Adobe has spoken out about the Apple iPad, lambasting it for not putting Flash video compatibility on board.
There have been a few criticisms of Apple's device since launch, and although lack of Flash video was among them, the lack of support for it on the iPhone meant it wasn't a huge surprise.
Restrictive
However Adobe doesn't seem to have the same feeling, with group manager for Flash Adrian Ludwig putting his thoughts up on his blog:
"It looks like Apple is continuing to impose restrictions on their devices that limit both content publishers and consumers. Unlike many other ebook readers using the ePub file format, consumers will not be able to access ePub content with Apple's DRM technology on devices made by other manufacturers.
"And 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.
"If I want to use the iPad to connect to Disney, Hulu, Miniclip, Farmville, ESPN, Kongregate, or JibJab - not to mention the millions of other sites on the web - I'll be out of luck."
From Adrian Ludwig's Blog
Your comments (7) Click to add a new comment
tech89
February 10th 2010
7. Oh, and for the love of God will people stop saying the mac is more secure etc, It isn't! Hackers just haven't moved onto putting their full efforts into hacking the damn OS. You're still at risk from phishing scams at your own fault, whether flash is installed or not. And quite frankly phising scams do more harm to people than a virus. A virus/trojan can be removed and the system restored to a point before the virus.
Besides more often than not it's people who download dodgy files/content who get the viruses in the first place!
I hope some hackers will concentrate on Macs so all the mac lovers can shut up for a while.
Signed: An Apple and Microsoft consumer.
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tech89
February 10th 2010
6. I want flash!!! (for my ipod touch)
If apple is afraid it will let viruses through then why the hell doesn't it help adobe out with a solution.
7 million requests were made to adobe (in December alone) for flash to be made for the iphone/ipod touch.
That is 7 million of us who know the security risks but would take the risk for the pleasure of allowing a better browsing experience.
As for waiting for HTML5 to be widely implemented, well that's unlikely seeing as most uploaded video content is in flash which is favoured much more than HTML5 by uploaders.
Shame on Apple not helping out Adobe to create a secure version of flash for its devices.
iPad is a waste if there's no flash support. Get a laptop/net book instead, you can do more with these than the ipad.
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mattswain
January 31st 2010
5. Well as an iPhone and MacBook owner I support Apple's decision to keep Flash off it's devices. Let's not beat around the bush here, Flash is badly written junk. I can do all sorts of processor intensive things on my MacBook with no problem, and then I run a Flash-enabled website and I can feel the thing heat up like crazy. There's viruses out there that do less harm. Perhaps rather than bleating about Apple, it's time that Adobe rewrote Flash to be less of a resource hog and less of a security risk. As it stands I don't want Flash on my iPhone.
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lewchenko
January 30th 2010
4. Adobe is correct.
People who buy Apple (and I am one of them as I type this on an iMac) have to accept that Apple will decide for you what is best, whether you want it or not !
For some people, they are happy to be lead this way (ie. know no better or would rather not bother) and for others who want freedom of choice... you either Jail Brake Apple products or you choose alternatives.
On this one, people should be given the choice to install Flash if they really want it. HTML 5 may well be a standard now, but video content (or anything else for that matter) is practically non existent... so why are people saying they will 'wait for HTML 5' ... cant you wait but use Flash in the interim.
Whilst the lack of Flash isnt a game ender, it does Apple no favours really as it will be on most peoples negative list as to why they shouldnt purchase an iPad.
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fitterthanmost
January 29th 2010
3. I'll use my iPhone to browse on the move, no flash is a real big pain, total downer, I won't be investing in the ipad at all.
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duskrider
January 29th 2010
2. Big whoop! With Adobe's security track record, I'd sooner see Adobe go bust than have their stuff on my iPhone or iPad. Flash would be a massive worm vector that would make Apple have to do system updates way more often as attacks happen.
No thanks, not on my device. I'll hang in there for HTML 5.
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nicolasmerritt
January 29th 2010
1. Nor will it display Flash ads, which is the way content creators currently get paid.
That is, the same people expected to create the killer content that will shift the iPad.
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