Adobe Says No Future Investment in Flash-to-iPhone Feature

Mike Chambers, Adobe's Principal Product Manager for developer relations for the Flash Platform--and isn't that title a mouthful?--said in a blog post on Tuesday that the company will be ceasing its efforts to bring Flash-based applications to the iPhone. This follows Apple's recent revision of its iPhone developer program license to include a statement prohibiting apps that have been developed using non-native technologies--such as Flash.

The move was largely interpreted as a shot directly across Adobe's bow, as the company's recently announced Creative Suite 5 included an easy way for Flash developers to convert their existing Web-based games and other Flash applications to iPhone apps. That feature was Adobe's way of sidestepping Apple's choice not to allow Flash on its mobile platform. But even though the Flash-to-iPhone functionality already exists, Chambers makes it clear that Adobe is "not currently planning any additional investments in that feature."

Chambers went on to detail how the feature had only recently been blocked by Apple's change of terms. He also took shots at the mercurial nature of the company with regard to its iPhone developer program and described how Adobe's inherently cross-platform focus differs from Apple's tightly controlled walled garden approach.

Moving beyond its efforts to play nice with the iPhone, Chambers says Adobe is now focusing on Google's upcoming Android phones and tablets, working closely with Google to bring technologies like Flash Player and Adobe AIR to the Android platform. Then again, with the iPhone route securely blocked, what other options does Adobe really have?

[via The Loop]