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How come Apple doesn't allow Flash on the iPod Touch?

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It says right there on the adobe website when I tried to get Flash, that Apple restricts them from providing Flash for the iPod Touch. Why would Apple forbid it on their devices?

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Posted on Dec 18, 2009 12:27 PM

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11 replies

Dec 18, 2009 12:40 PM in response to _Eric_

Adobe is being disingenuous. They do not yet have a version of Flash that would provide the functionality web surfers would expect - current mobile phones have "Flash Lite" which provides only a subset of all Flash features and so is of only limited use - that won't drag down performance and battery life so far as to be unacceptable. Adobe's CEO himself said that development of a version of Flash that would be acceptable on an iPhone was Adobe's responsibility, so the ball's in their court at this time. Their version of Flash for mobile devices is expected sometime in 2010 and perhaps at that time there may be further news.

This has been discussed over and over again in these forums and going over it all yet another time will serve no useful purpose, so let's leave it at this point.

Regards.

Jan 30, 2010 8:53 AM in response to varjak paw

While I fully understand why Apple does not want to have the current version of Flash running on an iPod Touch, or IPhone; Apple should allow the end user to decide if much shorter batter life and not being able to run memory intensive applications is worth the trade off or not. Maybe give the end user a "warning" of some kind about the use of the current version of Flash. Flash could be loaded in to memory for the video needed, and them dumped from memory when it is no longer needed to play a video. Then in time when Adobe makes a version that works 100% with in Apple's mobile device specs there would no more need to give "warning" of memory issues about the driver being loaded to play such and such video. Just my 2 cents worth.

Jan 30, 2010 10:21 AM in response to sparky67

Its not completely an apple or an adobe issue. You cant tell me the geniuses at Apple cant make it work, and you wont ever convince me the Adobe boys cant either. Its a mexican standoff so to speak. There's a bit of bitterness twixt A & A we dont see in the news. That said, I am betting the iPad is going to force the issue from one or both parties. I think Flash and multitasking will both be added in the next OS update.

Jan 30, 2010 10:37 AM in response to chaznsc

chaznsc wrote:
Its not completely an apple or an adobe issue. You cant tell me the geniuses at Apple cant make it work, and you wont ever convince me the Adobe boys cant either. Its a mexican standoff so to speak. There's a bit of bitterness twixt A & A we dont see in the news....


Since Flash is an Adobe owned product, I don't know what exactly you expect Apple to do other than to provide Adobe with assistance.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10154123-37.html

+Speaking with the Bloomberg news service on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, *Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen* acknowledged that even after months of striving, a workable version of Flash for the iPhone remains a tough nut to crack.+

+"It's a hard technical challenge, and that's part of the reason Apple and Adobe are collaborating," Narayen told Bloomberg Television. *"The ball is in our court. The onus is on us to deliver."*+

Jan 30, 2010 10:59 AM in response to sparky67

"They do not yet have a version of Flash that would provide the functionality web surfers would expect - current mobile phones have "Flash Lite" which provides only a subset of all Flash features and so is of only limited use - that won't drag down performance and battery life so far as to be unacceptable."

So... have this "pop up" before use or when installed by the end user................

{Warning: Use of this version of Adobe Flash Player will cause downgraded performance from normal use expected. As the hardware specifications of the devices are widely divergent, content performance may vary between devices and device generations. Use will also cause the battery life to be degraded significantly. Use of this player is not supported or endorsed at this time by Apple, Inc. Use at own risk"




"Adobe's CEO himself said that development of a version of Flash that would be acceptable on an iPhone was Adobe's responsibility, so the ball's in their court at this time. Their version of Flash for mobile devices is expected sometime in 2010 and perhaps at that time there may be further news."



The current version can be, and is used by lots of people today. I don't. Because I respect Apple's view and I personally don't want my iPod Touch to run dry of power to fast, but this should be an option. And most of all I hate Jailbroken hacked garbage. So, it is up to Apple at this point. Adobe is working on the issue as we TXT 🙂 Bet your last dime on it. Millions and millions of iPods, iPhones, and now the iPad (super sized iPod Touch). Lots of people want, and in many cases need Adobe Flash to work on these Apple devices. So yes I read the remarks made by Dave, and understand what he said. Did you really read or / and understand my remark now?

-Apple //GS

May 1, 2010 1:48 PM in response to varjak paw

Sorry, but it's Apple that is being disingenuous. (But maybe that makes a good defense to attack Adobe for exactly what Apple is doing?)

There is no technological barrier with having Flash on any Apple device as Apple well knows. There is one reason, and one reason only, why this current conflict is going on between Apple and Adobe. M-O-N-E-Y. Flash is a competitor to Apple's App Store, pure and simple. But if you feel more comfortable believing what Steve says or you think that makes you a bigger Apple fan, by all means, go ahead.

By the way, about me: love Macs, love Apple products (graphic designer). Have been a Mac user and fan since the late 80s and wouldn't use anything else. Apple products have always been (and still are) superior to everything else out there (especially Windows PCs). But I don't feel obligated to believe the party line on every business decision that Apple makes.

How come Apple doesn't allow Flash on the iPod Touch?

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