Open Screen: Adobe Lifts Restrictions on Mobile Flash Use

Open Screen: Adobe Lifts Restrictions on Mobile Flash Use
By Dan Keane 15:27, May 2nd 2008

Adobe has taken an aggressive step to ensure its Flash and AIR technologies are not left behind when it comes to mobile platforms.

The Open Screen Project is meant to improve Internet experiences on television, personal computers, mobile devices and computer electronics, while removing licensing fees previously associated with mobile versions of Flash.

Adobe is also to remove restrictions on the use of files in SWF and FLV format and to publish detailed information about the inner workings of its Flash player and streaming Flash technologies (the Adobe Flash Cast protocol). The company unveiled that top industry leaders, such as LG Electronics, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba, Motorola, Verizon Wireless and others are supporting the Open Screen Project, together with BBC, MTV Networks and NBC Universal.

While Adobe Flash is already on 98 percent of desktop systems, according to the company's own estimates, the percentage of Flash Lite presence on mobile devices is much smaller. For example, Apple's iPhone does not support Flash and it's hard to say whether it will ever do, because it seems against the Mac maker's interests in the long term.

By 2009, Adobe expects its Flash Player to reach more than one billion handsets and mobile devices, meeting consumer expectations and demands. “Adobe Flash Player is the world’s most pervasive client runtime,” the company said, adding that it delivers “unparalleled creative options, highly engaging user experiences, stunning audio/video playback and universal reach.” In order to do that, Adobe says software applications and video should seamlessly work on a wide range of devices.

From efluxmedia.com