Your comparison is similar to game development. Hey, we wanted to make PS3 quality games for ages yet the tech and chips were not ready. OK, the iphone came out 3.5 yrs ago but the original chips were nothing compared to those in the G4 or in the iPad.
Adobe may had yrs to make a decent flash plugin for mobile devices but the power it requires were not even available for that platform.
If that is the defense that Adobe would put forward, then Apple is indeed correct that Flash sucks (on current and previous processors) and therefore Adobe needs to shut their traps (or admit that they are unable to provide proper performance at this time).
Perhaps you are right. I was remiss in not including the possibility that Adobe was downright wrong, in addition to the options of being lazy and/or incompetent.
However, if Adobe is unable to provide a suitably performing Flash plug-in for
current mobile processor technology, they need to come out and admit it. They have been saying "coming soon now" for 3+ years and have been wrong on an ongoing basis.
That's where incompetence really steps in. They say they can do it, but they have spent years underscoring the fact that they cannot.
That sounds like incompetence (or at least ignorance of their own abilities) to me.