Bye, Bye Flash - We'll Miss You

Remember that time not so long ago when a revolutionary new technology transformed websites from static content into moving, interactive experiences? Macromedia created Flash and completely changed the way that we consume digital information. The technology allowed us to turn graphics into animations, create 3D movable models, and build interactive features. However, with mobile compatibility becoming a heavy-weight contender in the website design process, it is unlikely that Flash will live to tell the tale.

In November 2011, Adobe (who aquired Macromedia in 2005) decided to discontinue developing its Flash Player for mobile devices. "Adobe is all about enabling designers and developers to create the most expressive content possible, regardless of platform or technology," was the opening sentence of Adobe's blog post regarding the subject. The future of Flash became uncertain with the company's announcement to shift their focus from Flash to HTML5 for mobile web browsing. However, according to Mike Chambers, Adobe Developer Relations Lead, "Flash is not dead. Its role and focus has shifted but we feel that it still fills important roles."

The shift that Chamber's mentions, includes a more desktop focused approach for the 15 year old technology. The company also plans to concentrate on the development of platforms such as Adobe Air and Edge which will assist in creating animations similar to Flash but will also work while browsing the internet from a Smartphone.

So why are people still saying that Flash is dead?

• Two Times Designed: If you plan to implement Flash on your website, you should consider the extra resources (time, cost, etc.) to design the animation twice. The Flash animation will be for desktop computer use and the other should be developed in JavaScript or HTML5 to work on mobile devices.
• Desktop Relevance: Web browsing research indicates that a growing share of internet connected devices belongs to Smartphone and Tablet devices while the share belonging to desktop computers is decreasing. As the trend of mobile web browsing continues to increase, website designers and developers will prioritize the technologies that work across all devices.
• The Usability Factor: Today's standard for technology is that it should be easy to understand and not take a significant amount of time to use. Adobe Flash Player needs to be downloaded, installed, and updated which makes it time-consuming and also creates unnecessary user management.

Although Adobe will continue to develop Flash for desktop use, what will ultimately cause its demise is that web designers and developers have been moving away from it for awhile. They have started to use technologies such as Java Script and HTML5 in place of Flash because of their compatibility with both mobile and desktop web browsing.

Flash is quickly losing its competitive advantage as mobile devices start to dominate how people surf the internet and as new technologies become capable of working smoothly on all devices. Although Adobe has not officially killed Flash, the people have spoken. It is no longer revolutionary and has actually become more of a hindrance than a valuable addition to a website. The days of Flash are numbered as it quickly gets pushed out of the spotlight.