Flash launches on Android: Now things get interesting
Wednesday, June 23, 2010 8:18Adobe launched Flash Player for Android 10.1 yesterday — the latest move in the chess match between Adobe and Apple over the future of interactive mobile ads and video content. Now, the world can begin to experience firsthand whether Flash delivers as expected on smartphones, or if Steve Jobs made the right move in turning his back on the platform.
Adobe developed a native player for Android, but for other smartphone platforms it left the ball in each respective provider’s court. Research in Motion, Microsoft, Palm, Symbian and other mobile platforms will have to work with the Flash software and determine whether to incorporate it into the OS or offer it as an app. Then, it will still be a challenge to figure out which existing smartphone handsets will be able to support it.
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My PCWorld peer Jared Newman notes that even with Android, it’s not completely clear sailing. Flash Player 10.1 works only with Android 2.2 (Froyo), and Android 2.2 is available only on the Google Nexus One currently. With the exception of the Nexus One, and possibly the Motorola Droid, it seems that it will be months before Android 2.2 is even available.
But, even with just the Nexus One as a barometer, Flash Player 10.1 for Android finally provides a real-world proof of concept for Flash on a smartphone. Instead of a vitriolic war of words between Apple and Adobe, or media hyperbole about why Flash is or is not suited for mobile computing and smartphones, we can actually test it out.
Jobs cited several factors in defending Apple’s rejection of Flash for the iPhone and iPad. Reliability and performance, battery life, and security were mentioned, along with the reliance of Flash on a mouse as a trigger — making it seemingly incompatible with a touchscreen interface. Will those reasons hold true on the Nexus One?
