More Thoughts on Mobile Flash Player and Adobe

So, basically – here is what is happening:

  • Adobe is halting development on the mobile web browser version of Flash Player for Android. This effectively places Android on the same level as iOS so far as Flash Player goes for the future.
  • They are doing this as part of a massive reorg to shift resources to mobile AIR on Android and iOS. Mobile AIR is the solution I have been working with in my books, recorded materials, and as a developer. I have never targeted the mobile Flash Player.
  • IMPORTANT: Flash through mobile AIR on iOS, Android, Blackberry is going nowhere and is being given more resources. Again, this is what I’ve been working with – not mobile Flash Player in the browser.
  • Mobile Flash Player 11 is not going away on Android – but if Android handsets want to continue with new versions, they must license the source and compile for their customers. It will remain available for download and use in the meantime.
  • Mobile Flash Player source is being licensed to those who wish to compile for their own platforms (like Blackberry does now). So mobile Flash Player may not be going away at all. Depends on partners.
  • Adobe is also furthering efforts in HTML through projects like Dreamweaver, jQuery and WebKit contributions, Apache CallBack (PhoneGap), and notably their HTML/CSS/JS motion and interactivity solution; Adobe Edge, of which I am intimately familiar. I would like to think I have a balanced perspective in all this.
  • Adobe has received, over the past 36 hours, MASSIVE backlash from customers and the community. Many are hoping for some sort of policy reversal, though most of the pain has come from a really AWFUL PR job by Adobe themselves and the resulting fallout by media outlets who do not get their facts right, leaning instead toward sensationalism.
  • A number of Adobe employees in the education, evangelism, and runtimes teams have reached out to me. I appreciate the willingness to talk and good-will exhibited by these individuals.

Feel free to share this with anyone who wants more plain facts than press outlets are spouting.

3 thoughts on “More Thoughts on Mobile Flash Player and Adobe”

  1. The real problem is the future of the people that invested a lot of years to AS3, if you can´t see flash in mobile you can´t work for pc , and more if in all the browsers at the end you will haven´t the player ;it´s always a problem with clients do something with flash, yes you can use air, but the normal client don´t need air now. Adobe don´t say it´s a lot of people working hard for flash seo, flash experiences in web… And now nothing.

Leave a Reply to sergio Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *