The Mannsfield 12 divx
I think the only way Flash support will appear on the iPhone is if Adobe change the way Flash works. They need to remove the right-click menu. Currently the functionality of the iPhone and iPod touch doesn’t even support Flash. Similarly, Adobe don’t actually have a need – or probably even a desire to get Flash working on an iPhone interface. The current setup means they control all apps, which certainly wouldn’t be the case if Flash was supported.
Whilst Silverlight is floundering in its use, the iPhone is going to fly – especially if the new much lower pricing appears in other countries across the world too. This must be of great concern to Adobe – how can Flash support be added to the iPhone? Flash is a fantastic tool and I’d love to be able use my Flash games on the iPod touch. They could work so well. I just hope Flash doesn’t miss out on all the new devices that the iPhone era will usher in.
Come on Adobe – release some fantastic news about how you’ve got Flash working on the new device. I think the main problem is that there isn’t much of a requirement on Apple’s behalf. Then again, they have now added Exchange – would Flash be the next most popular development? I think so…
Walk the Talk psp Strays dvdrip The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause dvd
12 responses so far ↓
1 Alan // Jun 9, 2008 at 11:09 pm
I don’t believe that it matters whether Flash is on the iPhone or not. It’s hardly a “disaster”. Web traffic on the iPhone is so tiny, it can barely be measured. Flash is meant to deliver a rich browsing experience, there is nothing rich about the web on an iPhone.
2 laurent // Jun 9, 2008 at 11:19 pm
I think that the evolution of the FP is at the same step like the system before Mac OS X, I mean: Mac Os 9… (hum, I exaggerate a little)
And finally the Apple’s hesitation is perhaps a good thing for the FP (and the community)… be better and better!
3 Andrew Field // Jun 9, 2008 at 11:31 pm
>> Alan
Perhaps disaster is a bit strong, but I did think about that as I was typing. Whilst current traffic via the iPhone is not worth bothering with, surely this new release will change that?
Also, the knock on effect needs to be considered – just as the EeePC is the standard for a ‘netbook’, the iPhone / iPod touch is clearly the standard for mobile devices. The lack of Flash could mean competitors don’t bother to push Flash either. Yet, perhaps other providers might see Flash as a great way to get ahead of Apple’s versions.
>> Laurent
Good points – if it is just hesitation, then that is great. My concern is that it isn’t hesitation at all.
4 TJ Downes // Jun 9, 2008 at 11:47 pm
I certainly hope the iPhone doesn’t become the standard for mobile devices. I’m no fan of the touch screen (on mobile devices). Also, the proprietary nature of the platform combined with the lack of useful features makes it a pretty bad investment for me.
I want Exchange connectivity, I want open platform for creating apps, and I don’t want to have to pay to publish them. I also want to have a device that readily accepts and adapts to new technologies, like 3G and Flash… something that has taken Apple forever to realize is needed.
For the iSheeps, the iPhone can do no wrong. For those of us with sensible desires in our mobile computing platform, the iPhone is nothing more than a pretty toy.
5 Emanuele Cipolloni // Jun 10, 2008 at 12:26 am
@TJ Downes:
iPhone has Exchange connectivity, has the features of any modern smartphone, it is an open platform , infact both the development IDE and the SDK are free and you don’t have to pay to sell or release you content/application. I have been developeing for Symbian for the past 7 years and the environment and the programming model of the iPhone is years ahead of anything I saw coming out from Nokia/Symbian. Of course if you mean that it is not open because it doesn’t have Flash, I’m shure that any FlaSheep will agree with you
6 Brian McBride // Jun 10, 2008 at 5:45 am
I would like to see Flash on the iPhone so I can make some great webapps customized for it.
Sure, I can muck around with javascript, css, html, etc… but I like the capabilities of the Flash player for animation/graphic purposes.
It is totally bitter and unrealistic, but it would be fitting if Adobe just didn’t release CS4 on the mac. Yea, there are other tools out there, but the fact is, most designers and firms out there just can’t afford to switch tools.
SGI is a good example of a cocky company who neglected their partners. I worked with a lot of their internal teams and the company had this attitude that the software vendors needed them, not the other way around. Then when the software migrated away, SGI lost their hold in the entertainment/effects marketspace. It seemed like it happened overnight.
It is about time someone runs down the isle past the memorized drones and smashes the Apple/Jobs screen with a hammer. Didn’t someone do that before? wasn’t someone thinking different and encouraging diversity?
Hrm.
7 Andrew Field // Jun 10, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Brian – that is a brilliant last point. I simply hadn’t considered that advert in comparison to the WWDC. They are nearly identical aren’t that!
8 Steven // Jun 10, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Sorry to be so harsh, but you’re an idiot.
First, the iPhone isn’t in the same category as the Flash player, so it cannot possibly be a Flash killer. Nor should it be directly compared to Silverlight.
Second, why wouldn’t competitors want to put Flash on their phones just because the iPhone lacks it? Tons of phones already support Flash, and it’s basic business sense to provide what your competitor doesn’t.
Third, the iPhone is hardly the standard for mobile devices.
9 Andrew Field // Jun 10, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Thanks for your views. Thing is, you haven’t quite read what I was saying. All the time people are / were talking about Silverlight being a Flash killer. What I proposed with this post was simply that if the iPhone catches on, the lack of Flash support could cause a major dent in Flash’s usage.
The second point you criticise me on is directly wrong. I was saying that most manufacturers are copying Apple with their new innovations. I was saying that I hope the lack of Flash on the iPhone might lead others to consider the point of bothering. I actually entirely agree with what you are saying!
Finally, I agree that the iPhone is hardly the standard, but it is the only mobile phone that gets wall to wall coverage, massive free advertising and the mobile device that many people have heard about. Whilst it doesn’t set the standards, it is the public face of mobile devices.
10 Matt // Jun 11, 2008 at 12:08 am
First you have to understand the limitations of getting Flash onto a mobile device, let alone AIR. The iPhone, if Jobs wanted to put Flash on it, would never be able to run the full featured Flash Player. Realistically, due to process and memory limitations, it would be limited to running Flash Lite. Thus its pretty much pointless to talk about Flash on the iPhone unless you speak specifically about Flash Lite.
It sounds cool to have a phone that could have the full Flash Player on it. I’d buy it immediately. But can you imagine if you tried to view any sort of relatively heavy Flash/Flex content on an iPhone? The thing would certainly not be able to handle it. The one thing I could assure you about though, is that Steve Jobs would never hesitate to put a full featured Flash Player on his iPhone if he could guarantee the phone would be able to run any/all content with relative ease.
In my opinion, its really becoming an old topic.
11 Matt // Jun 11, 2008 at 12:11 am
In my opinion, this is really becoming an old and tired topic. First you have to understand the limitations of getting Flash onto a mobile device, let alone AIR. The iPhone, if Jobs wanted to put Flash on it, would never be able to run the full featured Flash Player. Realistically, due to process and memory limitations, it would be limited to running Flash Lite. Thus its pretty much pointless to talk about Flash on the iPhone unless you speak specifically about Flash Lite.
It sounds cool to have a phone that could have the full Flash Player on it. I’d buy it immediately. But can you imagine if you tried to view any sort of relatively heavy Flash/Flex content on an iPhone? The thing would certainly not be able to handle it.
Ya know, Jobs basically said that Flash isn’t good enough for the iPhone. Any smart person can realize that he was referring to Flash Lite. Based on this, the one thing I could assure you about though, is that Steve Jobs would never hesitate to put a full featured Flash Player on his iPhone if he could guarantee the phone would be able to run any/all content with relative ease.
12 Andrew Field // Jun 11, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Apologies for keeping your comments waiting Matt – the are queued because of spam.
Interesting points you make. I don’t agree that it is pointless to talk about Flash on an iPhone at all though. I take your point about the processing power of the iPhone, but if you look at other devices coming out they can support Flash.
Similarly if you look at the Eee PC Flash works brilliantly on that. The Eee PC is a seriously cut-down PC.
The point I’m trying to make is that if the iPhone becomes the public accepted face of digital devices the the lack of Flash could be a real problem.
For example, in my area – within education – digital devices are now emerging that are cut price and attempting to provide as useful a resource as possible. Currently it would be unthinkable for any educational device not to include Flash. I’m concerned that the continued success of the iPhone without Flash might mean that future manufacturers consider not bothering with Flash because they can use alternative technologies.
Leave a Comment