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Why there's no Flash on the iPhone/iPad (and why there shouldn't be Flash on Android)

Summary: Here's why there's no Flash on the iPhone/iPad (and why there shouldn't be Flash on Android):

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

By for Hardware 2.0 |

Here's why there's no Flash on the iPhone/iPad (and why there shouldn't be Flash on Android):

This video says it all:

Install Flash Player 10.1 beta on a Nexus One handset and it becomes slower at loading web pages than the iPhone or the HTC HD2.

It gets worse, because not only does the browser become sluggish, the OS crashes with a memory error.

Now, this Flash Player is a beta, but given the negative publicity that Adobe has received (along with fierce criticism from Apple), I'd have expected Adobe to push a solid beta for the 10.1 beta.

This video shows how snappy the handset is without Flash running:

Flash is bad news on every platform. The only reason we put up with it is because it's managed to pervade the web so deeply. Ultimately, Apple is doing the right thing. Five years ago, all out devices will be more stable thanks to this pressure being put on Adobe.

Topics: iPhone, iPad, Mobility

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98 comments
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  • "Five years ago, all out devices **will be** more stable"

    What is this supposed to mean?
    OS Reload
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Why there's no Flash on the iPhone/iPad (and why there shouldn't be Flash on Android)

      @OS Reload
      Ha Ha ! You did not understand what the author is going to write in the article that is already published on ZDNet. :-)
      mKind
      Reply Vote

      • Androids do have it iPhones wont

        Live with it.<br><br>Bad publicity, search on Apples supply chain, and then talk about that.
        Uralbas
        Reply Vote

    • Must be heavy fingers late in the day in the UK

      @OS Reload I suspect it should have read: "Five years out, all devices will be more stable thanks to this pressure being put on Adobe."
      Bill4
      Reply Vote

    • Eh.. He's probably been watching too much Doctor Who...

      @OS Reload
      All that time travel is enough to throw your past, present and future into confusion...
      Wolfie2K3
      Reply Vote

      • Doctor Who ROCKS!!!

        @Wolfie2K3
        Since I'm immortal myself I've met the guy a few times.

        Pagan jim
        James Quinn
        Reply Vote

      • @pagan - Yeah, but with one major diff'..

        ...being the mode of transport: ZDNet is [i]bigger on the outside then it is on the inside[/i] .. kinda like a giant peanut shell with nothing in it .. or a giant doughnut hole.

        .. but then i guess the giant doughnut hole would be more akin to [i]Stargate SG-1[/i] than Dr. Who .. so i'll take that back.
        thx-1138_
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Why there's no Flash on the iPhone/iPad (and why there shouldn't be Flash on Android)

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      itkonlyyou100
      Reply Vote

  • Let us decide

    Why not put an on/off switch for Flash? Sometimes I need to get the Flash based information.
    Roque Mocan
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Why there's no Flash on the iPhone/iPad (and why there shouldn't be Flash on Android)

      @Roque Mocan

      I take it you didn't watch the video. There already is one.
      jmiller1978
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Why there's no Flash on the iPhone/iPad (and why there shouldn't be Flash on Android)

      @Roque Mocan

      Good idea. If you really need Flash on iPad, you can still run it through virtualization software such as ThinServer XP
      bojanwojan
      Reply Vote

  • Yes, we know flash sucks. But...

    It's slow, it's way over used, and you have to keep up with a never ending series of security updates.

    But...being that it's so pervasive on the web, how can you just pretend it doesn't exist - which seems to be what Apple wants to do with the iPhone.

    The "On Demand" setting on Android 2.2 shown in the second video seems like a reasonable compromise to me.
    cornpie
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Why there's no Flash on the iPhone/iPad (and why there shouldn't be Flash on Android)

      @cornpie

      I don't think Flash on the web is as pervasive today as it was 3 years ago. But surely Adobe would want you to believe that.
      dave95.
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Why there's no Flash on the iPhone/iPad (and why there shouldn't be Flash on Android)

        @dave95.
        The overall percentage has likely decreased, but the number of sites has not likely dropped.
        Then there is the coporate culture (both inhouse and outsourced) that use this tool for training, messages, alerts...

        It would have been much better to allow the use of flash.
        If SJ wanted to change culture, require turning it on as needed. Ignoring it by saying it is outdated and buggy and... just encourages those of us who need it not to adopt or buy iPads...
        rhonin
        Reply Vote

      • deleted

        wrong location
        wackoae
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Why there's no Flash on the iPhone/iPad (and why there shouldn't be Fla

      @cornpie

      Flash is becoming increasingly irrelevant. For every "Flash only" site or application, there are dozens of non-Flash alternatives. I say good riddance. Do you really want to spend all day flipping Flash on and off? What a waste of time.
      RationalGuy
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Why there's no Flash on the iPhone/iPad (and why there shouldn't be Flash on Android)

        @RationalGuy

        Flash can still do things that javascript/html cannot do adequately. On a phone, you keep it off until you need it. I would much rather have the option to have it on if I want than not at all.
        K B
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Why there's no Flash on the iPhone/iPad (and why there shouldn't be Flash on Android)

        @K B
        For the sake of following through your argument, give examples.
        deeperj
        Reply Vote

      • To Deeperj

        http://www.wirelust.com/2010/05/21/10-things-flash-can-do-today-that-html5-cant/
        Michael Alan Goff
        Reply Vote

      • For goff256

        Since flash really has ZERO touch interface support, and codecs can be added and remove to/from anything, just with the very top two items in the list you can deduct that the authors have no clue of what they are talking about.

        Not a very intelligent example after all
        wackoae
        Reply Vote
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