Adobe announced that it would stop developing Flash Player for mobile devices last week. Part of the decision was caused by Apple’s decision not to support the platform on its iOS mobile devices. According to Mike Chambers, principal product manager for developer relations at Adobe, Steve Jobs’ decision to avoid Flash led to its grave.
In a blog post, Chambers explained that mobile Flash Player would not get the same ubiquity as it has on desktop. The mobile market is fragmented and one of the leading mobile platforms is Apple’s iOS would not allow it to run on browsers.
There are no indications that Apple would change its opinion about Flash even after Jobs’ death. No matter what Adobe would do in the future, Flash Player will not be welcomed on devices running on Apple’s iOS.
Adobe would then focus its efforts on HTML5, which is the same platform that Jobs said was a better technology for mobile computers. It has higher performance, more open, and capable of doing the same as Flash. HTML5 is supported by more devices and its ubiquity on mobile platforms is comparable with that of Flash Player on desktop.
Chambers clarified that his company’s announcement doesn’t mean that Flash is dead. It would still be around outside mobile web browsers. Its role might be shifted but it would still play a vital ole on both web and mobile platforms.
