Browser Based Flash Coming to Android
| by Spencer Gardner on November 18th, 2008 |
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It looks like our nifty, new little OS is getting another one-up over our favorite Apple device in the coming months. Adobe has now all but announced that one of their flagship services, Flash, will be coming to an Android browser near you (let’s hope it’s very near you!). Specifically, Adobe announced forthcoming support for many devices using ARM’s hardware.
This is an interesting development, in that Android will now gain another feature that the iPh@#& doesn’t currently have. It seems that with benefits such as a more open development platform, copy and paste, and now Adobe Flash support, Google is focusing on features that users have been pleading for for close to a year. With the large proliferation of handsets attempting to mimic the iPh@#&, Google is moving away from the “copy and paste Apple’s ideas” strategy, to giving users what they want and listening to the community as much as possible.
This presents an interesting dynamic with the handsets of the future. Obviously, the Android and Mobile OS X platforms are two of the most promising mobile OSes in the market today. But the two companies who develop them have two very differing philosophies as to openness and development. We will continue to report on how Android develops and competes on a business and market scale. In the meantime, let’s hear some fanboyage on AndroidForums.com!
We also found a sample video of Flash 10 on Android in action! Check it out:
[via Adobe]
1. Jon Colverson wrote on November 18, 2008
I’m not sure why you think this will be on Android and not on the iPhone. The G1 and the iPhone both use ARM11-based processors, so I think this announcement would be equally applicable to both platforms.
2. Matt Gaunt wrote on November 19, 2008
The reason it won’t be appearing on the iPhone is something to do with Apple’s policy of developing for the iPhone.
Apparently Adobe made Flash 10 run alot faster on mac OS X just to get in Apple’s good books to allow them to run flash on the iPhone.
Thats how I’ve been understanding it – I could be horribly Wrong
Gaunt
3. George wrote on November 19, 2008
@Jon Colverson
See this wired article: Why Apple Won’t Allow Adobe Flash on iPhone
http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/11/adobe-flash-on.html
4. Howard wrote on November 19, 2008
Android is essentially a custom Linux, and being a longtime Ubuntu Linux user, I can tell you that Flash support on Linux has it’s issues:
a) It runs my CPU very high.
b) It’s responsible for crashing my web browser (Firefox3) about 3 to 4 times a week.
Granted, Android is it’s own software stack, and thus will differ somewhat from Ubuntu. Nonetheless, unless some really good testing gets done, don’t be surprised if Android inherits these same issues with Flash.
5. Rich wrote on November 19, 2008
But this is non-Free software. Depending on non-Free software is very, very bad. I’d much rather see Gnash for Android over this.
6. collegekid wrote on November 20, 2008
When do the flash come out for the G1
7. John Doe. wrote on November 29, 2008
Rich,
Flash always has, and always will be free. That is the sole reason why its taken the market by storm.
8. Nicho wrote on December 26, 2008
I can’t wait to see this happen,oh by the way to verizon,at&t,sprint and finally that piece of crop metro pc’s stop being jelous of t-mobile cuz you guys suck big time,One more thing apple your music players are trash that’s all for today folks have a great night and don’t forget is better to die with a g1 in your hands than nothing at all.
9. Dan Fego wrote on January 19, 2009
@Rich: The only problem with your position is that Gnash has always been way behind Flash. Last time I tried it I had so many problems right off the bat I didn’t keep it for more than a few minutes. Not to mention, have the Gnash team made their software ready for Android yet?
10. jeremy wrote on April 2, 2009
Flash is something that I think is needed and will happen.not implementing flash for android would be to big of a dissapointment to many. And yes its not Flash&linux that’s the issue it is Gnash. I remember using or atleast trying gnash on yellow dog linux on my ps3 pffft goood luck with that.
11. Ian M wrote on June 15, 2009
@John Doe – you missed the upper case “F” in “Free” there.