Back in April, Adobe announced that they would no longer be developing their iPhone Packager software that can be used to develop applications for the iPhone and iOS devices.
Yesterday Apple decided to allow third-party applications to develop Apps for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch, and now Adobe has responded by resuming support for their software.
Adobe’s Response to Apple’s Policy Change
Apple’s announcement today that it has lifted restrictions on its third-party developer guidelines has direct implications for Adobe’s Packager for iPhone, a feature in the Flash Professional CS5 authoring tool. This feature was created to enable Flash developers to quickly and easily deliver applications for iOS devices. The feature is available for developers to use today in Flash Professional CS5, and we will now resume development work on this feature for future releases.
This is great news for developers and we’re hearing from our developer community that Packager apps are already being approved for the App Store. We do want to point out that Apple’s restriction on Flash content running in the browser on iOS devices remains in place.
Implications for the Developer Community
Apple’s change of heart really is good news for developers who will now be able to use a range of different tools to develop applications for Apple’s iOS platform. This move opens up a plethora of opportunities for developers who have been restricted by Apple’s previous stringent policies. For instance, developers who are proficient in Flash can now leverage their existing skills to create iOS applications without having to learn a new programming language from scratch.
Moreover, this policy change is likely to foster innovation and creativity within the developer community. By allowing the use of third-party development tools, Apple is essentially broadening the scope of what can be achieved on its platform. This could lead to a surge in the variety and quality of apps available on the App Store, benefiting end-users as well.
However, it’s important to note that while Adobe’s Packager for iPhone is back on track, Apple still maintains its restriction on Flash content running directly in the browser on iOS devices. This means that while developers can use Flash to create standalone apps, they cannot use it to create web-based applications that run within the Safari browser on iOS.
This partial lifting of restrictions could be seen as a strategic move by Apple to maintain control over the quality and performance of web content on its devices, while still giving developers more flexibility in how they create apps. It strikes a balance between maintaining a high standard for user experience and fostering a more inclusive developer ecosystem.
In conclusion, Apple’s decision to relax its third-party developer guidelines marks a significant shift in its approach to app development. It not only benefits developers by providing them with more tools and options but also promises to enhance the diversity and richness of the app ecosystem on iOS. As Adobe resumes development on its Packager for iPhone, we can expect to see a wave of new and innovative applications hitting the App Store in the near future.
via Gizmodo
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