Adobe heads Open Screen Project, ditches license fees

Adobe Systems is trying to overcome the issues plaguing the fragmented mobile content space by partnering with several key companies to develop a solution for delivering rich web and video content across a variety of devices.

Called the Open Screen Project, Adobe--along with ARM, Chunghwa Telecom, Intel, LG Electronics, Marvell, Motorola, Nokia, NTT DoCoMo, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba and others--will enable Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR to be consistent across desktop computers, mobile devices and set-top boxes. The group hopes this will make it easier for developers and content companies to deliver a streamlined user experience.

In an interview with FierceMobileContent, Anup Murarka, director of technical marketing for mobile and devices at Adobe, said that to help jumpstart this initiative Adobe is going to remove all license restrictions on swift file format and FLV/F4V specifications, and remove all license fees on embedded players. "Just as Flash player is free on the desktop, it will be available to all partners and the industry at large," Murarka said. In addition, Adobe will publish all device porting layer APIs for Adobe Flash Player and publish the Adobe Flash Cast protocol and AMF protocol for data services.

The first implementation based on this initiative will likely make its debut in mid-2009. Flash Lite will transition to this new format and will eventually be replaced, Murarka said. -Sue  

For more on the Open Screen Project:
- read this release

Related articles:
New Sony Ericsson tech combines Java and Flash
Adobe Systems intros Flash Home, Flash Cast 2
Jobs: Adobe Flash not good enough for iPhone