Adobe CEO: we've moved on from Apple and the iPad

By on Aug 16, 2010 at 5:34 PM
Software August 16, 2010

iPads?! We don’t need no stinking iPads! Shantanu Narayen, Adobe’s CEO, was recently asked about his feelings on Apple’s iPad, more specifically the Cupertino company’s reluctance to allow Adobe’s Flash platform on their popular tablet. Mr. Narayen did not mince words when he responded to the inquiries, “Apple have made their choice, we’ve made ours and we’ve moved on,” quipped the CEO. Adobe’s chief continued: “There are companies that are choosing to provide a complete end-to-end experience and control every aspect of it and want all the business model gains from it. There are other companies that have chosen to say that the open eco-system is the way to go and that’s how you would contrast Apple and Google’s business models. We’re on the side of the open.” Before ending the interview Narayen said he felt that the whole situation was a bit overplayed and that his company’s “doors were open.”

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  • Chris

    sweet deal

  • StevenHamburg

    We actually got an iPad for my mother about a month ago.

    I love Android, and would’ve liked to wait for a decent Android competitor, but her birthday came around.

    Really not a bad device. Works perfect for her to listen to NPR, read the WSJ, CNN, and a few other apps in that line. But even she complained recently that it does not support Flash (and she’s not very tech savvy). Apple’s decision affects all their users, end of story.

  • Alex

    But flash is not open. I don’t know why Adobe refer to it as open when it is not. Adobe flash is a plug in. A 3rd party app that is controlled by Adobe. It is not a standard like html5 is. I have nothing against flash or Adobe, but they need to stop referring it as an open source platform.

    • MadSkillz

      OMG Thank you for injecting facts. You hit it right on the head. Flash is closed. It has always been closed. Why does that fact always seem to be skipped over by fanatics.

      Oh I just answered it. LOL

      • T

        He never said his stuff was Open Source… he said, “There are other companies that have chosen to say that the open eco-system is the way to go and that’s how you would contrast Apple and Google’s business models. We’re on the side of the open.”

        Meaning, they’re putting their efforts into developing things for the open environments, instead of trying to convince someone that operates a closed system they should allow them to develop for them.

    • Kris

      Not sure why people are voting you up. Flash is an open standard with Adobe being the major, but not the only, contributer to it.

      Seriously, you can download the specification and start writing your own Flash tools today.

      • Eric

        I develop in Flash, but what you’re saying is wrong. It’s not open because NOBODY makes an open source flash development tool. There is no competitor to Flash Professional from someone else, especially free.

        And nobody makes an open source player that works. You have to download Flash 10.1 and install it on your computer/device to get the benefit of this so-called “open” platform.

        So your argument fails on all points. Because the open nonsense Adobe mentions in talking smack about Apple is just that – nonsense. As opposed to Apple’s open efforts which are utilized by many other companies in real products – Webkit being a good example.

      • Whyat

        You can use Adobe’s Flex SDK for free to compile Flex applications into SWFs that are used by… drum roll… Flash Player (which use the exact same AS3 as Flash Professional and offer the majority of components offered by Flash Professional). So you CAN develop Flash apps for free. You can’t be a talentless hack because it’s a lot trickier to set up, but it is possible. I’m always surprised I never see anyone mention the free Flex SDK.

  • Bert

    I can’t stand pakistani people, and especially one that are ceo’s of companies. I will never own adobe until it’s no longer packistani run! I have been **@#$*)#$* over so many times by them they like you on the outside but they hate you on the inside!

    • Tdot34

      Shantanu Narayen is from India you ignorant prick

      • Bert

        India, Packistan it’s all the same to me. They are all Indian and you probably are one TOO. hahahahahahaha, do you want a slurrrrrrpie!

    • Eric

      Bigot. You are un-American.

  • Bert

    This guy probable owns a stake in 7 eleven and Holiday INN Express. I am just saying…….

  • Sam

    I have a feeling most people are going to move on from Apple when Flash is common place on Android, Windows Phone, and Blackberry devices.

    Android is already outselling iOS by a wide margin. Apple is yesterdays news. iPhone will end up being another Mac; a niche product that nobody uses.

    • Jason LI

      Sam, you’re a schmuck. They can’t even keep iPhone 4 in inventory. Once its available on other carriers I imagine they’re going to be moving lots of glass!!! By the way.. FLASH SUCKS!!!

      • Rdx

        They cant keep ip4 in stock because there are supply issues, not becasue of the overwhelming demand

      • dario

        Using your logic then Android is still beating Apple because they too have inventory issues – Incredible, EVO ,etc. Like Rdx stated – supply issues.

  • atom

    apple deserves to be rejected. im glad this happen.. apple had an opportunity, an they let it go like if they are the greatest by changing their minds “antenna” ..

    • atom

      blackberry, android an win7 n a couple other brands accepted that adobe would work together to have flash lite on mobiles. i do rememeber reading that apple decided not to join

      • Drew

        Like the arrogant pricks that they are, they refused to join OHA (http://www.openhandsetalliance.com/oha_members.html). What is so ironic is that Foxconn is a member along with a few other companies that Apple uses.

      • orko138

        good one drew – go to OHA homepage.
        It states ‘We are committed to commercially deploy handsets and services using the Android Platform.’

        Foxconn produce for a heap of companies other than Apple .

        I have no love for Apple, but it kinda makes sense that they didnt join OHA – if you try really really hard

  • Viralk

    yes… everybody WILL have flash, when it ships and works.

    there is nothing to put on if it isn’t there… what’s so hard to understand. Jobs had said:”Show us a working Flash on mobile device, and we’ll talk”, what’s so hard to see or understand?

    Except for people who don’t want to see or reason. Ofc

  • Mr. Bill

    I’d give up Apple long before I would Adobe.

  • http://www.erictimmer.com ET

    I don’t mind Flash but they should change the name to “Fans” because when it launches all my CPU fans spin up…

    • dario

      That was good. It definitely cooks.

  • Droid

    I just want Froyo and flash on my Droid X already.
    I love Adobe.

  • http://www.chriswashington.net Chris

    The Apple cult is really uneducated about Flash.

    First, SWFs and PDFs are open. Any software developer can make programs that export SWF (SwishMax) and PDF (Word 2007) legally. That’s what they mean by open. By the way, QuickTime is not so open, and I’m forced to download QuickTime to watch videos on apple.com. Hypocrties and their plugins!

    Second, Flash only sucks on Apple products. Flash hasn’t crashed on my devices since before I’ve had WinXP. Windows has better graphical libraries than MacOS. Adobe said (crappy) OpenGL/OpenCL isn’t as good as DirectX/hardware acceleration. Traditionally only Apple software works good on Apple HW. Also traditionally, Apples software is crappy on other OS’s. For example, iTunes on Windows 7. It has NEVER worked correctly on my PC. I purchased music for the first time on my iPhone 3G, and iTunes locked up and erased all the music I purchased. It hasn’t synced properly for months, and all I did was plug it in and let it do all the work.

    • Whyat

      I was just mentioning the free Flex SDK that let’s you build and compile Flash applications for… free.

  • Jaguar

    this is exactly why i hate apple, all they do is try to control every customers tech experience. which is gonna lead them to major failure. why do you think android is soo much advance. because its open and anything goesssss

  • Garry

    This is why I didn’t get a iPad. So no flash no iPad for me. Apple don’t want people to play flash games for free but what apple forgets is alot of websites use flash to see there page. :(

    • Jason

      Gary, I believe you STILL can’t play games built on flash on a mobile device, Froyo or otherwise. Something to do with the other reason Job mentioned about not liking flash…(hint: doesn’t work well with touch interface)

  • DonHerbz

    Can someone please Photoshop that man’s face into something a little less horrifying?

    Thank you.

  • Winduser

    @ Bert as a lot if not most software is now developed in India, you better stop using your computer. Which will be good for the rest of us normal people on here, then we won’t have to read your bigoted comments

  • Does it matter?

    I’m so sick of the HTML 5 vs Flash debate. Every technology is “closed” at some level- even HTML 5- because some person or group has to make a final decision on what can and can’t be supported.

    Yes Flash is designed to generate revenue for Adobe. But do you really think the committee that’s making decisions on HTML 5 isn’t doing the bidding of their employers (companies like Apple and Google) or the major browsers (i.e. Microsoft)?

    The question I care about is, “what technology is best for me?”

    I need to deploy annimation and video on the web. HTML 5′s video solution isn’t currently secure nor is it supported in IE. Have no idea how I use HTML 5 for annimation. So as of today, Flash is the lesser of all evils.

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