Adobe yesterday announced an app version of Flash for the iPhone and iPod touch – a semi-significant development considering the popular Web technology has been absent from Apple’s iPhone.
The solution was developed by Adobe engineers as opposed to working directly with Apple. However, several apps already are approved and in the App Store. “We don’t have any reason to believe they [Apple] have a problem with it,” said Adrian Ludwig, group product marketing manager, Flash Platform, Adobe.
Adobe still needs to work with Apple on a Web browsing Flash solution; that is not part of this latest development. But there does appear to be demand for such a solution; about 3 million visitors to the Flash download center each month request Flash for the iPhone, according to Ludwig.
In a sneak peak during a keynote yesterday at Adobe MAX, Adobe demonstrated how developers can use Flash Professional CS5 to export apps for the iPhone, leveraging the same source code used to deliver applications across desktops and devices for Flash platform runtimes – Adobe AIR and FlashPlayer 10.
Adobe also showcased new iPhone applications built using a beta version of Flash Professional CS5. Developers that created iPhone applications with the beta include BlueSkyNorth, Bowler Hat Games, Breakdesign, FlashGameLicense, Muchosmedia, PushButton Labs and South Park Digital Studios.
Adobe says a number of additional applications are being submitted to the App Store, including an iPhone application for Adobe’s Web conferencing solution, Adobe Acrobat Connect Pro. Several of these new applications are currently available for iPhone users to download within the Apple App Store.
“The engineering teams at Adobe have succeeded in bringing the latest Flash technology to the iPhone, opening the way for the Flash community to deploy to the App Store,” said Kevin Lynch, chief technology officer at Adobe. “When Apple is ready to bring the full Web browsing experience to iPhone users, we’ll be ready to bring Flash Player to Safari.”
No word yet from Apple on its plans to bring Flash Player to Safari.
