Why Flash Will Suck on the iPhone

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Why Flash Will Suck on the iPhone

Posted 10/08/2008 at 12:14:12pm | by Warren Frey

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The iPhone community has been waiting for the arrival of Adobe’s ubiquitous graphics standard since the phone’s initial release. Recent rumblings out of Adobe indicate the company is almost ready to release Flash for the iPhone, but their efforts will prove futile without Apple’s tacit approval.

And despite the fact that Flash’s absence is second only to, still-nonexistent cut-and-paste functionality for hair-tearing frustration amongst power users, there are several reasons to, as the old saying goes, “Be careful what you wish for.”

Lack of Usability: Certain industries, such as real estate and the Hollywood, LOVE to use Flash exclusively on their sites. While on a desktop that can sometimes make for a dynamic surfing experience (and in the process jazzing up a mediocre movie or cookie-cutter condo development), on an iPhone, these sites would quickly become an exercise in frustration. Sure, in theory a site built in Flash could be optimized for the iPhone, but since some real estate sites won’t even allow users to turn off the generic house tunes signifying “urban sophistication,” don’t hold your breath.

Pretentious Design: One of the strongest features of the iPhone is that the Safari browser has not only made surfing on a mobile device enjoyable, it’s also forced designers to rethink how they design for the mobile space and hew to certain standards. On the web, the introduction of Flash meant a lot of those standards went right out the window as designers tried to outdo one another with precious, hard to understand designs. Designers should be allowed to be clever and show off... but not on a mobile device where you want your information immediately, with little, if any, bells and whistles.

Irritating Ads: Flash may have created an efficient platform for streaming video over the web, but it also allowed for a new level of interactivity (and irritation) in the online ad space. Does anyone want to “punch the monkey” or hear a smiley yell into their headphones just because their fingers brushed over an ad accidentally?

Flash and Crash: Despite Apple’s near-draconian hold on what does, and doesn’t, get into the App Store, approved applications are still able to crash the iPhone and send users back to their home screen. Get ready to see a lot more of that home screen if Flash (or Adobe Air) apps come to the iPhone.

Standards: Love it or hate it, Apple's "our way or the highway" attitude is what gives the iPhone its easy to use, streamline interface. It's that interface that keeps us heading back to the Apple Store instead of using sub-standard phones running last-gen browsers and sporting clunky interfaces. Apple’s walled garden approach may justifiably irk users hankering for specific features like streaming video or compatibility with Flash-based websites, but Apple’s history indicates it not only won't cede approve of standards it can’t control, but also that Apple, right or wrong, will decide what its users need, rather than want, on their devices.

What do you think? Is the push for Flash on the iPhone overblown, or is it the killer app the phone desperately needs? Tell us in the comments below.

COMMENTS: 8

TAGS: Flash, Adobe

COMMENTS

Of course the iPhone needs Flash
Submitted by lee_sf on Wed, 2008-10-08 12:26

The whole point of having Safari on the iPhone is to provide full access to the web on a mobile device. Arguing that iPhone users need to be protected from bad Flash content, versus getting said access, is just silly. If I'm buying a house and need to login to to some RE site while away from my desktop computer, I expect the iPhone to just work. I don't care if the site is tacky, slow, or irritating as long as I can get done what needs to be done.

Flash isn't a killer app, it's a top-line requirement for a full-function web device.

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Flash on iPhone won't happen
Submitted by gmsquires on Wed, 2008-10-08 14:37

For all of those Flashniks out there that insist that Apple allow Flash, I would recommend reading Gruber's articles on Adobe's announcement about making Flash for the iPhone and why it won't happen.

http://daringfireball.net/2008/09/adobe_speaks_of_flash_player_for_iphone

http://daringfireball.net/2008/06/flash_creek

The basic reason is that with Flash you could then make flash based games or other programs available that would bypass the App Store as they would run under Flash not Cocoa Touch which the app is now required to do. It would also be in direct violation of the SDK as it would require "hooks" to Mobile Safari and other base iPhone OS X system functions which only Apple can use.

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It should happen... with Apple's support....
Submitted by dezinewiz@mac.com on Wed, 2008-10-08 17:14

O.K., so, what is one of the number one programs missing in Apple's arsenal of software? A proper Flash replacement. I could imagine it as a fantastic adjunct to iWeb. Apple should create a Flash type program, and have something like "Publish to iPhone" feature. This will ensure that content created only through this program has a chance, and thusly could be somewhat controlled by Apple. They did it with podcasting - to an extent. Thank you Garage Band. Why not this? Sincerely, Daniel Rappaport Publisher Future Earth Magazine www.futureearthstudios.com cc: Apple, Inc.

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Flas replacement
Submitted by gmsquires on Thu, 2008-10-09 09:30

Dezinewiz - Apple has an alternative video called Quick Time. In John Gruber's discussion of Flash on the iPhone (see second link listed prev post) he states the QT is Apples option but even Apple on the iPhone doesn't have direct integration of a QT movie or graphic with Mobile Safari. When you click on the QT link it opens a window to play said video/graphic.

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It's not so hard to come up
Submitted by laptopleon on Tue, 2008-10-14 00:52

It's not so hard to come up with a few downsides to Flash. The real question is: Do we need Apple to decide for us whether we can use Flash or not? I think censorship is a bad idea.

Of course gmsquires is right about Flash surpassing the App store. Why keep the Flash developers out? If anyone has experience with GUI, games and fun, it's them. Trying to cage developers will only result in a fight.

The 'standards' issue is baloney: Flash is not an application in that way. If you are that strict, what about OS X Widgets? I agree with lee_sf and want to see the COMPLETE internet, not just XHTML and javascript.

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We need Flash on the iPhone
Submitted by poetprophet on Tue, 2008-10-14 18:51

Upon a visit to alphabet-learning.com you will see a beautiful Flash program for teaching the alphabet and numbers to kids. Dolphins do the teaching. Click on a key or use the mouse to select a letter - the dolphin's mouth opens up - three speech bubbles come out with the hand drawn letter inside - the biggest bubble pops open and the dolphin says the letter. With this application (I designed it and found Hamlet - a real decent good programmer to do the Flash for me) available on the iPhone parents are liable to download and give the phone to their two year old to fiddle with in the car, etc. It sure would give me a hand in marketing as I am lacking in that area. I am alaso interested in developing my KidsKeyboard in other languages so there would be English and German, French, Spanish and so on. The phones are also being sold world wide. Lets have Flash already!!! Michaelslevinson.com

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Do we need Flash?
Submitted by montana2ny on Wed, 2008-10-15 08:30

I love Flash. I hate Flash. When it's used mindfully: it's great. But, unfortunately a lot of the time it just adds annoyance. And then, I'm really not sure what people mean when they say they want Flash on their iPhone/iTouch. But maybe I'm just a cranky luddite.

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Information Security Programs
Submitted by tiffanyjewelry on Wed, 2008-12-31 01:22

Good topic,thank you.My name is广告笔。

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