Though recently Apple chief executive Steve Jobs slams Flash by saying at Apple’s shareholder meeting that the version of Flash for desktops and notebooks "performs too slow to be useful" on the iPhone, and the mobile version of Flash "is not capable of being used with the Web." But good news for Adobe, Microsoft just announced that in addition to its own Silverlight multimedia technology, Microsoft will support Adobe’s competing Flash technology on Windows Mobile phones.
Since already 450 million Flash-enabled devices out there and Flash is used to display the majority of online video, including that on YouTube, Adobe actually have to worry a very little bit about iPhone. Now it’s even merrier since Microsoft will include flash support to windows mobile. Microsoft has licenced Adobe Flash Lite, the Flash Player runtime for mobile devices, so that Windows Mobile phone users can view Flash content in the Internet Explorer Mobile browser. Microsoft has also licenced the Adobe Reader LE software, so that Windows Mobile users will be able to view PDF documents.
As smartphones become more and more common, people are starting to get fed up with the basic Web surfing experience offered by many phones. They want something that looks more like a PC experience, full RIA experience. Flash incapable device, is highly unlikely to give the complete rich media experience, user demanding today.
Microsoft didn’t disclose what it is paying Adobe to license the software, but the programs will remain free for end-users. Microsoft has its own video viewing software, Silverlight, considered a competitor that could slowly chip away at market share for Adobe’s Flash. Microsoft said last month it would give 1 billion students free access to Silverlight and other software that competes with Adobe, such as Expression Studio.
Nokia, Samsung, Motorola, Sony Ericsson and LG are all shipping Flash-enabled devices today. In addition to supporting Flash-based content on web sites, mobile-phone makers and operators can also use Flash in content like screen savers, wallpapers and animated ring tones. Flash is also used in mobile-phone user interfaces.