Adobe Discontinues Development of Flash Player on Mobile Devices

[unsignedbyte]

lol this is the type of comments i would expect from the android fanboys that when flash finally came out on their phones rejoiced that they had a feature the iPhone didnt, even though it never matter. I dont have to go any further look at all your negatives...lol

1. i'm not an android fanboy at all
2. i guess you didnt really read my post
3. this is an apple-based forum, so its not quiet hard to earn negative votings, if one says just one simple thing against the mainstream opinion.
4. your post is pretty useless, due to the lack of content
5 ...and so is this. But i couldnt resist.

 

[Daveoc64]

If Quicktime became dominant, Apple would make it for other platforms. It's easy to do. And it's also for iOS, and I'd say that it's the best video player on Windows.

What's that based on!? QuickTime for Windows is a terrible port of an Application that Apple has dropped on Mac OS X.

Apple does not believe in making things for other platforms. Their marketing refers to Windows as "PC", because it is in their marketing interests for people to never associate the PC with other Operating Systems like Linux.

Either way, QuickTime doesn't solve any of the issues with HTML5 Video. At best, it simply provides the same functionality of HTML5 video in a bloated way.

 

[Bernard SG]

Or just maybe they are changing with the times. If i thought that i had the best product in the whole world, but still saw that people were moving away from it, i would be quite stupid not to adapt.

If your product is established (like Flash used to be) and is the best in the world people WON'T be moving away from it. People move away when they sense that a product sucks.

It's baffling that some posters here will still defend Flash as a great platform when Adobe itself implicitly admits it's crap.

 

[D.T.]

When people say I used the HTML5 version of Google Maps, they're really using JavaScript features. JavaScript is used to move around the map, zoom in, find your location etc.

HTML can't do these things by itself.

While you do use Javascript, HTML5 exposes the APIs to do things like dynamic scrolling.

Flash = Rendering, Script and APIs (for things like referencing the host browser DOM). I suppose if you're trying to say this = that, it's more like Flash is like HTML5+Javascript (and I think that's even a faulty comparison...)

 

[Piggie]

You won't find anyone who wants to dump old tech and more forward onto better things than me.

I'd be happy if iPad3 did not run any iPad1 or 2 code if it made iPad3 better.
I always want to move forward onto better things.

My problem is, I'm not at all convinced (and I get the feeling that people who know what they are REALLY talking about) are not convinced HTML5 is the way forward either.

It feels like it's just a poor alternative.

Can't the answer be to create a new very lean and mean, very very advanced and powerful Flash alternative that all machines can run, and we can all move forward onto that?

Im sure if HTML5 was as great as the Flash haters say it was, everyone would be falling over themselves to use this new ultra fast code.

 

[itlgames]

Wasn't there a rumor earlier that Adobe is making an HTML5 tool? I agree that HTML5 is still not as developed at the moment.

It's not a rumour:

http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/edge/

I've seen this in action, it's kind of Flash/Director with javascript, and generates html + jquery

 

[techsmith]

does this mean learning flash action script is nearing its end of life? i just started some courses in school on action script, and while its a pretty nifty language, ive got a feeling flash is being phased out.

that said; how does this affect flash on the desktop?

You're asking this on the wrong site Of course everyone is going to tell you it's a waste of time.

Flash is two parts, the player and the content creator. The content creator is the part that makes Adobe money, and I highly doubt it is going away anytime soon. Already they are working on the ability to export flash projects as HTML5, and already they have the ability to export flash projects as iPhone apps. It may take Adobe a bit of time to get this all right, but eventually I think Flash creator and action script will be as valuable as it was before. That being said, I'll be glad to see the player disappear, but this doesn't have to hurt Adobe so long as they can keep up with their content creators.

 

[samcraig]

good flash sucks on mobile devices. it eats battery life like hell. anything you can do in flash you can do in html 5 better

Actually - you're wrong. Maybe you don't know the differences between what HTML5 can do (and browser incompatibilities) vs what Flash is used for.

It's ok - many people wouldn't - especially on these forums.

If your product is established (like Flash used to be) and is the best in the world people WON'T be moving away from it. People move away when they sense that a product sucks.

It's baffling that some posters here will still defend Flash as a great platform when Adobe itself implicitly admits it's crap.

I don't think people are defending it as a great platform. I think people are defending Flash (not mobile flash) as the only way to accomplish certain requirements currently. Since there is no viable alternative to get the same functionality. When that day arises - I am sure more/most people would be very thankful.

It's not that it's a great platform. But right now - it's a platform that accomplishes things that no other technology does or does well.

There's a difference.

 

[Daveoc64]

While you do use Javascript, HTML5 exposes the APIs to do things like dynamic scrolling.

Flash = Rendering, Script and APIs (for things like referencing the host browser DOM). I suppose if you're trying to say this = that, it's more like Flash is like HTML5+Javascript (and I think that's even a faulty comparison...)

I'm not trying to say anything like that.

A poster implied that Flash differs from HTML5 because it's not interpreted.

I pointed out that this is not the case. I don't care about comparing what x is more like which y.

I was just pointing out that that poster's implication was wrong and tried using an analogy to explain that.

 

[unsignedbyte]

This is something that absolutely floors me. You know, I'm not a huge fan of Flash. It gets the job done, but it's not exactly the smoothest, most efficient thing in the world. There are better ways to do what Flash does. Or at least there will be.

As much as it initially limited me, I could understand why Jobs wanted to keep Flash off the iDevices.

The thing that gets me, though, is how as soon as Apple decided to kick Flash off their stuff, it suddenly became an Us Vs. Them thing for alot of people. Ole Steve goes off on Flash, and suddenly ALL Adobe products started sucking. Photoshop? Oh, it's been a bloated POS that never worked right. InDesign? Absolute crap. Illustrator? More like ILLUSTRATCAN'T AM I RITE?

I mean what is it with some of you people? It's not a damn war here. It's not commies vs. cappies here. Steve didn't like Flash, threw a tantrum, Adobe didn't like Steve not liking Flash, and threw a tantrum in return. Yeah, the situation was stupid, but it didn't suddenly degrade the entire Adobe product line.

Think for yourselves for a change.

exactly

 

[Daveoc64]

I don't think people are defending it as a great platform. I think people are defending Flash (not mobile flash) as the only way to accomplish certain requirements currently. Since there is no viable alternative to get the same functionality. When that day arises - I am sure more/most people would be very thankful..

I'm doing two things:

1) As you say, pointing out that the alternatives to Flash are not there yet, and aren't likely to be for a while.

2) Clearing up some misconceptions about how Flash works, what it is and its perceived problems.

 

[John.B]

I'm sure the open source community is ready and willing to step in and support open Mobile Flash... Oh, except for the fact that it was never really open to begin with...

 

[RawBert]

Steve was right about Flash.

I mainly use an iPad for web surfing/shopping since April 2010. I haven't missed flash at all. In fact, every time I fire up the iMac to torrent, I'm annoyed by those flash adds all over the web. I really don't miss that crap.

 

[psonice]

Excellent news. Whatever your feelings on flash, this is a major victory for an open, standards based internet. It's also a major victory for computer security and stability

Is it the end of flash? Kind of, yeah. So much traffic comes from mobile, that flash based sites are no longer viable. So flash on the desktop will be next for the chop.

Or not - adobe seems to be refocusing flash for games. That's already what it's used for mostly, and with what they have planned it might work out for them. It'll mean it becomes a niche plugin though, and I doubt it will be bundled with browsers for long. It'll be something you install when you visit a game site.

 

[Kenrik]

Why would you need flash anyway? everything Flash was good at has been replaced by HTML 5...

Actionscript - was just Javascript repacked anyway.

Animation - heard of Hype? Seriously you can do some great animations with the same basic interface as flash.

Video - HTML 5 Video tag.

Why do we need flash?

 

[John.B]

I don't think people are defending it as a great platform. I think people are defending Flash (not mobile flash) as the only way to accomplish certain requirements currently. Since there is no viable alternative to get the same functionality. When that day arises - I am sure more/most people would be very thankful.

True. For example, I don't know another way to so easily spy on a user's webcam without Flash.

 

[oliversl]

I hope Google could remote uninstall flash in Android in order to move more quickly to the new era of mobile web experience.

Now marketing guys at Android and PlayBook need to find a new marketing term for the now defunt "full web"

 

[kerryb]

its officially dead

When a company states it will no longer develop a product or technology it is officially dead. Anyone holding on to hope there will Flash installed into future mobile devices is fooling themselves. What third party company would bother to consider Flash as a benefit now.

 

[Kid A]

But now this means mobile Flash is dead and in heaven with Steve!!! Oh noes!!! Poor Steve, stuck using a Flash-enabled HP Touchpad for all eternity.

(don't remind me he was buddhist... i know... i'm kidding).

 

[unsignedbyte]

I mainly use an iPad for web surfing/shopping since April 2010. I haven't missed flash at all. In fact, every time I fire up the iMac to torrent, I'm annoyed by those flash adds all over the web. I really don't miss that crap.

Well, animated ads will be made with html 5 too... its not like flash is only for nasty banner creation.

 

[Daveoc64]

True. For example, I don't know another way to so easily spy on a user's webcam without Flash.

That feature will be possible with HTML5 (again, more specifically with JavaScript), so I wouldn't get too cocky.

 

[itlgames]

Why would you need flash anyway? everything Flash was good at has been replaced by HTML 5...

Actionscript - was just Javascript repacked anyway.

Animation - heard of Hype? Seriously you can do some great animations with the same basic interface as flash.

Video - HTML 5 Video tag.

Why do we need flash?

HTML5 per se can't do ******, people here is confused. HTML5 is just HTML. Only thing near to Flash on HTML5 is the canvas (which you then control with javascript), which is times times slow compared with Flash.

 

[John.B]

But now this means mobile Flash is dead and in heaven with Steve!!! Oh noes!!! Poor Steve, stuck using a Flash-enabled HP Touchpad for all eternity.

(don't remind me he was buddhist... i know... i'm kidding).

Personally, I've always viewed Flash as a product of the devil.

YMMV...

 

[samcraig]

Excellent news. Whatever your feelings on flash, this is a major victory for an open, standards based internet. It's also a major victory for computer security and stability

Is it the end of flash? Kind of, yeah. So much traffic comes from mobile, that flash based sites are no longer viable. So flash on the desktop will be next for the chop.

Or not - adobe seems to be refocusing flash for games. That's already what it's used for mostly, and with what they have planned it might work out for them. It'll mean it becomes a niche plugin though, and I doubt it will be bundled with browsers for long. It'll be something you install when you visit a game site.

FYI - less than 10% of web traffic comes from Mobile. Yes it's growing - and certainly media companies are seeing greater growth in Mobile traffic - but it's not even close to being dominant (yet).

 

[NutsNGum]

You won't find anyone who wants to dump old tech and more forward onto better things than me.

I'd be happy if iPad3 did not run any iPad1 or 2 code if it made iPad3 better.
I always want to move forward onto better things.

My problem is, I'm not at all convinced (and I get the feeling that people who know what they are REALLY talking about) are not convinced HTML5 is the way forward either.

It feels like it's just a poor alternative.

Can't the answer be to create a new very lean and mean, very very advanced and powerful Flash alternative that all machines can run, and we can all move forward onto that?

Im sure if HTML5 was as great as the Flash haters say it was, everyone would be falling over themselves to use this new ultra fast code.

This guy gets it, to some extent.