Adobe halts further iPhone development, focuses on Android

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Jos

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Adobe has announced it will be ceasing its efforts to bring Flash-based applications to the iPhone. The move came after Apple put out a new draft of its iPhone developer program license, which banned developers from using cross-platform compilers like the one Adobe just so happened to introduce in Creative Suite 5, and instead required apps to be written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript as executed by the iPhone OS WebKit engine.

Although this was largely interpreted as a shot directly across Adobe's bow, it could also affect other middleware tools such as Titanium, MonoTouch, or Unity -- not to mention that being forced to use tools that target a single platform makes life harder for developers who want to leverage as many platforms as possible to justify costs and increase margins. Adobe believes that Apple may selectively enforce the terms and let a few non-abiding apps trickle to their store, but speculates it will likely enforce them to select content created with Flash CS5 to send a clear message.

This is just the latest in the escalating confrontation between Apple and Adobe. The Cupertino-based company has repeatedly claimed that letting Flash on its iPhone platform would degrade battery life and performance.

Adobe will still provide the ability to target the iPhone and iPad in Flash CS5, but warns that they are not currently planning any additional investments in that feature, and that developers should be prepared to have their apps rejected. In a blog post yesterday, Adobe principal product manager Mike Chambers also criticized Apple's somewhat haphazard policies regarding applications and said they are now focusing on Google's Android platform.

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This is about control over developers

I want to get this in before the Apple fans try to focus this debate on whether or not Flash is slow or evil or whatever. Personally I hate Flash, PDF, and Adobe as a company. However, this is not about Flash. This is about Apple controlling HOW developers create code, rather than just dictating the end code that can run on their system. If you are a developer then you will understand the difference and know why this is bad policy. Even the all evil "M$" does not block you from developing source code in your preferred language using your preferred compiler.
 
I'm glad this is happening now. My contract with Sprint is up in one week..Guess I'm getting an Andriod!!
 
As an iPhone developer that has never programmed in Flash anyway, I'm parting ways with Apple. You treat us like **** over petty disputes with other companies. I'm not going to allow apple to use me as a pawn.

Good bye iPhone, hello Android.
 
I want to get this in before the Apple fans try to focus this debate on whether or not Flash is slow or evil or whatever. Personally I hate Flash, PDF, and Adobe as a company. However, this is not about Flash. This is about Apple controlling HOW developers create code, rather than just dictating the end code that can run on their system. If you are a developer then you will understand the difference and know why this is bad policy. Even the all evil "M$" does not block you from developing source code in your preferred language using your preferred compiler.

I agree with you on most of what you've said, but I don't think your last statement is as cut and dry as you think. Microsoft pushes .NET and Silverlight and they aren't going to help you if you use something else to develop for their platform. Adobe's thing just ports the flash code to something you can make into an iWhatever app, you didn't really write the code for the iphone/pad Adobe's tool did, so Apple loses their control over making it run well, and that is 90% of what the iPad has going for it. It is being sold on the idea that it does specific things very well.

The problem Apple has (aside from wanting to control everything) is that the flash compiler produces and executable that stores everything in the text area, which means that all those graphics and sound are loaded into memory at startup time of the game or app rather than as needed from the disk, this isn't going to play well with keeping the super battery life that Apple says their Pad is going to deliver, and probably really dicks with their multitasking in iPhone OS 4.

To be fair, I got some arguments here from this so my words weren't entirely my own, but a lot of it is my opinion as well.

I think Apple has a serious personal conflict with Adobe, and in many ways Adobe has earned their way into that (by neglecting Mac by delaying releases and not doing cross platform releases for several apps), but I do think Apple's personal fits with Adobe are hurting consumers and perhaps even Apple in the longer term (1+ years).
 
I believe that Steve Jobs is an egotisical control freak (like many other corporate CEOs). When he uses this to help make great products for the consumer then that's not so bad, however when used to make a point at the cost of consumers only highlights his egocentric nature.
 
Really, it all boils down to control, and everyone knows Apple is a control freak. It's just sad that it always gets blown up in the media as "Apple vs Adobe" and the 2 biggest populations that are affected seem to get sidelined: consumers and the ones hosting Flash content.

Apple says no to Flash, which has one of the largest populations of media content on the internet, effectively cutting off their customers from all of that content. And, if those who hold that content want to be able to reach the Apple users, they have to convert everything they have to a format that Apple has mandated as acceptable. Who foots the bill for all the time and resources needed to do that? Apple surely doesn't, and they really don't care, as long as they get their way. If the content providers don't want to incur the expense and just write off the Apple consumer base, then the Apple consumers miss out. Again, Apple doesn't care, as long as they get their way.

The easy (and reasonable) alternative to the entire fiasco would be for Apple to allow Flash as an option, but still push the standards that they want for the future. The fact that they will not bend, and obviously do not care that there is a wealth of Flash content around that has been accumulating for much longer than their precious iPhone and iPad have existed, just points out again what stubborn control freaks they are. It's sad because they do have some good ideas and hardware, and it's doubly sad that fanatical Apple followers will defend Apple with their dying breath, even though it is made obvious by Apple's attitudes and behaviors that they don't give a rat's behind about their users.
 
@ sngx1275

I think you missed my point about Microsoft. Yes Microsoft pushes and promotes .NET and Silverlight. And as it stands, it looks like WP7 will only run Silverlight. However, and correct me if I'm wrong, Microsoft has no clauses in its license agreement which dictate how you can create that code. So you could develop your programs in whatever language or platform you want, as long as you have a compiler that translates your source code into something that can execute on Microsoft's platform. Honestly, I don't even know if anything like this exists for .NET or Silverlight yet. And yeah, Microsoft probably isn't rushing to help you if you use someone else's development environment. But again, that's not the point.

And once again, your defense of Apple seems to focus on whether or not Flash is slow or whatever. I'm not a Flash evangelist by any means, but I do find it interesting that I never hear this much rhetoric against Flash's performance until Steve Jobs came out against Flash. Now, apparently, Flash isn't cool anymore. But like I said, I don't care about Flash, I care about Apple dictating what tools and languages developers are allowed to use. If I'm not mistaken, I think Apple even forces developers to develop on a Mac. I don't fault Apple for having strict requirements over the end code or how that code interacts with the platform, just like I don't fault Microsoft for doing the same thing. But I do fault Apple for telling developers how they are allowed to develop.
 
SNGX1275 said:
Microsoft pushes .NET and Silverlight and they aren't going to help you if you use something else to develop for their platform. Adobe's thing just ports the flash code to something you can make into an iWhatever app, you didn't really write the code for the iphone/pad Adobe's tool did, so Apple loses their control over making it run well, and that is 90% of what the iPad has going for it. It is being sold on the idea that it does specific things very well.

All true, except Microsoft just won't help you, whereas Apple just outright bans you from their platform - big difference. Apple could very easily allow an app for Flash and just throw up a disclaimer (or require Adobe to put one up) regarding possible performance issues if the consumer wishes to continue and install a Flash component. If the customer installs something that kills their performance, Apple is then free and clear of responsibility, and can actually use that to feed the flames of their push towards HTML5 and alternatives. But that would require flexibility, cooperation, and a willingness to maybe loosen up their stranglehold just slightly - all traits that Apple steadily refuses to display.

aaron86 said:
And once again, your defense of Apple seems to focus on whether or not Flash is slow or whatever.

I don't think you really read the post thoroughly... SNGX1275 seemed to be playing a Devil's Advocate role, giving reasons that Apple was presenting for hedging on Flash, but at no time did I really see a defense of Apple's stance - so far everyone seems to have the same consensus, which is that Apple are control freaks with some issues :)
 
Was going to get the iPhone when the newest version came up, but given that Apple is now dictating what developer tools I as a professional developer can use to develop on that platform, I am getting an Android powered smartphone instead.

Basic rule -- YOU DO NOT PISS OFF THE DEVELOPERS. If independent developers quit writing new applications for your device then no matter how cool the device might look, the device will quit being popular.

But then again we are talking about Apple...
 
Guest said:
Basic rule -- YOU DO NOT PISS OFF THE DEVELOPERS. If independent developers quit writing new applications for your device then no matter how cool the device might look, the device will quit being popular.

But then again we are talking about Apple...

Yep... How does it all work when the company (Apple) is popular for NOT being the most popular? heh
 
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