Apple CEO Steve Jobs took a temporary break from the current Apple iPhone mess with Gizmodo to write an open letter criticizing the Adobe Flash platform.
Jobs' public words were written to help convince critics as to why Flash on the iPhone and other Apple products isn't allowed. It seemed to have little impact in changing public opinions regarding the case, but has added a lot of back-story and another chapter to the high profile tech battle.
The letter (available here) begins by discussing how Apple and Adobe have had a long working relationship that helped "pioneer" the desktop publishing industry at the beginning of their partnership. Since then, the relationship has drastically changed, with both companies now sharing a very public war of words with one another.
"Adobe Flash products are 100% proprietary," Jobs notes in the open letter. "They are only available from Adobe, and Adobe has sole authority as to their future enhancement, pricing, etc. While Adobe’s Flash products are widely available, this does not mean they are open, since they are controlled entirely by Adobe and available only from Adobe. By almost any definition, Flash is a closed system."
Jobs admitted that the iPhone, iPod and iPad tablet OS may be closed, but Apple believes that "all standards pertaining to the Web should be open."
Specifically, Jobs noted that the mobile era currently is focused on low-power, open standards and utilization of touch-based features. Flash would not be able to cater to these necessities, because the software is too much of a resource hog.
Earlier in the month, Adobe officially quit trying to develop an iPhone Flash packager due to an increasingly unstable relationship between the two companies.
Ironically, Apple continues to speak about being open, while its app store continues to receive criticism as the company rejects apps without offering a public explanation.
Instead of trying to pick sides, especially since both Apple and Adobe systems are somewhat closed off, it's more important to wade through the fluff and see if there is a possible winning outcome for consumers. Google Android and other mobile platforms have shown interest in Flash-powered Web browsing, although Flash support for the iPhone is the more sought after feature. Flash will reportedly be built right in to the next version of the Android mobile OS, version 2.2.
