Flash Wars

Controversy has swirled over the last several months regarding the open letter written by Apple's CEO, Steve Jobs, slamming Adobe Flash in favor of HTML5. As the debate on Flash heats up, a myriad of confusion has emerged in the general public. So this month we'll uncover some rumors and truths about Adobe Flash.

Adobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. For years, Flash has been the industry standard for building and playing videos, product demos, virtual tours, and more. This is in part because of the unparalleled levels of creativity and interactivity it allows designers and also because 98% of internet users have Flash players installed on their computers. Although Flash had some compatibility issues early on, it continues to be used because it provides functionality that was impossible to glean through HTML, that is until HTML5 recently became available. In the past few months, there's been a widespread backlash against using Flash, especially since Apple announced that the iPhone and iPad will not support Flash. The debate over Flash has now entered the public arena, leaving many people wondering what's true and what isn't true about Flash.

Rumor: Flash is not searchable

Truth: Flash files (SWF) are not entirely searchable, but parts of SWF files can be indexed by search engines when developed using best practices

One of the biggest concerns both marketers and developers have about Adobe Flash is that Flash has traditionally not been search engine-friendly. The reason for this is simply that search engines are designed to read HTML code and not rich media content. To change this, Adobe partnered with Google and Yahoo! In 2008 to “dramatically improve search results of dynamic web content and rich Internet applications.” Since then, Adobe and its search partners have been continually working to improve on Flash's ability to be indexed for search. Today Google Search can index links, text, ActionScript, and external resources associated with Flash files on web pages. In order for Flash content to be indexed properly, it's important to use best practices, such as deep linking and including keyword rich text in your Flash file. So while Flash content isn't yet 100% searchable, it can be partially indexed by search engines.

Rumor: Flash is incompatible with mobile devices

Truth: Flash can be viewed on some mobile devices and Adobe is working to improve mobile accessibility from both the hardware and software perspectives

Flash has been notoriously incompatible with mobile and touch screen devices in the past. To improve upon this, Adobe started the Open Screen Project, an initiative aimed at allowing consumers to “engage with rich internet experiences seamlessly across any device, anywhere.” The initiative is backed by over 70 partners including Research in Motion (Blackberry), LG Electronics, and Verizon Wireless. The latest release of Flash, Flash 10.1 improves upon such issues as touch-screen compatibility, battery life, and security. Flash 10.1 is available as a beta release for the Android, while release of both the Blackberry and Palm versions has been pushed back to late 2010. What's important to note here, is that Adobe and many other industry leaders are committed to bringing Flash to mobile devices. However, as Apple's CEO, Steve Jobs, pointed out in his open letter, Adobe has been promising Flash for smart phones for a few years, and it hasn't yet been delivered.

When considering Flash for mobile, it's important to remember that often times mobile and non-mobile site visitors should be addressed differently. After all, the user visiting your site from a smart phone is likely looking for something different than someone visiting from a desktop. The simplest way to avoid mobile issues is to create an alternative HTML version of your sites' Flash components that will appear on smart phones when Flash player is not detected. Some organizations also elect to use Flash on their homepages, and create mobile mini-sites for smart phone visitors. Or your company may choose to develop an iPhone or iPad app, eliminating the need for users to visit your website through Apple devices, offering a more personalized experience.

Rumor: HTML5 can and will replace Flash

Truth: HTML5 has some advantages over Flash, but is not yet a finished product

HTML5 is generally the proposed alternative to Flash for delivering online video. HTML5, which is currently under development (parts of it are already being used) is the next major revision of the HTML standard, which delivers new features including online video and drag-and-drop functionality. While Adobe Flash is widely accessible (the authoring software retails for under $1,000 and Flash player can be downloaded free of charge), it is still a proprietary software, unlike HTML5, which is an open web standard. This makes some companies uncomfortable with Flash, because they do not want to be at the mercy of Adobe for updates and support. The big disadvantage of replacing Flash with HTML5 is the limited browser support for the new HTML5. Another disadvantage is that the majority of online videos are in currently rendered in Flash. While some exist in .H264 and can already be streamed on mobile devices, others will need to be converted in order to become HTML5-ready. Some analysts suspect that by the time HTML5 is widely adopted around 2012, that Adobe will have made major advancements and HTML will once again be outdated compared to plugins like Flash.

The evolution of technology often involves a single breakthrough in one area which creates demand for other areas of technology to improve. In this case smart phones, touch screens, and Apple devices have led the way and created demand for rich media players to adapt. Adobe has taken steps and made improvements to Flash, but is still in the process of catching up with other technologies. The decision of whether or not to use Flash ultimately comes down to balancing creativity with accessibility and technical requirements. Keep in mind that if Flash offers your organization an unparalleled way to create powerful user experiences, there are ways to circumvent many of its problems. Conversely, there are some sites and applications for which Flash simply doesn't make sense. When developing your web strategy, it's essential to align your organization's goals with users' needs and let those findings lead the way in making creative, technical, and strategic decisions.

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