Adobe Officially Ends Flash Support, Recommends Uninstalling Immediately

[MacRumors]

Adobe in 2017 announced plans to end support for its Flash browser plug-in at the end of 2020. Now that it's officially 2021, support for the software has ended, and Adobe will begin blocking content from running in Flash Player beginning on January 12.

Flash's elimination should not heavily impact users because many popular browsers have already moved away from the format. Additionally, iPhone and iPad users are not affected by the change, as iOS and iPadOS have never supported Flash.

Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs offered his "Thoughts on Flash" in a 2010 open letter, criticizing Adobe's software for its reliability, incompatibility with mobile sites, and battery drain on mobile devices. Jobs also said that Adobe was "painfully slow to adopt enhancements to Apple's platforms" and further innovation from Apple would not be hindered by a "cross platform development tool."

In the past, Adobe's Flash Player had continually suffered from vulnerabilities that exposed Mac and PC users to malware and other security risks that caused vendors like Microsoft and Apple to work tirelessly to keep up with security fixes.

Since Flash Player will no longer receive updates, Adobe recommends that all users immediately remove the software "to help protect their systems."

Article Link: Adobe Officially Ends Flash Support, Recommends Uninstalling Immediately

 

[dragoon2745]

Did HTML 5 make flash obsolete?

 

[huge_apple_fangirl]

Good riddance

 

[farewelwilliams]

Remember when people called Apple stupid for not supporting flash?

Now think about when people are going to call Apple stupid for removing the lightning port.

 

[ghanwani]

If only websites stopped using it. I stopped using Flash a while ago and yet I have visited so many websites (e.g. banks, car sites) that need Flash, so I just end up leaving.

 

[MBAir2010]

flash........GORDON!
i'm happy i can stream a football game on the laptop now, so we dont need that application.

 

[now i see it]

I remember spending a long time learning Flash to the point where I could make anything I wanted. Wasted time. Of all the websites I made, I never made any of them using flash though. I had developed enough distain for it even before SJ posted his opus.

 

[phenste]

Still remember the day Steve’s letter came out. Can’t say this is a headline I ever thought I’d read…but it’s certainly a joy to see. 😉

 

[Abazigal]

The lesson that Apple keeps teaching, and which others keep ignoring, is that to bring about meaningful change, you have to be bold and unapologetic in forcing about the change you want to see.

What will be next, I wonder.

 

[GiantKiwi]

If only websites stopped using it.

They'll have no choice. Microsoft for example just released a windows update to permanently prevent flash from running in browsers.

 

[peneaux]

+12 years too late.

If you had a laptop, you knew Flash was crap. The most annoying intro animation when visiting a website was enough to make your CPU spike and make the cpu fan run at max speed (and your battery to drain).


Something I hope it will disappear is the video intro people put on Youtube videos. The use a stupid animation with some annoying sound for 10 seconds before starting the damn content. Not to mention the "click the Like button and Subscribe!" No thanks!

 

[hot-gril]

Did HTML 5 make flash obsolete?

For most things, yes. There's still no good alternative to Flash for games or other static interactive content. I know that despite the EoL, I'm going to be taking language courses and corporate training that require Flash for years to come.

 

[Runs For Fun]

Should have been killed off years ago. Good riddance.

 

[hot-gril]

If only websites stopped using it. I stopped using Flash a while ago and yet I have visited so many websites (e.g. banks, car sites) that need Flash, so I just end up leaving.

I'd be very scared if my money were managed in a Flash program.

 

[Agent47]

Good riddance to Flash, RealPlayer, Divx, SilverLight, and all of the other crap codecs and plug-ins that made early multimedia such a catastrophe. Some of it may have been necessary, but in the end it seem to serve everyone except the end-user.

 

[lovehateapple]

Remember when people called Apple stupid for not supporting flash?

Now think about when people are going to call Apple stupid for removing the lightning port.

As expensive as it's going to be for me and others, I hope Apple kills the lightning port soon. And yes, Apple is going to get criticized heavily for it, but I agree it will be for the better.

 

[AF_APPLETALK]

As expensive as it's going to be for me and others, I hope Apple kills the lightning port soon. And yes, Apple is going to get criticized heavily for it, but I agree it will be for the better.

The lightning port should have never existed to begin with. It was like the 2012 version of ADC.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

So long Adobe!

 

[kstotlani]

As expensive as it's going to be for me and others, I hope Apple kills the lightning port soon. And yes, Apple is going to get criticized heavily for it, but I agree it will be for the better.

I think OP means no port altogether. I am not sure if you are saying the same thing or replacement such as USB C.

 

[Populus]

Goodbye Flash, although I stopped installing it many years ago, I had Chrome as a secondary browser just in case I needed it.

I still remember those years (Snow Leopard, Mountain Lion... 2010-2012) where I still installed it, and my old Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro got hot, really really hot just watching YouTube or any other site with flash. It was a nightmare honestly, because it drained battery as well. I think it was with Mavericks (2013) when I stopped installing Flash and assumed it was a thing to get rid of. Maybe it was earlier, I don't know.

 

[eRondeau]

Does this mean there won't be an M1 native version? 😉

 

[cmaier]

What cracks me up is that some of the same people who currently complain about Apple’s non-support of X, Y or Z are the same people who insisted Apple was doomed for not supporting flash on iPhoneOS.

 

[Mr. Heckles]

If only websites stopped using it. I stopped using Flash a while ago and yet I have visited so many websites (e.g. banks, car sites) that need Flash, so I just end up leaving.

Banks? What bank? I can't remember the last time I saw a website that used Flash.

 

[G.McGilli]

What if you have FLASH in your settings - but you do not have any applications for uninstalling it? I have no Adobe apps at all...

 

[Virinprew]

Remember when people called Apple stupid for not supporting flash?

Now think about when people are going to call Apple stupid for removing the lightning port.

We remember what we want to remember.