Apple blocks Adobe technologies, a war ensues

It’s the main technology story in the news: Apple refuses to open up its iPhone/iPad platform to Adobe Flash and related technologies.

Upon first hearing this fact, you tend to feel that Apple is bullying Adobe for no apparent reason. After all, Adobe provides all sorts of tools that improve the experience of web users. Without Flash, we couldn’t watch YouTube videos, and without it we can’t see the wonderful animations and sounds that grace websites and have turned web design and development into an art.

Without Adobe technologies, we cannot use one of its latest products, Air, which enables real-time communication and updates that are best demonstrated through TweetDeck (for Twitter desktop management).

So. Why on earth would Apple block Adobe technologies?


The answer comes from Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, as follows: “Apple does not support Flash because it is so buggy. Whenever a Mac crashes, more often than not, it’s because of Flash. No one will be using Flash. The world is moving to HTML5.”

Some people agree with the point he’s making about Adobe needing to refine its technology and fix some problems, but the general consensus is that Adobe technologies are useful and web services are better because of them, till a replacement becomes available.

So, the question is whether or not HTML5 is the answer. It is an open standard not created or owned by any company.

For now, it’s not an encouraging prospect. Web-TV-streaming giant Hulu.com claims that HTML5 isn't ready for coding and broadcasting video on the web. Hulu released the latest version of its player built using Adobe Systems' ActionScript, saying that HTML5 is “not ready for prime time”.

The issue that interests industry analysts and consumers is that Apple, the warm brand that used to resemble all that is creative and challenged the cold corporate big boys like IBM and Microsoft, has now become just as cut-throat!
Adobe has responded with a ‘declaration of love’ for Apple, in which it cheekily states that it admires Apple for its great products, but does not admire Apple’s crackdown on consumer choice. Ouch!

Apple is now being cast as ‘the big bad wolf’.

I wonder how the millions of holier-than-thou Apple fanatics will respond!

Here's Adobe's Letter: