Adobe Flash Vanishes From Android Google Play Store

Adobe Flash Player is being removed from the Google Play store today, disappointing Android users who wanted to use web content based on the platform.

Adobe announced plans to phase out Adobe Flash on mobile operating systems in November last year. The platform was famously prevented from running on Apple iOS devices, as the late Steve Jobs believed it was too insecure and buggy for machines as slick as the iPhone and iPad.

From today, no new Android devices will be able to use the Flash plugin, regardless of what version of the Google OS they are using.

Heading to HTML5

Adobe believes the future lies with the HTML5 standard, coming round to Steve Jobs’ opinion and that of major tech players like Google. Yet Flash will survive on the PC, where Adobe hopes Creative will stick with the platform for games and video.

Developers using Flash in the Android apps will be upset too, given that they will have to update their apps with a new platform.

The BBC has already noted its iPlayer app for Android requires Flash Player and it is moving to issue an update.

“The BBC is working with Adobe on an alternative video player for Android, ensuring audiences with Android devices continue to enjoy BBC iPlayer,” said Daniel Danker, general manager of On-Demand at the BBC.

“We do have concerns about fragmentation of Android devices and new updates to the Android platform, which have created an inconsistent video playback experience for our audience, and we are working with Google to find ways to address this.”

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