iPhone News Updated

Adobe and Apple in battle of ads over Flash in iPhone apps

Adobe and Apple in battle of ads over Flash in iPhone apps

ADOBE fired back at Apple on Thursday over the refusal of the maker of the iPod, iPhone and iPad to allow the US software giant’s widely used Flash video product to run on the devices.

Adobe placed advertisements on popular technology websites TechCrunch, Wired and Engadget and ran full-page ads in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post and other newspapers to make its case against Apple.

“We (heart) Apple,” said the Adobe ads, which listed the things it “loves” about Apple.

“What we don’t love is anybody taking away your freedom to choose what you create, how you create it, and what you experience on the web,” the ad concluded.

The web ads linked to the Adobe.com website, where the company’s co-founders published an open letter defending Flash, commonly used by developers to create online games and web video, and a page billed as “The Truth About Flash”.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.

End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.

“As the founders of Adobe, we believe open markets are in the best interest of developers, content owners, and consumers,” Chuck Geschke and John Warnock said. “We believe that consumers should be able to freely access their favourite content and applications, regardless of what computer they have, what browser they like, or what device suits their needs.”

According to Adobe, whose other well-known products include Photoshop and Adobe Reader, which manages PDF files, 75 per cent of all video on the web is viewed using its Flash Player.

Adobe’s media blitz comes two weeks after Apple chief executive Steve Jobs published an open letter defending his decision not to allow software developers to make Flash applications for the iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad.

“Flash was created during the (personal computer) era for PCs and mice,” Mr Jobs said. “But the mobile era is about low power devices, touch interfaces and open web standards — all areas where Flash falls short.”

Apple devices instead support video built using HTML5, a fledgling software format created by a group of technology firms including Google and Apple.

“Perhaps Adobe should focus more on creating great HTML5 tools for the future, and less on criticising Apple for leaving the past behind,” Mr Jobs said.

“It is not Adobe’s goal to help developers write the best iPhone, iPod and iPad apps. It is their goal to help developers write cross-platform apps.” Mr Geschke and Mr Warnock rejected Mr Jobs’ view, saying software for multiple platforms and devices was crucial to the future of the open web.

AFP

[Thanks: http://www.theaustralian.com.au]

Comments are closed.