The breathless words from 9 to 5 Mac announced, “You heard it here first, folks.” And then in bold, italic all caps, “THE IPAD HAS FLASH.” And who can blame them for joining the bandwagon of wishful thinkers?
They showed a clip from Apple's official video that seemed to indicate the presence of Flash, and everyone's hopes got a little higher. Alas, 9 to 5 Mac had to update their story with the news that a media company makes fake optimized web pages for all of Apple's commercials.
The absence of a Flash announcement in the iPad presentation got the attention of several commenting on the event. In fact, Adobe's Adrian Ludwig himself said, “Without Flash support, iPad users will not be able to access the full range of web content, including over 70% of games and 75% of video on the web.” Plus Adobe's Flash platform Twitter account tweeted a link to a news story confirming the absence.
A quick search on “iPad flash” shows just how many people are discussing the issue. PC World calls it “Apple's iPad and the Flash Clash” and points out the promotional images and videos on Apple's own site hint at Flash presence that isn't there. Their story says that a graphic designer from Atlanta is even filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission over what he believes is misleading advertising. "In several advertisements and images representing the Apple products in question, Apple has purposefully elected to show these devices correctly displaying content that necessitates the Adobe Flash plug-in," according to his filing.
Perhaps the real question remains... Why isn't it there?
Jonathandandar@...
January 31, 2010 at 5:59am
I have flash disabled on all my Macs; just a single click to re-enable specific Flashed content. That means I am spared from being exposed to 99.99% of the Flash "experience". I feel no sense of loss at all, and just 00.01% irritation when I need to click for a bit of Flash.
I agree w/ frankly's breakdown and would add that this frenzy over Flash is similar to the activity that erupted here and there as RealPlayer slipped from it's past position.
Flash is on the way out and those who are "invested" on either the content production or "owned" content side of this are displaying the natural, energetic, frenzied, denial based, last gasp behavior that a group who's investment is about to be marginalized into, at best, a niche product usually dislpays.
frankly
January 29, 2010 at 9:28pm
I want to see some clarification of that 75% of video requires flash comment. YouTube is the clear leader in video on the Internet and you don't need flash to view that video on the iPhone. In fact, with the new HTML5 beta test you don't need it on a Mac either. And Vimeo is doing a similar beta. Flash being required for video has its days numbered.
And lukeforester1 pointed out the absurdity of trying to play a Flash based game in a touch environment. No thanks. I'll still with the superior games offered in the App store.
lukeforester1
January 30, 2010 at 10:06am
Thank you Frankly! I personally would love to see full flash on the iPad, I think it would be one of apple's cleverest software achievments, but I just don't see that happening, unless they were to provide flash ONLY when the keyboard dock is plugged in, however even then there would still he some limitations (ex: using a mouse to move without actually clicking)
frankly
January 30, 2010 at 9:48pm
The bottom line is that from a usability (UI) standpoint Flash sucks and that is when you have a mouse. I can't even imagine the nightmare of trying to use a touch interface. These people that are crying about Flash being used for so much are really deluded. There are a few big areas where it is used:Ads (no one will miss these)Games (the touch UI wouldn't work with this anyway and there is definitely not a lack of games in the App Store)Video (this can and is being solved using other options, e.g. the YouTube app)Porn (as pointed out by the Flash evangelist on Adobe's site), sorry porn fans will just have to use their other computer for this.Ridiculously overproduced websites that look pretty but SUCK in UX. I'm talking to you Disney, auto manufacturers, etc.Every other use of Flash that I'm aware of can easily be done (better from a UX standpoint) with HTML, CSS, and Javascript. If I'm missing something someone should let me know.
Ben
January 31, 2010 at 9:16pm
I was pretty geeked when I discovered ClickToFlash. I never missed Flash on my iPhone and now I don't miss it on my Mac!I hate Action Script and the Flash IDE as a whole...
CPTKILLER
January 29, 2010 at 8:46pm
Jim in Acadiana
A Flash player is nearly a necessity for the net. Windows users will demand it for the iPad. Time will tell but my money is on one being available by April 2010.
marktt
January 29, 2010 at 8:38pm
I'd like flash simply so I do not need to rely solely on YouTube for video content!
iPhone 3GS and Macbook user
lukeforester1
January 29, 2010 at 8:27pm
I LOVE my iPhone and it bugs the hell out of me when I can't use flash, however, for things like web video i guess it would be pretty simple, you tap play, you tap pause end of story. However, as stated above, Adrian Ludwig said "Without Flash support, iPad users will not be able to access the full range of web content, including over 70% of games and 75% of video on the web." yet I can't think of a SINGLE online game that doesn't use the keyboard, arrow buttons, a mouse you can move without clicking. I'm really not sure how Apple would get over this. ANY IDEAS? that would be a good monthly contest! (btw I hop you got my 3D sketch up of my model from this month's contest).
I just don't understand how they would/could/should do it, how would YOU wan't them to do it?
kadamsinco
January 29, 2010 at 6:55pm
I can totally understand Apple's desire to control what applications are loaded onto their iPod/Phone/Pad devices, and I can see how allowing Flash would help circumvent that control. There is also the issue of battery life and the overhead a flash player would take. All that aside, I think not allowing Flash on the new iPad is really going to be a huge detriment to the user's overall Web experience. When you are selling a "full Web page" experience, in the world of Web on many sites, that "full" experience is lost when there is no Flash player available.
I might be able to understand the justification on an iPhone, but even then it should be a downloadable app from the App store with a big disclaimer that this will allow "un-scantioned" content and it may have a negative impact on overall battery life. This should really be the end-user's choice.... not Apples.
