Can Adobe and Apple be Friends?
Author: admin | Filed under: 3rd Party Software, Apple News, iPad, iPhone, iPods
We have heard much controversy over the past month between two dominating tech companies: Adobe, and Apple. Since around 2007 with the introduction of the iPhone, Apple has made a greater stand against the use of Adobe Flash on its’ products. Apple was very quite about the use of Flash on its’ new iPhone mobile device. They knew that openly derogating the value of Flash would cause a web-wide uproar, which caused Apple to more secretly despise the format. More recently with the introduction of Safari, Apple made repeated comments that the number one cause of Safari crashes were triggered from flash applications. We also heard during the introduction of Snow Leopard that Flash causes unnecessary CPU spikes which reduces battery life. It seems that every day, Apple grows bolder in its’ fight against the mighty Flash and Adobe behemoth.
Most recently, after the introduction of the Apple iPad, Steve Jobs has been quoted as saying many nasty things towards Flash. He also openly said that HTML5 is likely to replace Flash altogether, therefore no action is necessary towards creating Flash experiences on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. With all these means things that Apple has done to our poor friend Adobe, is there anyway that they can kiss and make-up? The answer is: ”Yes, Maybe”.
In the video interview posted below, we have a good idea of where this relationship stands between Adobe and Apple. Now, Apple is never part of the interview, but Kevin Lynch, and Adobe Executive helps us clarifies what sort of things have been going on between Apple and Adobe over recent weeks.
The good news for Flash is that Lynch convincingly tells us that it is here to stay. This is promising with his closing comments that as long as they continue to innovate, Flash will always stay on top. They are aware that staying stagnant will cause them to lose their foothold on the web today. This is good, because we know that Adobe will keep working to make Flash better. It is also true that Flash is able to grow and advance much faster than HTML. Yes, a new HTML5 format has arisen, but these formats take years to implement, since it takes worldwide collaboration. The power of Flash is that it is handled by a hundred or so coders at Adobe headquarters. They can make dramatic changes to Flash and incorporate it worldwide with updates in only a few months.
Lynch also explains that 19 of 20 smartphone companies are onboard for bringing Flash to their devices. This leaves Apple as the odd man out, and with that dramatic industry pressure it will be hard for them to hold their ground much longer. Right now Apple is able to make Adobe look like the bad guy, but soon with these changes Adobe will be able to turn the tables and point the finger at Apple. Honestly the only reason that Apple has beecome so bold recently is because other companies are jumping on the bandwagon too. Microsoft and Google are two examples and this causes other major companies like Hulu into promising to switch to HTML5 to deliver content.
The important fact to understand is that in some respects, Flash has already been brought to the iPhone (and iPad) through Adobe Air. Air is an application that runs Flash content in a program environment. In other words some Apps available in the App Store are actually flash programs running on the device through an emulator of Adobe Air. This has major implications for App developers as this technology spreads to other devices. For example, I could create a game in the Flash design enviroment and publish it instantly to 20 different devices and their respective app stores without changing a single character of code. I could also then make the game available to any computer in the world by publishing it online. This is a huge advantage from where we are now. Currently I would have to learn and create an App using Apple’s SDK, then learn and adapt to Palm’s SDK, likewise with Android and so on. Plus each of these SDKs have different capabilities. Until recently Palm didn’t support 3D graphics, which limited an App I made on iPhone to be ported to the Palm device. With Flash this process will be much easier and capabilities of devices will become more of a moot point.
Currently 85% of the top websites use flash to deliver content.
Flash is here to stay with mobile devices. Adobe needs to make some changes, the Flash platform needs to adapt, but by the end of this year we should see Flash on many of our Smartphone devices. We already have Apps running in the app store under Adobe Air, and it is only a matter of time that Apple will be able to shake hands with Adobe and say, “well done”. Right now, Apple is reluctant to use Flash because of its’ list of flaws. When Adobe fixes those flaws, there is no way that Apple could say no to Flash.
Tags: adobe, Apple, battle, Company, feature, fight, flash, steve jobs, upgrade