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

European Commission Joins Investigation of Apple's Flash Exclusion Policies

It's not like Apple has any kind of monopoly in the mobile communications, online or computing space. This is unnecessary.

I understand Apple's BUSINESS rationale for keeping Flash from infecting its platform. However, there's absolutely no reason to exclude Flash from my iPad. I don't miss Flash on my iPhone one bit.
 
I bet they're more interested in Apple banning the Flash to iPhone app compiler than Apple simply not supporting Flash in the browser. Not supporting Flash in the browser is simply a technical decision made by Apple about something they don't want to add to their software, and I can't see how that could ever cause them any trouble. However, changing T&Cs to ban a specific competitor's product? That is slightly shakier ground.

FWIW, I live on the fringes of the EU (in the UK), and the EU isn't nearly as silly/bad/dictatorial as the various nutters on the internet would have you believe. It is true that the EU isn't as laissez-faire as the US, and they definitely don't like to see competition stifled for purely self-serving/anti-competitive reasons (even within an company's own self-made eco system).

FWIW2, I don't relish the thought of all those Angry Birds Flash clones if they do get Apple to reverse the compiler decision, but as a programmer I do want to see Apple remove that restriction because it was never a good idea.
 
I kinda like my iPod and iPad without flash. I installed Frash and removed it immediately cause it crashed safari. I don't miss flash, and the only sites I let flash do what it does is on photography and artists websites that use flash, other than that I block it.

The worst the EU (which gets involved with way more than it needs) is force Apple to give the user a choice.
 
Gasu E. said:
Flash would completely change the user experience for all apps, not just the ones using Flash, since battery life would be destroyed. I suppose Apple could make you click on a "waiver" (like an EULA form), in which you agreed that you understood that Flash would make your iPxxx suck. I'm sure people would complain anyway about their reduced battery life.

"Apple, you need to make an iPhone that can run Flash AND have good battery life". :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

If you don't like it you could turn it off. What's wrong with that?
 
Full of Win said:
As they say... the trend is your friend. The trend for iOS is down and up for Android. Sure Apple is having healthy sales now, just like AOL and their walled garden did ten years ago. In a few years time, iOS will be a marginal player in the field.
Click to expand...

No no, sir. AOL failed because a faster and more attractive ISP paradigm emerged, one specifically sexy for American users. People in the US hate tiered plans, pay-per-use, or feelin like they are on the clock. That is why AOL failed. Just because they were very closed like Apple does not mean both will fail.

And if you've ever looked at the original Apple success story, the iPod, you may notice that people are attracted to Apple for the very reason that they are closed, and just do their job.

That is why Apple banned Flash- they know we want a product that just works, so they give it to us. If you want to mess around with Flash, you are more than willing to buy another phone. You know what you're getting with your iProduct: better battery life, no Flash.
 
Hyata said:
If you don't like it you could turn it off. What's wrong with that?
Click to expand...

Cause majority of the people wont know how to and wont care to. Then they will be the one on the forums complaining about ****** performance about the iphone. And there are a lot more of those users then tech users/people who want flash
 
These government agencies are waaaaay overstepping their bounds. They only have grounds to act in a couple of major ways. 1)Anti-competitive practices and 2)Safety issues. Apple is not violating either one. Obviously, safety is not an issue. And how can anyone argue that excluding Flash is anti-competitive? If anything, it's a competitive disadvantage for iOS if another mobile OS does include it in the future (not holding my breath).

Look, Apple has valid reasons for excluding it. And it's not like Apple is the only game in town. You want Flash or Flash-derived/"transcoded" apps? Then buy the mobile phone that offers it. Is McDonald's required to offer Grey Poupon? Is JC Penny required to stock Tommy Hilfiger? Of course not! Each business is allowed to offer the products and services it wants to and Apple should be no different.

I'm looking forward to the statement from the FCC/FTC/EC or whoever that says: "We investigated and found nothing wrong. Carry on." Anything else would be unprecedented and unfounded.
 
Adobe doesn't really even have a decent version of Mobile Flash, on any platform. The android version is close, but not really ready for prime-time. Is there a case for exclusion when there is nothing to exclude?

The android Flash requires the latest and greatest hardware and version 2 point something. So if they can't get that right after working on it for the last two years, that makes me think they can't pull it off.

If Adobe actually had an iPhone Flash that's was ready to rock I'd like to see it.

I wonder what Adobe's stance on the 3rd party jailbreak solution is.
 
Full of Win said:
As they say... the trend is your friend. The trend for iOS is down and up for Android. Sure Apple is having healthy sales now, just like AOL and their walled garden did ten years ago. In a few years time, iOS will be a marginal player in the field.
Click to expand...
I and others bought an iPhone now because the features and experience now were what we were looking for. In a few years' time that may well change. In today's hardware market it is unrealistic to expect any one device to remain relevant for more than a few years anyway.
 
Crzyrio said:
Cause majority of the people wont know how to and wont care to. Then they will be the one on the forums complaining about ****** performance about the iphone. And there are a lot more of those users then tech users/people who want flash
Click to expand...

That's a poor excuse, you aren't giving people enough credit. Why not ship the device with Flash support turned off. Then the "stupid" people wont know what they're missing.

There's only so much you can do with software fortunately hardware is making great strides. This time next year we'll have dual core CPU's and more powerfull GPU's. Batteries are always improving also.
 
Crazy, absolute madness.

I don't care about the lack of Flash on my iDevices, in fact I quite like being able to browse without the annoyance of flash adverts. I've not found the lack of flash to be a problem at all.
 
Feek said:
Crazy, absolute madness.

I don't care about the lack of Flash on my iDevices, in fact I quite like being able to browse without the annoyance of flash adverts. I've not found the lack of flash to be a problem at all.
Click to expand...

But you don't speak for everyone now do you.
 
BBBs -- Brussels Busy Bodies.

These guys have nothing better to do than dictate the size, curvature, shape and colour of bananas. Yes, that's right!

And everything, even public services, have had to be opened up to Compulsory Competitive Tendering. Since the (mainly mainland European) private contractors moved in to the NHS-run hospitals in the UK, you are now more likely to get hospital-based illnesses (MRSA, etc) than be cured of whatever you were admitted for in the first place.

Sometimes, someone has to tell the EU to **** and deal with the more serious issues, like the blood-sucking (w)bankers who caused the economic recession.

Disclosure: I live n the UK and am generally pro-EU/EC.
 
likemyorbs said:
seriously?? thats apple's right! how is there any ground to this investigation? they have no case, apple with NEVER EVER EVER EVER use flash on their iDevices (thank god). and if the EU doesn't like that, then they can ban iDevices, im sure the europeans will be thrilled. i like my iPad battery to last 10 hours, not 2, thank you very much. and yay im the first post!
Click to expand...

If you took your time, you might have missed the first spot but you might have also realised that having the ability to display Flash doesn't mean that you would always have to. It's about choice. Apple Inc doesn't give us that and that's why we should welcome an investigation into the matter.

Besides, there are well-designed Flash applications and windows; and there are worse ones. Flash, if done well is actually a fantastic tool to create visually pleasing and user-friendly interfaces.

Even if you don't like it, as long as we have the choice, development will react and provide solutions to avoid Flash. All web browsers have plugins that allows you to avoid Flash content (such as advertisements that Macrumors has its main revenue from). Apple's mobile devices would enjoy the same.

SiPat said:
BBBs -- Brussels Busy Bodies.

These guys have nothing better to do than dictate the size, curvature, shape and colour of bananas. Yes, that's right!

And everything, even public services, have had to be opened up to Compulsory Competitive Tendering. Since the (mainly mainland European) private contractors moved in to the NHS-run hospitals in the UK, you are now more likely to get hospital-based illnesses (MRSA, etc) than be cured of whatever you were admitted for in the first place.

Sometimes, someone has to tell the EU to **** and deal with the more serious issues, like the blood-sucking (w)bankers who caused the economic recession.

Disclosure: I live n the UK and am generally pro-EU/EC.
Click to expand...

You must either stop drinking or reading tabloids!
 
I heard a rumor that when turned off, smart phones will play Queen at low volumes. You have to listen closely.

"Flash! He drain everyone of us!"

LOL

Ok, that said, I see Apple's point of view on this. But I'm starting to disagree with Apple on this. Yes you can say you have a choice of choosing another phone or jail breaking the iphone. But users have a right to desire certain feature be supported/allowed officially by apple.

I think Apple should allow it but tell users they don't recommend it. When trouble shooting.
 
As long as I'm able to manually disable Flash in iOS Safari, like I do in OSX Safari, I'm perfectly fine for it to support it. I mean, it has no purpose, and this whole ordeal is perpetuated by ignorance, but that doesn't bother me as long as I'm not forced to run Flash myself.

And how is this monopolistic or whatever anyway? Adobe is the one who wrote their own custom plugin for browsers so that people who chose to download it can run their own proprietary applications. Browsers are not obligated to to support their poorly coded, insecure binaries. Browsers support web standards. Adobe should consider working within those standards.

And I'm a Flex developer! :(
 
tundrabuggy said:
.....said Microsoft when they bundled the browser in the OS.
I hope you like Flash big guy!
Click to expand...

Two different stories...

At the time, Microsoft was on 90% of the Computer Market and they did include I.E. that was the *only* solution to go surf online.

In that case, even _if_ the iOS would be 90% of Portable Devices, they don't force anyone to use their version of a *Flash Player or Application* because they simply don't include any solution for Flash... period.

That results the same way if Microsoft would never include I.E.... Apple even don't force you to use Safari.

In case they would force Apple to include Flash, they would need to do so with Nintendo DS, Sony Playstation, XBox, Bluray Player, etc... it's just ridiculous.

Any government can't force a private company to include security holes in their system.

They might force Apple to allow another tools developers (which allow developers to program with something else than Apple applications), but in that case, they can still reject any application that won't be properly coded.

I clearly don't want any Flash Player or even any App built with another developer applications.... Or I will request Apple to make it very VERY specifically clear in the App Store and I will never buy and install any of this crap on my phone... period.
 
Hyata said:
But you don't speak for everyone now do you.
Click to expand...

He speaks for iDevices owners at least... and that's what matters.

If someone doesn't like Apple policies about Flash on iDevices... Don't buy them. That's just as simple as that.
 
Brinkman said:
Nohing will come of this...
Click to expand...

yes, something will come out of it :

the consultants or whomever is hired for this research/investigation will make probably make oodles of money (and probably paid by the taxpayers).

:)

to the original thread:

this is idiotic. It's Apple's or any company's RIGHT to include/exclude technology.

Sure sounds like someone (ie. maybe Adobe) whined like a spoiled child.

I'd LOVE to be a fly on the wall in Jobs' office hearing about this one. :)

Ok. So I run a business transferring home movies to DVD - is someone going to sue or investigate me b/c I use a particular DVD brand and not another or worse, I don't use another vendors software to compress the mpeg2 files?
 
Uragon said:
Sometimes I feel that the EC is becoming dictatorial.
Click to expand...
They just have a thing against anti-competitive behavior, and it goes both ways. In cases where EU member states have old government monopolies dating back to the socialist days (e.g. "Apoteket", the Swedish farmacy chain), they crack down on it and try to wrestle the member states into dropping the monopolies and opening up for the free market. If a company is found to have a dominant market share, they crack down on that too. They've been at Microsoft's throat for years and forced them to add a browser ballot screen in Win7 so that Safari, Firefox and the others get a fair chance against IE.

I can't really think of a case where it hasn't been to the benefit of the consumer. It leads to more choice and lower prices, the things that a completely free market are supposed to bring but only does so on paper, when in reality it leads to a Soviet-style market with the only difference being that the monopolists are enterprises.

All this watchdog activity has had a major impact on keeping competition healthy, keeping prices down and keeping companies on their toes. They can't rest on their laurels, they have to invest, invest and invest to keep up with the competition. Compare the EU cell telephony market to the US, look at the prices, the coverage and the services and you'll find that the EU is at least 5 years ahead of old dinosaurs like AT&T. We're on 4G here now while AT&T is struggling to complete the rollout of 3G. Well, not so much struggling really. They could if they wanted, but they prefer to feast on a much higher profit margin than EU carriers will ever have.
 
Full of Win said:
As they say... the trend is your friend. The trend for iOS is down and up for Android. Sure Apple is having healthy sales now, just like AOL and their walled garden did ten years ago. In a few years time, iOS will be a marginal player in the field.
Click to expand...

Since you seem to know what will happen in a few years , can you please give me this weeks lottery numbers? :)

To another poster:

"Good. Apple is wrong to ban one of the most widely used and accepted technology on the web TODAY"

That's exactly it TODAY!

With your logic we'd all still have floppy disks and be on system 3 without a hard drive.

Apple has a right to decide how to develop their products.

Just don't buy Apple products if you don't like what they do.
There are plenty of options to buy products which run Flash.

Stupid investigation.
 
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