Adobe Discontinues Flash on Mobile Devices

[travelin cat]

Many people felt this was inevitable. Is this the beginning of the end for Flash?

Adobe announced it is ceasing development of its Flash plugin for mobile devices, as the company refocuses its efforts on HTML5.

The company plans to continue revising current plugins for Android and BlackBerry platforms with bug fixes and security updates, and it will keep developing Flash for computers. But HTML5 allows mobile browsers to have all the same functions as Flash, and Adobe said it believes it is the “best solution for creating and deploying content in the browser across mobile platforms.”

[forbes.com...]

[incrediBILL]

<Ricky Ricardo voice>

OK Lucy, 'splain to me how all those mobile devices are gonna use the millions of existing Flash sites?

'Splain that to me

</Ricky Ricardo voice>

It doesn't matter if you like Flash or not, without it you cannot view the entire web.

Period.

The average Joe Surfer doesn't care about the technology issues of Flash vs HTML 5, nor the security implications, Joe just wants to see the website, simple as that.

A vast majority of photographers and artists use Flash sites so I assume people using iJunk don't need any of their services whatsoever. Not to mention all the sites using Flash headers and menus they got from those template sites.

Example: Andy Beal, well known guy in this industry, also does photography and has a Flash site [bealphoto.com...] which the iCrowd cannot see.

It's obvious everyone that drank the Flash kool-aid was led down the primrose path, pockets plundered for piles of cash, and now as mobile phones, specifically iPhones, become mildly disruptive, the whole Flash customer base gets cut off from all those potential iPhone customers.

Not good for business as I'd have a real hard time drinking the new kool-aid and buying their HTML 5 Flash replacement after being kicked to the curb in such a way after my initial investment in Flash and being a loyal customer.

When things like this happen I tend to look for new solutions and new vendors.

,,, and a phone that lets me see the whole web, not just Steve Jobs version of the web

[travelin cat]

An Adobe employee blogged about this and other Flash stuff:

The decision to stop development of the Flash Player plugin for mobile browsers was part of a larger strategic shift at Adobe, one which includes a greater shift in focus toward HTML5, as well as the Adobe Creative Cloud and the services that it provides.

[mikechambers.com...]

[incrediBILL]

larger strategic shift at Adobe

No credibility left, that's the strategic shift.

This whole iPhone Flash thing has been a disaster since the start. Normally there is a protracted 'end of life' for products. These end of life notices give advance warning so customers can make critical migration decisions, etc. In this case, there was no warning, it was just "Sorry folks, nobody on iThings can see Flash, we said we would fix it, we lied, too bad.". Left in the lurch without warning, especially after making a recent commitment to actually make Flash for the iPhone, is a total loss of credibility.

[markd]

well said incrediBILL.

Being intellectually challenged myself, I wonder what will happen to all the interactive demos, e-learning, stuff which uses video as a component only (and not as a 'player' to watch a puppy skateboard) if Flash is now dumped? There's a lot in B2B which relies on Flash.
I also feel that you can't 'draw and design' with code. Now that it entirely from my perspective as a non-coder (I have seen some code artists in my time), but as someone who visualises in terms of graphics, scenes etc. I really don't want to 'code' to achieve the same effect.

It's a shame that HTML5 can't in some ways deliver 'content' regardless of it's origination. In this way you could deliver Flash or whatever you wanted to author in and have it delivered via HTML5 - but that's just me demonstrating once again 'I'm not a coder'!

I think that it's a shame that the whole driver of this seems to be a market which wants to watch YouTube and 'videos' on mobile devices. Seems to be the ultimate in tail wagging the dog...

[albo]

Partialy well said, incrediBILL. But (1) there's a large crowd of not only iPhone but also iPad users who can't view Flash (and as I'm sure you know, the number is increasing quickly), and (2) regardless of what you may perceive asthe lack of wisdom of (1), it's gonna keep happening, because the general populace may not listen to the wise. Therefore,there's a need for webmasters quickly to adapt to this large audience and (re)write as needed with a focus on mobile devices. At the moment, the mobile world is very much an iWorld.

"Just think of how stupid the average person is, and then realize half of them are even stupider." -George Carlin

[Mike_Feury]

Don't forget Microsoft are also omitting Flash from one of the next OSes, either Win8 or WinPhone8, I can't remember which. There are also strong rumors that Silverlight won't see much mileage beyond its next version.

So HTML5's supposed advantages in speed and energy use seem to be convincing the main competitors without a fight.

[iamlost]

That Flash is being phased out, beginning with mobile, is a surprise - for reasons given above - but not a shock; it is the fate of proprietary formats. Actually it is the fate of all formats, it's just that proprietary ones tend to a single foundation so fold easier. Sometimes because company has it's own new replacement, sometimes because they can't see the value in the future.

[incrediBILL]

Therefore,there's a need for webmasters quickly to adapt to this large audience and (re)write as needed with a focus on mobile devices.

That's the problem, the majority of Flash sites aren't owned or run by webmasters. We tend to forget at WebmasterWorld that we're the minority here where everyone knows how to build a site and the rest of the world needs help to do these things. Not only can't most of the owners of those Flash sites upgrade to HTML 5 on their own, the may not be able to afford to have their sites rebuilt unless someone has a frugal upgrade path.

Huge opportunity for some enterprising people that should get there sales pitch ready and start cold calling everyone with Flash sites and warn them of impending iDoom.

Sometimes because company has it's own new replacement, sometimes because they can't see the value in the future.

Even if they have an HTML 5 replacement for Flash coming, and I believe they do, after such a long and protracted battle about supporting the iPhone they finally won, said they'd do it, turned into a big fat lie.

Why should I, or anyone else for that matter, buy into their future plans?

Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.

FWIW, Now that Sprint has the iPhone, and I can upgrade for as little as $250, I was thinking of switching from Android to iPhone when Flash came out.

So much for that thought.

[pawas]

I went with the craze and bought iPhone, but now I can't view my Google Analytics graphs and charts on iCrap.

[keyplyr]

Android, while supporting flash since 1.2, is already poised for HTML 5. On so many levels, I don't understand why a professional webmaster would use an iPhone.

[travelin cat]

I don't understand why a professional webmaster would use an iPhone.

With the exception of wanting to see what a site looks like, why would any webmaster be using an iPhone or any other phone?

[keyplyr]

With the exception of wanting to see what a site looks like, why would any webmaster be using an iPhone or any other phone?

I can ftp files from my phone to my web server for site updates. I can connect with my home computer and make updates to web pages. I can also use it as a phone :)

[travelin cat]

Ok, but none of those things require Flash.

[explorador]

To many of my clients: "told you, flash was not the way to go!"

I have my own conflicts about this but I can't deny that it's just insane how many sites use flash to present a simple gallery or slide show, while many apps tools refresh the pages to present the data in graphic ways.

[Sierra_Dad]

such a long and protracted battle about supporting the iPhone they finally won

I haven't followed this as well as you.

Last I remember, Steve Jobs was saying no flash on iOS ever. Did Apple anticipate his death and change their mind?

Or did Adobe promise they were going to somehow get around Steve Jobs and Apple to get flash on the iPhone?