Steve Jobs’ thoughts on Flash

Steve Jobs recently published a succinct summary explaining why Flash is not used on the iPhone, iPod and iPad. The complex issue has been boiled down to a few key points:

As web developers, this makes a lot sense to us. Though Flash filled in a lot of weak spots in the early days of the web, we have been using it less and less in our development process as modern browsers have begun allowing us to use open web standards to achieve effects that were once possible only with Flash.

I hadn’t previously known that Apple had requested to see Flash working on a mobile device and that Adobe didn't deliver. This shows the recent discussions in a new light. What's the point of attacking Apple for lack of Flash in their devices if Flash simply doesn't run yet on those platforms?

This is something we thought about quite a lot when designing the iPad Marketboard app for Thomson Reuters. The touch interface requires a rethinking of how to approach and interact with content on screen. The touch screens allow an intimate, tactile manipulation of content and navigation on a personal level we haven't experienced in the past with point-and-click interfaces. Though Flash really works well with mouse manipulation, its limitations might hinder the creativity of developers working in this new area.

1. "Openness". Flash is not an open source platform, and since it's controlled solely by Adobe, there are questions future compatibility. Apple advocates the use of open source standards like HTML5/CSS and H.264 video.

2. Access to the "full web". Adobe claims that Apple's devices can't see the full web (which mostly means video content), but most modern websites are adding HTML5/H.264 encoded video which looks great and works more efficiently on mobile devices.

3. Performance & Security. Apple asked Adobe to demo Flash on a mobile device in the past, but Adobe has yet to provide an example. Though there are currently no mobile devices available on the market with Flash installed, according to Adobe, we should expect to see something in this area in the second half of 2010.

4. Battery life. Most Flash websites currently require software decoding which takes a huge toll on battery life. In Apple's tests, viewing video via Flash as opposed to H.264 (which can be decoded via hardware), results in an almost 50% loss of battery life - 10 hours vs 5.

5. Touch. Simply put, Flash websites use a lot of rollover effects for both aesthetic reasons and to improve user interfaces. So far, such rollovers don't work at all on touch interfaces, meaning those sites would have to have separate versions for them to work on touch interfaces, even if Flash were available.

6. Development control. Apple wants to control the development cycle of their own product. It's their software and their SDK (Software Development Kit), and they don't want a third-party solution acting as a layer between the user and the device.  While it may be tempting for developers to use Adobe’s tools now (and certainly easier than writing Xcode), there is the fear that in the future Adobe will be slow to adapt to new features launched by Apple. This has happened before, for example, with the slow adaptation of Adobe's Creative Suite to Intel processors.

Apple's position is clearly defined and honestly written. While some people might miss Flash now, I think that the open-standards path make a lot of sense. And for developers, it's nice to read such a clearly written letter from Steve Jobs to clarify and explain Apple’s way of thinking. Read the complete letter.