Apple has changed the terms of its iPhone 4.0 software developer kit license thus leaving no place for Flash products at the iPhone and iPad devices.
Flash has become ubiquitous at the Internet, providing the environment for thousands of online games, and millions of video streams, as well as those annoying animations that ask if you would like to “skip intro”. Many will reveal a sign of relief “At last”, while others will say goodbye to their hope to play their favorite “Farmville” at their no-less favourite Apple’s gadget.
Despite numerous howls of despair from disappointed developers, Flash- admirers and Adobe supporters claiming Jobs’ insanity, there is quite a set of reasons behind the decision. There are definitely fewer technical reasons than business model ones thrown in it.
The main is evident: loosing control has always been one of the most obsessive Apple’s fears. Allowing Flash would mean ceding some aspect of control. If Flash were allowed on the iPhone or the iPad, iPhone developers could sell apps directly to consumers, escaping Apple’s cut of the sale. If Flash were on the iPhone, users could watch Hulu and play games on Mini-Clip rather than spending money in iTunes or the App store.
Apple may want to tie iPhone developers down to their platform as according to new regulations the use of Adobe’s Flash-to-iPhone compiler has been prohibited. The compiler is a clever way around the absence of a Flash interpreter on Apple’s smartphone OS. The company may think that iPhone developers should be more Apple loyal and release a quality unique product, not some cross-platform half-stuff. Apple’s decision seems to have met quite little understanding on the developers’ side. The latters claim that it infringes their freedom to choose their own tools of the development process.
But Apple’s main target was Adobe, which could not stand an obvious snub and promises to consider legal action against Apple but so far bursts out with severe critics of Jobs’ actions. Though in the latest SEC filing Adobe has already admitted that its business could be harmed due to Apple’s decision.
Apple has a long list of ex-friends turned into enemies. Thus, Adobe has some quite mighty allies, Google being the major one. But Google does not come alone. It leads a quite impressive set of Android-based tablets and smartphones, ensured by the success of Motorola Droid and Nexus One. It’s no secret that Adobe is working closely with Google to bring both Flash Player 10.1 and Adobe AIR 2.0 to these devices.
The upcoming Flash Player 10.1 and related AIR 2.0 programming foundation, which are in private beta-testing for Android right now, will work on a variety of other phone operating systems, including Windows Phone 7, the BlackBerry OS, Symbian OS, and Palm’s WebOS.
Who will won, time will tell.
Every month AdMob’s Mobile Metrics Report, familiar to all fanboys of mobile market and those who have to search any slightest changes there as part of their working responsibilities, publishes the results of the mobile OS market share review. And everytime the report arouses lot’s of conjectures and suppositions. This month it was no difference.
