iOS May Start Taking Leads Over Android, Why? Flash.

[Anthony Bouchard]

Android gets Flash (usually), iOS doesn't. This may change.

In a report this morning by The Verge, Adobe seems to be killing mobile Flash support for Android and RIM devices. What does this mean? It means Android and iOS may finally be at the same playing level. Steve Jobs of Apple never wanted Flash on the iDevice lineup. As of late, he put his faith in HTML 5 which is slowly taking support on the Internet. Adobe, wants to grasp HTML 5, too. That being said, Android devices and iOS devices will be on the same page – HTML 5, with no Flash support.

Our future work with Flash on mobile devices will be focused on enabling Flash developers to package native apps with Adobe AIR for all the major app stores. We will no longer adapt Flash Player for mobile devices to new browser, OS version or device configurations. Some of our source code licensees may opt to continue working on and releasing their own implementations. We will continue to support the current Android and PlayBook configurations with critical bug fixes and security updates.

So Adobe will continue to support those who have Flash already, however no new devices or new Android operating systems will be supported. So to get that awesome new Android phone after your Flash-supported one becomes a dinosaur will mean sacrificing the Adobe Flash and joining the bandwagon that is the future of mobile computing. iDevices already support HTML 5 in iOS 5's enhanced Safari. So iOS is ready for this change. How about you Android? I personally don't know how Android devices cope with HTML 5 because I've never owned one. But I know that the killing of Adobe Flash for Android might kill some Android fans' interest in the product. Flash is generally one of the first reasons that is brought up in Android versus iOS debates. Without Flash, I would say iOS and Android are on pretty level playing fields.

So what does this mean for Apple? Well, the iPad 2 is already a hit. It cannibalizes the market and it's priced very well. The only people who aren't buying iPads? The people buying Android tablets (nix the small percentage of other tablets). Those people are the ones bragging that they have flash on their tablets. A great number of those tablet owners may be frustrated with this news – as in about a year when tablets start sporting quad-core processors, their Flash supported single/dual core tablets will feel like sluggish boxes. When they upgrade they may just buy the next iPad. This is great for Apple because they like to collect money from their dear and beloved iPad.

It's not only Apple that has taken the stage light off of Flash, but Google, too has brought more attention to HTML 5 than Flash as The Verge reports. So Adobe feels a little left out and wants to kill Flash to start bringing support for HTML 5 to make both major sellers happy (and to make money of course).

So what do you think? If you have an Android device and it no longer gets to have Flash, will you go with iOS? Share below!

Sources: The Verge

[ericmac017]

Never thought I'd hear flash being completely replaced or obselete in a sense. I don't have an Android tablet but I have a HP Touchpad with WebOS that has flash and I love it. I don't understand why flash needs to be "killed" but then again I don't know too much about the growth and how mainstream HTML 5 is supposed to be in the near future. I do believe that flash support is one of the major factors though for consumers and having the iPad and other tablets on the "same playing field" may shift consumers to choose iPads. But the Android and even WebOS I prefer over iOS (un-Jailbroken) in terms of UI, multitasking, etc. The absence of Flash on non-apple products will definitely change consumer preferences.

[spooneditr]

O.0

[JazJon]

Very interesting, I did NOT expect to hear this news either. I can't wait until Flash is no longer of interest to anyone, and ALL devices are HTML 5, 6, 7, 8 compatible into the future.

[GellBrake'rrrr]

Very interesting, I did NOT expect to hear this news either. I can't wait until Flash is no longer of interest to anyone, and ALL devices are HTML 5, 6, 7, 8 compatible into the future.

I totally agree!!!!! Ol' Stevie boy knew this would happen and showed everyone that Flash was a battery hog, and that HTML 5 was the future. So sad to see him pass right before he saw this particular movement show justification, especially by having another large provider following suit. .

[expl0itfinder]

I never understood why flash could not be enabled through jailbreaking

[Themrdecan]

Steve called it, but the html-5 move was already being made back then. Flash was breakthrough technology, for the late 90's early 00's. We are ten years ahead of that now, as Steve said, "it was time to move on."

[justibackwardsn]

Finally. I was getting tired of this argument and sometimes "excuse". Flash on mobile devices is misleading to the general public. I've only run into needing it maybe once for a video on some random website no one's heard of ever since I got my first iPhone in 2008. Most major websites have Flashless mobile versions, rendering its presence on a device useless. Consumers trust us geeks too much sometimes. They hear a geek argue for something such as Flash, and feel they have to have it just because a heavy device user might need it. I cringe when I hear commercials advertise a duel core 1.2GHz phone or a computer with 8GB of ram. Common users do not need these things. They need software that simply works, and high enough specs to run that software efficiently, not the most powerful thing on the market "just cuz they were told it's better." Better for who? Certainly not the person using something like a Mac Pro for simple web browsing and email checking.

[klouud]

+1 - I never thought I'd see the day... I was surprised Apple was able to strong arm websites to use HTML5, much less force Adobe to drop flash and support HTML5! Well... iPads may actually be viable laptop/desktop replacements a few years sooner than I had thought. Might just buy an iPad 4 instead of 6. Seriously.

[spazturtle]

Android will still have Flash, Adobe will only be stoping developing new versions of flash mobile they will still do bug fixes.

[charliebee]

Ok guys first of all Apple (or more specifically Jobs) weren't "right about the future". They were able to force their point of view using their dominant position. Not that this is a bad thing per se but it wouldn't have happened if they had the same market share on mobile devices than they currently have in the pc market. Everybody had to move off of Flash if they wanted to support iOS, a large part of the mobile market. Giving us the situation that we are in today.

Now, I know most people don't know or understand the technicalities behind all of this and only copy/paste the "HTML 5 is the answer to Flash video" theme song that we hear all over the place but this is only true in part. Making a video playable through HTML 5 means giving it away freely. There's no real form of control over how the video is played (direct download) or accessed (beside geolocation). There's also no control over the handling of the video stream. One good example is switching from a 360 to a 1080 stream on the fly on Youtube. You can't do that with HTML 5. All of this to say that premium content providers will still have to rely on Flash or Silverlight (or custom apps) for quite a while in order to protect their content. You might have a solution in the form of an app on your iDevices but tomorrow is not the day where you'll be "free" of Flash on your Mac or PC.

I don't see how having a Hulu app for iOS, one for Android, one for Blackberry, one for Windows Mobile, one for OS X, one for Windows... is any better. It certainly not any more open.

PS: I'm not a fan of Flash and I'd like to see an alternative but unfortunately it itsn't HTML 5.

[ipodtouchman77]

I never understood why flash could not be enabled through jailbreaking

It was, but only up to 4.2.1. It was called frash, and it was from benm.at

[ohthatguyagain]

To anyone who doesn't understand why even Adobe stopped supporting Flash:

Use a utility to monitor your CPU usage (PC: ctrl alt delete - performance). With no other applications open, go check your farm or some other ridiculous flash-based website. See your CPU usage shoot up over 90%? That's why.

Now go tackle HTML5... Less than 40%? That, too, is why.

[Albania]

How can you even think that iOS is getting more market because of Flash death? Do you think that people who choose android, use it because of flash? 99% of people dont give a f*** if it is in there or not. Sure there are people who consider it as an extra, but not as the main reason for choosing a smartphone or a tablet. I wish i can disable flash from my GSII (there might be ways, but im not that interested)

[Anthony Bouchard]

How can you even think that iOS is getting more market because of Flash death? Do you think that people who choose android, use it because of flash? 99% of people dont give a f*** if it is in there or not. Sure there are people who consider it as an extra, but not as the main reason for choosing a smartphone or a tablet. I wish i can disable flash from my GSII (there might be ways, but im not that interested)

99% eh? I'd love to see your source .

[markydias]

How can you even think that iOS is getting more market because of Flash death? Do you think that people who choose android, use it because of flash? 99% of people dont give a f*** if it is in there or not. Sure there are people who consider it as an extra, but not as the main reason for choosing a smartphone or a tablet. I wish i can disable flash from my GSII (there might be ways, but im not that interested)

I'm curious to know WHY they choose Android because I've had both and I don't see the big fuss. (honest question)

[donkeykongking]

I never understood why flash could not be enabled through jailbreaking

it is, google "frash" for iphone

[Poseidon79]

Finally! I agree with the OP... now people can't cling to the fact that Android is superior due to Flash support. What's their next go to reason... open source OS? haha.. that's been proven a joke by many prominent devs. I see many Android users defecting back to iOS when they purchase their next phone.

[sziklassy]

The average android phone is a cheaper model on a less expensive network. That is the number one reason joe blow chooses android, not flash. I personally haven't even heard and advanced user tell me he chose android because of flash. The most compelling reason to use android (for me) is the massive custom romming scene. I also tend to love widgets and their navigation blows the competition out of the water. I use both Os (typing this on my 4S) and there are plenty of valid reasons to choose either OS, none of which involve flash.

I'm curious to know WHY they choose Android because I've had both and I don't see the big fuss. (honest question)

The people making the fuss are the fanboys on fanboy websites (both sides). Pick what is right for you. They are both fantastic OSs. There is absolutely no reason to try and convince you to use something other than what you are already comfortable with.

[leeyann96]

The conclusion: Android is a loser and has always been, but has gotten even worse when this news came up. Android users are just a bunch of pro-tech wannabes that doesn't know what they need.