[joeminkie]

"When markets are open, anyone with a great idea has a chance to drive innovation and find new customers. Adobe's business philosophy is based on a premise that, in an open market, the best products will win in the end — and the best way to compete is to create the best technology and innovate faster than your competitors."

Is it just me or does that perfectly explain Apple's business philosophy regarding iPhone OS as well? The mobile market is open. Apple doesn't have a monopoly or a majority of the market. There are plenty of other phones and carriers to choose from. The bottom line is Apple is trying to make the best product with the best technology and faster innovation than anyone else – and they are succeeding. Adobe is just-now-almost-ready-to-release-a-beta of a mobile optimized flash player. The iPhone has been out and innovating for 3 years. Adobe is not following it's own philosophy very well.

App store approval, no flash player, 3.3.1, all the decisions Apple have made that have got people angry are all explained by them trying to make the best mobile experience they can. Is it the best ever? Is it the best for you? Is it the only way? If you answer 'no' to any of these you have two options: buy something else or make something better.

Having flash on the iPhone will not make it a better platform (from Apple's point of view, and mine). Did you see the flash content running on the Nexus One the other day? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y7XJI4NN7k) It looks great! If it allows reasonable battery life I want one. But at the same time I want iPhone apps. I don't want the progress of the iPhone and iPad to get stalled trying to get flash to work. Apple can keep innovating in it's way and Adobe can work with Google and HP and whoever else to innovate in another way. They can both coexist.

I think a lot of the issue is Adobe (and by extension flash developers) feel like they are entitled to develop for every platform. Apple has so much mindshare (despite is relatively small market share) that it's the new toy for developers to play with. Flash devs understandably want a piece of it. They are used to being able to write once run everywhere. Adobe is used to being able to tout their ability to allow flash devs to write once run anywhere. Apple's just finally the first company in the position to say no and be able to back it up.

note: I make a living doing flash and web development (5+ years)