Adobe preps Jesus Phone Flash Player

Adobe Systems could soon join the ranks of frustrated tech companies building versions of their software for Apple's Jesus Phone. Adobe has reportedly confirmed it's planning a version of the ubiquitous Flash player for use on Apple's iPhone that could be available "in a very short time." Paul Betlem, Adobe's senior director …

[Andy]

Good luck with that, boys!

I can totally see a future in which Apple voluntarily allow Adobe to further their competing mobile platform ideas on Steve's flagship device. Oh, and in this marvellous future Flash is both useful and runs more quickly than a dead weasel.

[Joe McGuire]

Smart

Yet they won't release a 64bit version of the Flash Plugin?

[Gordon Fecyk]

No Java? No Flash then, either.

Flash does what Java does. it...

"[...itself installs and launches] other executable code by any means, including without limitation through the use of a plug-in architecture, calling other frameworks, other APIs or otherwise."

This is expressly verbotten in the Apple SDK EULA, as cited by Gavin Clarke himself.

Mind you, this would also preclude an iPhone version of Adobe Reader, since PDF files can contain Javascript these days. Or does Javascript count?

[J]

It's probably been asked before...

...but I haven't seen the answer to this: couldn't Apple be sued over this anti-competitive practice of "forbidding" software from some publishers to run on their computer? (which is what the iPhone and Touch are)

[James Henstridge]

virtual machines

Given that the flash player is essentially a virtual machine for running ActionScript programs, I wonder if it'd get rejected for the same reasons as the Java port was?

Not that I'm complaining about the lack of flash on that device. Given that many designers seem to like the iPhone, perhaps the lack of flash would encourage them to provide alternatives to it on more web sites.

[Anonymous Coward]

Adobe aren't the good guys

The fact that Adobe wants to and Apple has been slow is midleading I think.

Consider the PS3 and its antiquated flash port for power. Adobe have shown little interest in providing recent flash port for this platform (eg online tv such as iview anyone?) because someone obviously has to pay for it.

Funny how they say one thing for 1 platform, and something else for another.

[Anonymous Coward]

Don't like it - but Flash nearing ubiquity, tough?

Used to be that absent Flash capability web-pages provided an alternative non-flash version.

It doesn't seem to be so any more, I can't even see the special offers at my supermarket without the latest Flash 9.

It is not even as though alternative non-Microsoft and non-Adobe alternatives were possible or available.

This is written from an aggrieved user of an Elonex One T+, (or Trendtac 700 EPCMaplin Minibook, Silverstar, Yinlips Micro PC, Sub Notebook, 3k Razorbook, Bestlink Alpha 400, HiVision Mininote) that has a Linux MIPSEL OS that Adobe declines to compile their Flash-9 for.

If Adobe don't choose to do it, tough.

Probably this affects UK more than others, because of usefulness of BBC iPlayer, now dependant on Flash 9.

If Apple choose not to allow Flash, then Adobe will begin to know how I feel.

More importantly - key players should, or might, try harder to use open software solutions.

[The Dark Lord]

About time

I always thought it a bit odd that a browser as sophisticated as Safari would be so hobbled by not including a Flash player. It's just a sign of Jobsian arrogance though that Apple would not bring Adobe in at the start of iPhone development so as to be able to release a properly mature product first time out...

[Mike Sullivan]

How about...

Flash for 64 bit machines first... I still have to run a 32 bit browser...

[Nano nano]

multifaith

What do Islamic people call the iPhone - or would that be blasphemous ?

[Dan]

Get on with it

This is the one thing I miss on my iphone - I can watch youtube, but no other, similar, services. Come one Apple, sort it out.

[Anonymous Coward]

Roll on Android

This is why I'm going to end up with an Android phone, this is absolutely ridiculous.

[It'sa Mea... Mario]

okay

Next one for the Wii please Adobe!

[Anonymous Coward]

And maybe

An official end-user version for Windows Mobile.

[John Bayly]

Re: No Java? No Flash then, either.

Damn it, got there before me.

Are you as busy as I am Mr Fecyk?

[Jamie Hylton]

64-bit XP not supported.

I'm still struggling to get over the fact iTunes doesn't work in 64-bit XP!!! Apple are so arrogant its annoying, but the iPhone is just the best phone I've had, so I'm umming and ahhing over whether to just use the 32-bit XP until they sort it out... if ever...

[Adam T]

Re: Virtual Machines

As mentioned by James, above, Apple won't allow virtual machines to on iPhone.

Apple are (rightfully perhaps) determined to put a cap on anything that will consume battery, heat up the device and provoke instability.

For this reason alone, Adobe are wasting their time, but you can add to that the fact that the SDK doesn't support 3rd party "plug-in" apps. Maybe in the distant future, but definitely not today.

[Gordon Fecyk]

@John Bayly, Ya, I'm bored out of my tree, too

"Are you as busy as I am Mr Fecyk?"

Maybe. Idle hands, ya know.

Or maybe it's just bad timing. I happen to be at the end of my evening when El Reg staffers come in to work across the Pond.

[BioTube]

VMs and the iPhone

They have no right to block others from providing programs for the phone - it's just another monopoly exerting its power. And like most other monopolies, it'll get its comeuppance sooner or later.