IE for Windows 8 on ARM will not support Flash, either

This looks to be the end for Adobe's Flash.

Apple started the trend by blocking Flash from its iOS devices. The company then stopped developing its Flash player for Android and BlackBerry within a few months. Finally, Google's latest update to the Chrome browser does not support the most recent version of Flash.

Now, it appears that Internet Explorer for Windows 8 on ARM devices won't support Flash, either.

Windows 8, at least for ARM-based devices, will not support web plug-ins at all, due to their propensity to lead to unstable performance and worse battery life. Plug-in free browsers will be the future, as HTML5 and JavaScript continue to improve, but Flash still remains as one of the top standards, making its very quick demise somewhat surprising.

As Flash quickly disappears on mobiles, it begs the question as to how long the one-time online video standard will remain viable in desktop browsers.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 12 Feb 2012 20:44

xnonsuchx

If Adobe kept Flash compact and efficient, maybe it wouldn't be disappearing.

12.2.2012 21:58 #1

KillerBug

It isn't disappearing...and IE isn't the only game in town. No plugins means no AdBlock+...and that simply isn't acceptable. I'll keep using FF...and if the new Windows comes with an IE that doesn't support plugins, then the only purpose that IE still serves (access to highly insecure web databases designed a decade ago) will evaporate. Well, it will evaporate if I upgrade to Windows 8 for some reason.

So far the only selling points they have announced are "more efficient" and "arm support"...they always say more efficient (they even said that for Vista)...and I don't have a tablet, so ARM support means nothing to me. It would be about even between Windows 7 and Windows 8...except Microsoft seems to be intent on making Windows 8 worse than Windows 7.

I guess it just follows the Windows pattern...

Windows 2000 was pretty good
Windows ME sucked
Windows XP was pretty good
Windows Vista sucked
Windows 7 is pretty good
Windows 8...

13.2.2012 00:34 #2

GernBlan

Everyone is jumping the gun on ditching flash. I dont know about the rest of you, but I haven't seen a replacement yet so really...wtf are they doing other than shooting themselves in the foot...just like Apple...?

13.2.2012 09:11 #3

Jeffrey_P

Originally posted by GernBlan: Everyone is jumping the gun on ditching flash. I dont know about the rest of you, but I haven't seen a replacement yet so really...wtf are they doing other than shooting themselves in the foot...just like Apple...? It's called (barf) Silverlight. Originally posted by KillerBug: It isn't disappearing...and IE isn't the only game in town. No plugins means no AdBlock+...and that simply isn't acceptable. I'll keep using FF...and if the new Windows comes with an IE that doesn't support plugins, then the only purpose that IE still serves (access to highly insecure web databases designed a decade ago) will evaporate. Well, it will evaporate if I upgrade to Windows 8 for some reason.

So far the only selling points they have announced are "more efficient" and "arm support"...they always say more efficient (they even said that for Vista)...and I don't have a tablet, so ARM support means nothing to me. It would be about even between Windows 7 and Windows 8...except Microsoft seems to be intent on making Windows 8 worse than Windows 7.

I guess it just follows the Windows pattern...

Windows 2000 was pretty good
Windows ME sucked
Windows XP was pretty good
Windows Vista sucked
Windows 7 is pretty good
Windows 8... That pretty much sums it up KB.

I personally see no reason to update to Win8.

Ran Win2k until XP was released.

Too many horror stories with Vista. Which is why M$ rushed Win7 out of the door.

Jeff

13.2.2012 09:35 #4

hearme0

If an OS is going to ditch anything.........THEN RID THIS PLANET FROM Java..........the nastiest, most invasive, worm/trojan/virus/malware susceptible coding language available.

Streamline Flash but seriously.......it's not that bloated and power hungry. This is just MS following suit with Apple for a change. Copycat, bandwagoning MOFOs!!

13.2.2012 12:25 #5

Mr-Movies

You will see it as HTML5 will take over down the road and does not need or use Flash which is a great thing. I say hurrah to the death of the very crappy Flash garbage. Now if we could get rid of JAVA we would really see some performance down the road however programmers are lazy these days so that probably won't happen.

With HTML5 we will also see Silverlight crap go to I would think another good thing.

13.2.2012 13:01 #6

Mez

Another point of view Mr Movies, I think M$ will need to start promoting IE like they do Bing. You will need to install IE to get shareware free.

Not that I am for some of the flashy crap they have on many web sites. Still IE is falling behind and instead of trying to make it appeal to more users they are reducing its functionality. WHAT A BUNCH OF LOSERS!

13.2.2012 18:15 #7

Mr-Movies

I would agree with that Mez!

13.2.2012 18:46 #8

hearme0

I totally forgot about the fact that HTML5 is kinda like having the flash feature/capability built into it. I do love me some HTML5 though.

14.2.2012 14:13 #9

Mez

Hearme0, websites that invested heavily in Flash may not want to switch. I am a bit ignorant of exactly what HTML5 can do. I wouldn't have put in my 2 cents in except M$ is trying to imitate AOL and Blockbuster by doing the most stupid things imaginable. Then they throw money at it and the products will survive as long as they keep throwing money at it.

I agree with Mr Movies that some sites just get carried away and that things moving on the page detracts and distracts.

14.2.2012 18:03 #10

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