Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Adobe Executive Kevin Lynch Discusses Flash on Mac, iPhone, and iPad

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
68,226
39,029


BoomToom today sat down with Adobe Chief Technical Officer Kevin Lynch to discuss the relationship between Apple and Adobe and the deployment of Flash on Mac as well as the iPhone and iPad. Apple's decision not to include Flash Player capabilities on the iPhone and now the iPad has resulted in apparent tensions between the two companies.

Lynch's comments about Flash on the Mac indicate that the Adobe is working hard on CPU usage during video rendering, acknowledging that such tasks use more CPU cycles on the Mac than on Windows. Regarding the iPhone, Lynch defends the importance of Flash on the Web, noting that he is hopeful that the adoption of Flash capabilities on a number of smartphone platforms will help convince others such as Apple to follow suit.
Well, there's a lot of Flash content on the Web, and so, right now about 85% of the top websites have Flash on their website. So if you want to view the whole Web, not having the ability to view Flash really is kind of limiting in terms of the experience on the devices, and so we're really focused on making sure that we can bring the ability to view Flash content and interact with it across all of these devices...I'm hopeful in the smartphone space, for example, that as people start to see that you can get a great experience with Flash in the smartphone, for example on Android, and Palm, and Nokia, and RIM, and these other devices, that that will encourage others to adopt Flash as well on their devices.
Click to expand...
In the interview, Lynch also discusses Adobe's efforts on its AIR platform, which bundles the Flash runtime into applications, allowing developers to easily port their applications to a variety of platforms, including the iPhone.



Article Link: Adobe Executive Kevin Lynch Discusses Flash on Mac, iPhone, and iPad
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/02/17/adobe-executive-kevin-lynch-discusses-flash-on-mac-iphone-and-ipad/
Interesting how Adobe has essentially set themselves up to be the subject of envelopment attacks!

A platform provider (Apple in this case) can envelop and existing product by offering a substitute that does not require the user to have an additional outlay or usage costs. Apple can do this with QuickTime and/or by implementing HTML5 (which they already support).

Note the competition that Adobe Flash is experiencing from platform providers such as Apple, Microsoft (Silverlight), and even Google. Adobe's stronghold on video is now over.
 
I'd like to know who the "top websites" are, and how many there are of which 85% use flash. It seems a bit of a throw away statement.
 
Adobe better be working hard on making flash better on Mac. I was watching a youtube video and opened my iStat widget. My CPU was working harder on showing the video, than it does rendering a video in Final Cut......
 
Looks like Stevie sent the message

But I want to know why after the i millions flash updates it still doesn't work right?

(same deal with Adobe reader.....lot's and lot's of updates, but it's a fine product)
 
AdeFowler said:
I'd like to know who the "top websites" are, and how many there are of which 85% use flash. It seems a bit of a throw away statement.
Click to expand...

i think there is some kind of movie website... that people have a cheap membership and stream movies... netmovies?... netfilms? netficks? can't remember...
 
MacRumors said:
"right now about 85% of the top websites have Flash on their website."
Click to expand...
WTF is a "top" website?!? I disable Flash for all but a few websites and wish it would go away on those too. I would say my Internet experience is 95% Flash free.

Does "top website" = "websites with ads"???
 
Adobe's not going to convince Apple to allow or include Flash support in anything other than Macs. Sorry, Adobe, but... your Flash technology is getting long in the tooth, as proved by its HTML5-powered replacements (WebGL, audio and video tags, etc.) You don't want to admit it, though - and you especially hate admitting to the fact that a heck of a lot of Flash content on websites is advertising or other fluff that doesn't fundamentally enhance the site. HTML5 will open up possibilities that Flash was never built for, at least in my opinion.
 
The reaction from Apple regarding Adobe is the pure definition of hypocrisy:

1. They say "we don't wan't flash because they are lazy and we're forward thinking with HTML5" > A week after Jobs declare "It's too early for us to adopt Blu-Ray as we feel the market isn't ready" when most platform, devices and more over Adobe Platfrom is compatible with Blu-Ray

2. They say "they are ahead of the game and just making a move others will do after" > Flash is coming to Android, Palm and Windows7 Mobile...

3. They say "we don't need flash today thanks to HTML5, for exemple on Youtube"> 75%+ of videos and games are still in Flash, like thousands of websites, because developpers choose this plateform and should be forced to do otherwise if they don't wan't too.

3. They say "Flash is obsolete and is buggy" > Heck they couldn't even a proper internet page during their own presentation and had to fake some picture of the iPad !

4. They say "We already have youtube and the appstore, especially for ebook" > Most digital and interactive magasine and ebooks are in Flash or developped for Adobe Air as showed recently by WIRED

PS: Otherwise I agree HTML5 is the best alternative but when you know that 75% of people still use Internet Explorer, some people are just being has hypocrit as Apple
 
stephengiem said:
i think there is some kind of movie website... that people have a cheap membership and stream movies... netmovies?... netfilms? netficks? can't remember...
Click to expand...

That's Silverlight.


I can't believe they're still pretending they have any intention of bringing the Mac flash player up to speed with windows. They've spent more than a decade NOT doing so.
 
Dear Kevin:

Steve Jobs totally ate your lunch.

Give it up.

Start doing the smart thing and make tools for HTML5.
 
I now have proof that Flash is made by hobbits. And I for one will not support hobbits.
 
My iphone is great and actually prefer it to my laptop for web browsing. Mostly because touch is easier to use. The flash issue has been a non-issue for me.
 
It's not just with video rendering, my CPU usage/fans go crazy when I'm viewing any Flash content.

Which is a bit awkward, given that much of my current work is developing RIAs with Flash interfaces!

I don't know who is to blame - Apple or Adobe, but it's good that this "discussion" is getting a lot of publicity. We might, finally, see an improvement.
 
Co-sign on the hobbits. Screw that.

Incidentally, I have been in the HTML5 beta on youtube, and so far so good. I can't really tell much difference in video quality, but it suuurreee doesn't feel like its sucking the life out of my laptop either.
 
Augure said:
The reaction from Apple regarding Adobe is the pure definition of hypocrisy:

1. They say "we don't wan't flash because they are lazy and we're forward thinking with HTML5" > A week after Jobs declare "It's too early for us to adopt Blu-Ray as we feel the market isn't ready" when most platform, devices and more over Adobe Platfrom is compatible with Blu-Ray

2. They say "they are ahead of the game and just making a move others will do after" > Flash is coming to Android, Palm and Windows7 Mobile...

3. They say "we don't need flash today thanks to HTML5, for exemple on Youtube"> 75%+ of videos and games are still in Flash, like thousands of websites, because developpers choose this plateform and should be forced to do otherwise if they don't wan't too.

3. They say "Flash is obsolete and is buggy" > Heck they couldn't even a proper internet page during their own presentation and had to fake some picture of the iPad !

4. They say "We already have youtube and the appstore, especially for ebook" > Most digital and interactive magasine and ebooks are in Flash or developped for Adobe Air as showed recently by WIRED

PS: Otherwise I agree HTML5 is the best alternative but when you know that 75% of people still use Internet Explorer, some people are just being has hypocrit as Apple
Click to expand...

I disagree with a lot of your points. Personally, I think the issue is mainly that Adobe can't provide a quality product. Apple puts a lot of emphasis on the overall user experience, and as it stands right now, the poor quality of Flash hampers that experience. When was the last time your browser crashed and it wasn't caused by a Flash plugin?

Plus, Apple has control issues.

HTML 5 will more than likely kill Flash if Adobe doesn't improve its quality very quickly. HTML5 is certainly not a replacement...but Flash has some very serious flaws (i.e. lack of SEO capabilities) that are going to make people look very closely at HTML5.
 
Spot of damage control by Adobe. Almost felt bad for them having to come out like this with their tail between their legs, all over a rumoured comment by Jobs. They really must be worried that they'll lose this battle v html5 and Silverlight in the coming years.
 
I love me some boomtoom.

Eh isn't this all old news? I thought Lynch spoke out about this already. Where's the new insight?
 
For mobile devices like the iPad and iPhone, it's all about battery life.

Flash causes increased CPU usage.
Increased CPU usage causes a faster battery drain.
Faster battery drain causes end-users to complain about the device.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back