Apple’s Attempt at Changing the World
So, the iPad has been announced and the reception has been mixed. A larger iPod that doesn’t have a camera, can’t be used as a phone, and doesn’t run Flash programs. So does that make it a waste of time? No hardware keyboard, no interchangeable battery, and – as of now at least – only runs iPhone/iPod apps. It would seem as if Apple is confident in their app store and iTunes integration to let that stand on it’s own. So what does the iPod really bring us? It brings us what the tech world loves almost as much as a new device… it brings controversy. The iPad doesn’t run Flash…then again, neither does the iPod, iPhone, most Windows Mobile devices, Blackberries and so forth… so big deal?!
But Apple decided to showcase the device with a video example of it displaying websites that require Flash. After questions arose, the video was removed and the the name calling started. “Adobe is lazy”, “Don’t be evil is a load of crap” And of course, those are just the statements that the public has heard about. With Apple’s (face it, Steve Jobs is Apple) real feelings showing, it is obvious that their intent is to maintain their standing as the device to beat in the mobile world. They are making their iPad part of the mobile device market. They have stated that the Internet doesn’t need Adobe Flash and are confident enough in their sales and market standing to be the leading force that will make Flash go away. To me that either means, they are mad that Adobe worked something out with Android phones first instead of Apple (“if we aren’t the most important company in your eyes, you will learn to regret it”), or they truly believe it is a hindrance to web browsing.
So what does this mean in the end? Whether you or I buy and iPad or not, there will be enough sales (coupled with the iPod/iPhone) that people will continue to design websites with “i”devices in mind. So if they can’t use flash, the websites wont include flash. Of course websites will always continue to cater to computers as well, but people will begin to welcome HTML5 as a way of being able to make their sites more consistent across platforms. Is it a bad thing? Only if you are Adobe. Fanboy or Hater… you are about to see Apple make yet another massive change to how we work and play on the Internet.
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