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Adobe CEO: We're Working on Flash for iPhone

Tuesday, June 17th, 2008 at 11:45 AM - by

Just like many users, Adobe wants to see Flash on Apple's iPhone, and it looks like the company is getting closer to making that happen. Adobe has apparently been hard at work developing a version of its multimedia environment for the iPhone, but isn't ready to bring it to the public yet, according to CEO Shantanu Narayen.

Mr. Narayen told analysts during the Adobe quarterly earnings report that his company is already testing an iPhone-compatible version of Flash in house. "With respect to the iPhone, we are working on it," he said. "We have a version that's working on the emulation."

While Apple touts that the iPhone and iPod touch offer "the real Internet" via the Mobile Safari Web browser instead of the stripped down look many other mobile browsers offer, the lack of Flash support has left many users feeling like they are missing out on much that the Web has to offer. Adding Flash support would likely entice more consumers to switch from their current mobile phone to Apple's iPhone.

Despite the efforts of the Adobe developers, don't expect to see Flash on the iPhone as soon as Apple opens the App Store in early July.

"This is still on the computer and you know, we have to continue to move it from a test environment onto the device and continue to make it work," Mr. Narayen said.

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Sir Harry Flashman said:

member since 08 Feb 2007 with 792 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Tue Jun 17, 2008 2:23 pm

Flash is coming to the iPhone! Thanks for the warning Mr Narayen, when it finally happens I think that I will skip that intro.

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gslusher said:

member since 13 Nov 2002 with 2088 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Tue Jun 17, 2008 2:32 pm

I agree with Sir Harry. While the Flash technology isn't bad (though YouTube's flash videos originally were terrible compared to H.264--or almost any codec), much of Flash content is crap.

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iBill said:

member since 23 Feb 2005 with 642 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Wed Jun 18, 2008 12:50 am

Time for an iPhone software update to kill the Flash.

Death to Flash on iPhone.

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A guest said: (hide)

Wed Jun 18, 2008 1:04 am

Adding to the chorus--no Flash on the iPhone.

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Sir Harry Flashman said:

member since 08 Feb 2007 with 792 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Wed Jun 18, 2008 7:54 am

Guest wrote:
Adding to the chorus--no Flash on the iPhone.

Well I was being a little glib, but just a little. There are legitimate uses for Flash, none come to mind right now. Everything that is seemingly all bad has some sort good use. Bullets can kill people, but can also drive construction nails into concrete. Deadly poison can kill in an instant, but also be skillfully used in medicine to save lives. It isn't Flash that kills web site visitors, but Flash programers.

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deasys said:

member since 08 Apr 2003 with 296 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:18 pm

Sir Harry Flashman wrote:
Guest wrote:
Adding to the chorus--no Flash on the iPhone.

Well I was being a little glib, but just a little. There are legitimate uses for Flash

All of which impose unacceptable CPU loads. No Flash.

In any case, how does Adobe adapt Flash to the iPhone's multi-touch interface? It's not going to happen.

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