Adobe throws in the towel on Flash app tools for iPhone

Two weeks after Apple updated the terms of its iPhone developer agreement to mandate that all applications must be written to run directly on the iPhone platform, effectively banning cross-compiler translation tools like Adobe Systems Flash Professional CS5, Adobe said it will cease investment on solutions targeting the iPhone platform. "We will still be shipping the ability to target the iPhone and iPad in Flash CS5. However, we are not currently planning any additional investments in that feature," writes Adobe product manager Mike Chambers on his blog. "Developers should be prepared for Apple to remove existing content and applications (100+ on the store today) created with Flash CS5 from the iTunes store."

Section 3.3.1 of the iPhone Developer Program License Agreement now reads "Applications may only use Documented APIs in the manner prescribed by Apple and must not use or call any private APIs. Applications must be originally written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript as executed by the iPhone OS WebKit engine, and only code written in C, C++, and Objective-C may compile and directly link against the Documented APIs (e.g., Applications that link to Documented APIs through an intermediary translation or compatibility layer or tool are prohibited)." In an email to developer Greg Slepak, Apple CEO Steve Jobs explained the move, writing "Intermediate layers between the platform and the developer ultimately produces sub-standard apps and hinders the progress of the platform."

Chambers was sharply critical of Apple's policies. "During the entire development cycle of Flash CS5, the feature complied with Apple's licensing terms," he notes. "However, as developers for the iPhone have learned, if you want to develop for the iPhone you have to be prepared for Apple to reject or restrict your development at anytime, and for seemingly any reason... The primary goal of Flash has always been to enable cross browser, platform and device development. The cool web game that you build can easily be targeted and deployed to multiple platforms and devices. However, this is the exact opposite of what Apple wants. They want to tie developers down to their platform, and restrict their options to make it difficult for developers to target other platforms."

Chambers adds that Adobe's work on the iPhone packager was not a waste of time or resources, proving that there is no technical reason Flash can't run on the iPhone and that "developers can create well performing and compelling content for the device with Flash." He adds that Adobe continues to work on rival smartphone platforms, noting the firm is working closely with Google to bring its Flash Player 10.1 and Adobe AIR 2.0 to Android smartphones.

For more on Adobe's Flash CS5 decision:
- read Chambers' blog entry

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