Thursday, April 29, 2010

Steve Jobs Just Seriously Bitch Slapped Adobe Flash

In an open letter posted to the company's website, Apple CEO Steve Jobs finally explains why he has refused to let Adobe's popular Flash videos run on iPhones and iPads.


The letter, titled "Thoughts on Flash," gives six reasons why the company has specifically prevented Flash from running on iPhones, iPods and iPads, reasons that run the gamut from philosophical issues about the nature of closed and open platforms to simple complaints about performance and the frequency of crashes.

In the letter by Jobs begins by questioning the closed nature of the product, noting that "Adobe’s Flash products are 100% proprietary. They are only available from Adobe, and Adobe has sole authority as to their future enhancement, pricing, etc." Closed products stifle innovation, Jobs argues.

But his largest issue seems to simply be performance.  Jobs says Flash is "the number one reason Macs crash."

Adobe was not immediately available for comment on Jobs' letter. But Ulanoff was that Jobs fought back so publicly. "There's tremendous frustration on both sides, and a lot is at stake," he told FoxNews.com, describing Jobs' missive as "well reasoned...with the occasional zinger in there."

Fox News interviewed PCMag.com editor in chief Lance Ulanoff, who wonders if Apple's public scolding of Adobe may be the beginning of the end for the Flash technology.

This seemingly well-reasoned letter from one of the most important technology companies in the world can have devastating effects" on future development, he pointed out, both by independent developers and by Adobe itself.

"It's an incredible attack on Flash, and could shake its very foundations," he said

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