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Adobe To Stop Developing Flash For Mobile Devices

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Flash software is used for video, animation, and design across the web and on many smartphones. But Adobe, the company behind the technology, says it's not the future -- and that could affect mobile users, and others.

Flash was a favorite target of Steve Jobs, who blocked it from working on Apple's iPhone and iPad.

Now, Adobe won't develop it for browsers on phones and tablets run on Android or any other operating system.

"Flash has been criticized as being a real battery hog -- it heats up the device and chews up the battery life."

But CNET editor-at-large Rafe Needleman says you might not notice.  Nothing changes for Flash on desktops and laptops.  Flash content will still appear on your phone or tablet until the OS maker pulls its own support.

And YouTube, which made a name for itself on Flash video, has a mobile app that delivers piano-playing cats and kids after the dentist in a different format.

"HTML5, the emerging new standard for rich content on the web."

And, like on the iPhone and iPad, there should be a workaround app to view Flash down the line on Android and Windows Phone.

Reported by Ian Bush, KYW Newsradio 1060

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