Flash Soon to Hit the iPad?

[LouieSamman]

Now that Apple has entered the Post PC era there is that one thing that holds many back from using the iPad instead of their macbook and that is flash.

Now I am not saying that this is going to happen but I am guessing that this could be an option in the settings.

With Adobe getting a kick from Apple, Adobe seems to be pushing hard on mobile flash and I think that was Apple's intention.

If you are going to respond that this would never happen and once Apple makes a statement they won't go back on it then your wrong.

Look at the reason why Apple removed the app "Camera +" from the App store. Because they don't want to confuse customers with using the volume button as a shutter button.

But now with iOS 5 they did just that!

Camera + is back in the App store and it shows that Apple can change their ways with things, even FLASH.

Their is still hope. I just want the option to turn on Flash.

Any opinions to what I have said?

 

[Aduntu]

Steve Jobs didn't write a two and a half page letter to the public explaining why a hardware shutter button didn't belong on touch-based mobile devices.

 

[Piggie]

Opinions change all the time.
The marketplace changes all the time.
People come, People go.

Who knows.

Flash will be around for a long time yet unless something much better and can easily do all it can comes out to replace it.
It needs to be as fast or faster and as easy to use or easier as Flash to create all the things Flash can do, THEN there will be no reason to use Flash any more.

 

[Bacong]

No.

Dammit, no.

They don't even like flash on their computers. You're not going to see flash on any Apple device, ever, until it becomes more efficient.

HTML5 is the next thing.

 

[CavemanUK]

No.

Dammit, no.

They don't even like flash on their computers. You're not going to see flash on any Apple device, ever, until it becomes more efficient.

HTML5 is the next thing.

isnt that what the OP was suggesting?

Personally though, I don't believe we will ever see flash native on iOS. I don't agree that it's holding back the iPad. There are other tablets that have it and they arent selling too well at all. It's old school elitists who are insisting on flash. Most popular sites are already switching to html5 and new touch based games will most likely be native to iOS or written in html5 too. Personally, old flash games that aren't designed for touch interfaces don't interest me.

 

[Ijustfarted]

Flash has a future in iPads. It will happen, just wait.

And then when I say I told you so people will call me captain hindsight. Lol a post pc product independent of pcs must be able to do what that independent device can do. It won't happen now though, surely but surely as osx and iOS slowly merge and become one, I bet flash will be available than lol.

 

[henry72]

There is no way Apple will put it into iOS devices. I don't want my iPad to crash or having any security problem.

 

[thelookingglass]

Flash has a future in iPads. It will happen, just wait.

And then when I say I told you so people will call me captain hindsight. Lol a post pc product independent of pcs must be able to do what that independent device can do. It won't happen now though, surely but surely as osx and iOS slowly merge and become one, I bet flash will be available than lol.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is what ends up happening, but I think we're at least two iterations of iPads/iPhones away from that. Part of the reason is that technology will continue to advance, both in hardware and software, such that at some point Flash won't be the resource hog that it is now. And at that point, Apple can save some face by claiming that Flash works fine and is good enough to incorporate into iOS devices.

Apple also wants to make sure HTML 5 has time to gain sufficient traction in the world. There's no doubt that the adoption of HTML 5 was accelerated by Apple's heavy promotional efforts and rejection of Flash. In another two iterations of iPads/iPhones, hopefully we see some significant advancements in HTML 5 ... to the point where Flash will sort of fall to the wayside like Realplayer ...

 

[psonice]

I can definitely see it happening when flash is fast, stable and secure.

Problem is, I can't see flash getting to that state. It was the most exploited application last year, it crashes often, and it's still very slow for what it does (and I mean beyond video - which is pretty redundant now we have html5 video).

 

[bpaluzzi]

I can definitely see it happening when flash is fast, stable and secure.

Problem is, I can't see flash getting to that state. It was the most exploited application last year, it crashes often, and it's still very slow for what it does (and I mean beyond video - which is pretty redundant now we have html5 video).

Traditional Flash (e.g., the end result is a swf) is dead as a general development platform.

Nobody is building sites in Flash anymore. Any new work is being done in iOS-accessible technologies. Apple customers are too valuable. They're in the demographic every company wants to get - tech savvy, disposable income, etc. To build something in Flash is to absolutely disregard those users.

Yes, there are still Flash sites out there. But I guarantee you the next time they go up for bid, Flash won't be considered.

Yes, Flash will have a place moving forward -- much like Java Applets are still used today. You just don't see Java Applets being used for menus, navigation, etc. Flash is great for apps where you need to access the camera, etc. But for menus, videos, ads, animations, etc - flash is dead in the water.

Take that to the bank.

 

[psonice]

Flash is still used heavily for games, and html5 isn't likely to change that short term. Longer term it probably will (especially with webGL - which isn't supported on iOS yet).

 

[vrDrew]

Never is a long time, but Flash will probably never appear natively on the iPad, or indeed any iOS device.

Flash is simply too fatally compromised in its fundamental design. Its a relic of an earlier age in personal computer technology. One where nobody gave much thought to things like battery life, and when very few computers were connected to the internet, and the thought of malware and spambots was unknown to most people.

The typical consumer isn't an idiot. He's not such a fool as to be gulled by the Best Buy salesperson, or the Motorola commercial, that having Flash is really part of "the full internet." (Child porn and Nigerian phishing scams are part of "the full internet" too - doesn't necessarily make them desirable..)

Flash played an important role in the accessability and availbility of full motion video on the Internet. It provided a useful, inexpensive, and relatively compact plug-in that would let virtually all computer owners watch compressed video - with sound - over a standard connection.

But, by nature of its "openness" - it also left itself vulnerable to hacking. It also has to be decoded in software - which means its inherently wasteful of both power, and processor cycles. Its a proprietary format: Which means that Adobe is the only company that sets the standards and authoring tools that developers MUST use to create new content.

Today, you will find very, very little content that is "Flash Only" - in almost a year of iPad ownership - and numerous debates - I've NEVER heard or read a Flash-advocate cite a "must-have" Flash website. And I've certainly never encountered one on my own.

You'll never see Flash on an iPad. People who tell you otherwise are dreaming.

 

[Mac.World]

^^^ Cliffnotes version = No. Flash and iOS will not mix. Ever.

 

[Piggie]

Yet again, it seems that a number of people can't seem to understand that Flash is not all about video.

How many times do we need to point this out to them?

It's easy to take some flash video and convert it into another format, that's minor. It's writing programs and animations in Flash that's the thing we need a tool to replace it.

Not Video!

 

[jaikob]

For the same reason Apple doesn't ship JRE (Java) with iOS is the same reason they will not ship flash. Closed source third party runtime environments puts those pieces of software out of Apple's hands. If a huge exploit is found in flash for iOS it may be months before Adobe fixes it, and Apple has to do one of two things: patch it (but closed source so this isn't viable) or completely remove it until it is fixed. Security is the game here. The only way we will ever see flash on an iPad is if Apple collaborates with Adobe.

 

[vrDrew]

It's writing programs and animations in Flash that's the thing we need a tool to replace it.

To put it very bluntly: Thats YOUR problem. Not mine. Nor Apple's.

If I don't see dancing hippos at the top of a website - thats a GOOD THING for me. If I can't play a ten year old Flash-animated game - I don't care. I've never actually encountered a Flash-based "business" application. And if a lack of Flash programming makes it that much harder for some snotty little punk of a hacker to put malware on my iPad - then I'm going to keep leading the cheers for Apple's policy.

If you are a programmer who has built a career out of creating Flash apps: My sympathies. Similar to the sympathy I feel for people who used to make buggy whips. Or push high-risk mortgages on people who didn't know what they were signing. But for them - and YOU, Flash programmer - the world has changed.

Deal With It.

 

[lucidmedia]

It's easy to take some flash video and convert it into another format, that's minor. It's writing programs and animations in Flash that's the thing we need a tool to replace it.

Agreed... Canvas is probably that tool, but iOS performance is currently pretty poor.

 

[spinedoc77]

Now that Apple has entered the Post PC era there is that one thing that holds many back from using the iPad instead of their macbook and that is flash.

Now I am not saying that this is going to happen but I am guessing that this could be an option in the settings.

With Adobe getting a kick from Apple, Adobe seems to be pushing hard on mobile flash and I think that was Apple's intention.

If you are going to respond that this would never happen and once Apple makes a statement they won't go back on it then your wrong.

Look at the reason why Apple removed the app "Camera +" from the App store. Because they don't want to confuse customers with using the volume button as a shutter button.

But now with iOS 5 they did just that!

Camera + is back in the App store and it shows that Apple can change their ways with things, even FLASH.

Their is still hope. I just want the option to turn on Flash.

Any opinions to what I have said?

It will happen eventually, there is just too much of the internet that is missing without it. Flash is not dying, it's thriving. If you look at research it shows no significant decline in Flash usage since iOS was released. EVERY single other maker of computers, tablets, smartphones, etc is openly embracing Flash and some of them are even using Flash as an advertising tool. Apple is quite alone in their app store content protection, oh um I mean in their altruistic crusade to save the world of evil. No Flash is not perfect by any means, and a lot of the blame can be given to poor programmers, but Adobe is working very hard to streamline it and at least in my experience it has ran flawlessly on my Android devices. At the end of the day 99.9% of the anti Flash arguments can be neatly and completely negated with the simple use of a Flash on/off switch in settings.

With that said I don't think Apple will ever let Safari run Flash, but I think what will happen is they will relax their app restrictions and possibly let 3rd party browsers run it. It's still very early and it is interesting to note that Android overtaking iOS as the dominant smartphone OS has not swayed Apple's decision, so I'll be curious if and when Android overtakes iOS on the tablet front (my opinion) if that will sway their decision. We can only surmise at this point and nothing else though.

 

[bpaluzzi]

It will happen eventually, there is just too much of the internet that is missing without it. Flash is not dying, it's thriving. If you look at research it shows no significant decline in Flash usage since iOS was released.

When I was a developer for a large digital agency, I received first-hand experience Flash is in fact dying.

And the data backs that up, as well:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-20052018-264.html


Even Adobe knows Flash (outputting swf files) has its days numbered. That's why they're moving to alternative uses of Flash (coding iOS apps, outputting HTML5).

 

[spinedoc77]

When I was a developer for a large digital agency, I received first-hand experience Flash is in fact dying.

And the data backs that up, as well:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-20052018-264.html


Even Adobe knows Flash (outputting swf files) has its days numbered. That's why they're moving to alternative uses of Flash (coding iOS apps, outputting HTML5).

Yep I've seen this research, it shows an overall drop of 2% over 4 1/2 months but if you look within those months there are increases as well, as they mention December shows an increase, I would expect highs and lows in a technology industry. It still isn't significant, it's not like Flash lost half its usage since iOS was released. It's not "dying" as many purport. Even if Flash was dying, it seems odd to me to follow a philosophy of punishing your users over the course of years and several iOS iterations until Flash finally dies. I would rather see some kind of consensus among companies to adopt new standards and abandon Flash, rather than see a SINGLE solitary company abandon them in the face of EVERY other company embracing them. Something just stinks rotten about that to me.

 

[NebulaClash]

Apple has been known to charge into the future long before other companies reluctantly join in. This is another case of that. Flash has a very poor outlook going forward for several reasons:

• There is an industry-wide push for HTML 5. It's growing and will eventually be good for most of what Flash does.
• People often hate the non-video uses of Flash. They are GLAD to be rid of animations. Legitimate business use of animations for site navigation is already possible without Flash, as I can see using my iPhone.
• Games are moving to dedicated apps, so Web-based games will be replaced by apps.
• Many people despise Adobe for their past practices. They might feel the need to use Flash, but it isn't because of any warm feelings for the company. That leads to a situation where as soon as a good alternative opens up, people will drop Adobe quidkly.

No, we aren't there yet, but that is the future for Flash and most people know it. Sucks if you are a Flash developer, but that's a developer's lot in life: to constantly be learning new technology as it comes along and replaces old technology. Just be glad you have the time to switch as this Flash-less future won't happen overnight.

 

[MBHockey]

Now that Apple has entered the Post PC era there is that one thing that holds many back from using the iPad instead of their macbook and that is flash.

Now I am not saying that this is going to happen but I am guessing that this could be an option in the settings.

With Adobe getting a kick from Apple, Adobe seems to be pushing hard on mobile flash and I think that was Apple's intention.

If you are going to respond that this would never happen and once Apple makes a statement they won't go back on it then your wrong.

Look at the reason why Apple removed the app "Camera +" from the App store. Because they don't want to confuse customers with using the volume button as a shutter button.

But now with iOS 5 they did just that!

Camera + is back in the App store and it shows that Apple can change their ways with things, even FLASH.

Their is still hope. I just want the option to turn on Flash.

Any opinions to what I have said?

if you are going to dig up an old, beaten to death topic could you at least make a good argument for it? what a bunch of drivel.

 

[TheUndertow]

Now that Apple has entered the Post PC era there is that one thing that holds many back from using the iPad instead of their macbook and that is flash.

Now I am not saying that this is going to happen but I am guessing that this could be an option in the settings.

With Adobe getting a kick from Apple, Adobe seems to be pushing hard on mobile flash and I think that was Apple's intention.

If you are going to respond that this would never happen and once Apple makes a statement they won't go back on it then your wrong.

Look at the reason why Apple removed the app "Camera +" from the App store. Because they don't want to confuse customers with using the volume button as a shutter button.

But now with iOS 5 they did just that!

Camera + is back in the App store and it shows that Apple can change their ways with things, even FLASH.

Their is still hope. I just want the option to turn on Flash.

Any opinions to what I have said?

Don't let that hold you back.....problem solved.

What do you need Flash for?

 

[Nishi100]

No.

Dammit, no.

They don't even like flash on their computers. You're not going to see flash on any Apple device, ever, until it becomes more efficient.

HTML5 is the next thing.

Even if it becomes more efficient, they won't put it their devices:

- App Store sales will drop - there're lots of flash games out there;
- Movies purchased from iTunes' sales will drop - Megavideo?;
- Less music sales, via iTunes - you can download music using flash, especially since flash can access your HD, it would be easy for it to do this - and even more so via iCloud.

 

[Blorzoga]

Now that Apple has entered the Post PC era there is that one thing that holds many back from using the iPad instead of their macbook and that is flash.

Now I am not saying that this is going to happen but I am guessing that this could be an option in the settings.

With Adobe getting a kick from Apple, Adobe seems to be pushing hard on mobile flash and I think that was Apple's intention.

If you are going to respond that this would never happen and once Apple makes a statement they won't go back on it then your wrong.

Look at the reason why Apple removed the app "Camera +" from the App store. Because they don't want to confuse customers with using the volume button as a shutter button.

But now with iOS 5 they did just that!

Camera + is back in the App store and it shows that Apple can change their ways with things, even FLASH.

Their is still hope. I just want the option to turn on Flash.

Any opinions to what I have said?

Camera + does not use the volume button for shutter release. Apple pulled it and DID NOT allow it.