Infinite Path

Adobe has announced plans to make one of the most common technologies used to watch videos on computers available on the large majority of smartphones in a move which is part of a major initiative that aims to create a flexible media platform for films and games which can run on any device.

Flash software, which delivers approximately 75% of online video and powers popular services such as BBC’s iPlayer and Youtube, should be available for use on many smartphones at some point next year. Flash 10.1 is the name of the new software and has been developed to meet a growing demand from users of the ever-expanding mobile web.

At the moment, some of these models make use of a “light” version of the software, called Flash Lite and designed to ease the burden on a device’s memory, but this is all set to change. Except, that is, if you use an Apple iPhone.

Apple’s web browser, Safari, does not currently support plug-ins but it seems likely that the company will need to change with the times and welcome this new software as competitors embrace it and make it available to their customers.

Adobe is thought to be willing to persist in their attempt at getting Flash onto the iPhone but concerns remain over the role that Apple’s Keynote application could play in the whole process. Some believe that this application, which allows users to export animated presentations without using Flash, is a viable alternative development environment.