The Teckki Says

Yesterday Adobe, the maker of Flash software, announced that it was no longer going forward with mobile software development. While this is "eyes glazed over" news to most non-technical audiences, it is one of the most significant developments for users of tablets and smartphones. Apple won the battle over Adobe on whether Flash will play on its iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) devices, and as the 800-pound gorilla, Apple sways how mobile development will be done on all mobile devices.

This is not a technical battle where your web developer throws in a different kind of poof dust and your website displays with no problems – many businesses, especially those with all or mostly Flash websites, will have to have them redone. In addition, Flash was the best in the business in terms of animation, which is why it was so widely used. Today’s tools aren’t as robust or finely developed, which means many websites will take a step backwards in animation.

So what does this mean to the average business, who wants a very attractive site that attracts loads of customers, requires little maintenance, all at a reasonable price? It means you are still living in a fantasy world, but here are five things you need to know as you look at your future website needs:

(1). Stop insisting on Flash websites. Clients don’t ask for Flash per se, but they ask for Disney-like animation, video and stuff that moves and twinkles. That’s usually Flash. A better question to ask is, "Will my site display on all smartphones and tablets?"

(2). Get used to a new alphabet. Most people I know understand the term HTML, the code used to make stuff appear in web browsers. HTML5 is the new term. It also would not hurt to know video formats, in particular the format of the video you are supplying to your web developer. Then you might know beforehand if you need to shell out additional bucks for a conversion. Some videos are supplied in Flash formats.

(3). Flash will no longer be a selling feature on Android-based platforms. Yes, Droid does Flash, but most websites will want to do iPad and iPhone. Unless you’ve got the deep pockets to do both, you’ll probably want your site to display on Apple devices first. And don't buy into the hype that there are more Droid devices than Apple devices. The surveys are nuanced, with many referring to units shipped to stores as opposed to customers actually using them.

(4). If your website contains a significant number of Flash elements, it will probably have to be redone. One way to find out for sure is to right-click on any element you think might be Flash (hint: it’s probably animated). If you get Flash player information in the popup, you’ve found it.

(5). Open up your wallet. The new technologies will cost money. You could, of course, stick to the old, basic website, and you can probably get a good deal on one from your hosting company. They can be splendid to view, but that’s all they are.

The decision by Adobe is more than a capitulation. It is a sea change for many business owners. Web development can now focus on a single presentation that will work well in most browsers, mobile and desktop. However, Flash-based websites are on the other side of that presentation, and as more developers ditch Flash, or not take it up, it will become a legacy platform on the mobile device that will become expensive to maintain.