Adobe Dropping Flash Player For Mobile Devices

[teamw23]

Engadget is reporting that they will be discontinuing support for mobile versions of flash player. Apparently, they are giving in on the fight with Apple - things are moving to HTML5.

Adobe confirms Flash Player is dead for mobile devices -- Engadget


I am not sure I should care much about this - then it occurs to me - is the TP's existing browser ready to fully implement HTML5 today or not? If the platform were definitely going to be supported I'd assume this could be handled through an update even if it isn't already baked into this version of the TP browser, but if we are all orphaned by HP, does that mean the TP of tomorrow is going to render websites like the iPad of today? Just curious.

[rnld]

Maybe the reality is that Apple knew this is where Adobe was headed not the other way around.

[NCCaniac]

Originally Posted by teamw23

...I am not sure I should care much about this - then it occurs to me - is the TP's existing browser ready to fully implement HTML5 today or not?...

I think we all will end up caring. Saying HTML5 is the future is one thing, but how long do you think it will take for all the existing Flash apps on web sites to be phased out? We are talking several years at the earliest.

[ccx]

yeah, they might be dropping it.. but it will take a long time before every single website stops using flash. so flash will still exist in some form for many years

[pavvento]

I think it's important to note (especially for those that won't read the article) that they are stopping development but will continue issuing bug and security fixes, etc. The last thing we need is a bunch of hysterical people claiming their TouchPad won't work anymore. Flash will continue working as it does.

[dignitary]

...until Flash developers begin creating applications whose minimum required version is > 10.3. As new tech comes out for the Flash player (especially more performant acceleration, 3D-intensive applications, etc), those minimum allowable version numbers will rise along with it.

In fact, here it is, Stage3D. Many Flash devs I know are adopting it at a rapid clip with all the new 2D/3D-accelerated tech it affords them in developing games and other applications. Minimum version required to use applications using the technology: 11. http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flashplayer/stage3d.html

That's the kicker, as Android is already at version 11. Android doesn't have as much to worry about in the short-term, either, as Flash developers can still target the platform with their Flash-based apps bundled in AIR (available Free in the Market) for a while to come regardless of the player version.

[Maverickz]

Originally Posted by NCCaniac

I think we all will end up caring. Saying HTML5 is the future is one thing, but how long do you think it will take for all the existing Flash apps on web sites to be phased out? We are talking several years at the earliest.

Yeah I agree. I would imagine that the battery in your TP will die long before flash is purged from the internet.. Do you think sites like Youtube are ready to completely revamp their streaming engine just to get away from Flash? Most streaming media sites use Flash players to stream the content. I just don't see that being changed anytime soon.

[tarbo]

Steve Jobs was right. What a visionary Gawd!

[sinsin07]

Originally Posted by pavvento

I think it's important to note (especially for those that won't read the article) that they are stopping development but will continue issuing bug and security fixes, etc. The last thing we need is a bunch of hysterical people claiming their TouchPad won't work anymore. Flash will continue working as it does.

History should be your guide. After HP and all their proclamations, companies can say anything today. Tomorrow is a different story.

Remember these HP tidbits:
This is a marathon, not a sprint.
2012, every HP PC shipped will have webos
We are spinning off PSG
We are keeping PSG
June 2011: Everybody On
August 2011: Everybody Off

The fact that Adobe is getting out of flash development for the mobile browser is just the first step. Next will be "no more bug fixes".

[Joe_B]

Originally Posted by Maverickz

Yeah I agree. I would imagine that the battery in your TP will die long before flash is purged from the internet.. Do you think sites like Youtube are ready to completely revamp their streaming engine just to get away from Flash? Most streaming media sites use Flash players to stream the content. I just don't see that being changed anytime soon.

Amazon will probably be selling a 10" tablet by that time with a quad core processor for under $300. The mobile environment is changing too rapidly to view the current generation of tablets, including the TP as anything but transitory. In 2 years the TP hardware will be considered ancient, in 3 it will be primitive.

[sinsin07]

Compared to what's out now the TP is already primitive.

[barkerja]

Originally Posted by Maverickz

Yeah I agree. I would imagine that the battery in your TP will die long before flash is purged from the internet.. Do you think sites like Youtube are ready to completely revamp their streaming engine just to get away from Flash? Most streaming media sites use Flash players to stream the content. I just don't see that being changed anytime soon.

I have yet to encounter a YouTube video using the iPad or iPhone that wasn't playable. I have no idea what the numbers are but I'd make a bet that a very large percentage of YouTube videos is encoded for playback on non-Flash devices.

Don't be fooled that when you load a YouTube video on your desktop that its container is Flash; I run with the YouTube5 Safari extension (it forces YouTube videos to use HTML5 instead of Flash) and never have I come across a YouTube video that I can't access.

Most major sites are beginning (and have been for a long time now) the transition from Flash; Vimeo offers every single one of their videos in HTML5, Pandora went HTML5, services like The Hype Machine, etc. are all now HTML5 based.