Future of Flash, What Will Replace It?
Pao K. Lor
Abstract
With new application and software multiplying on the web, Flash player fights for its future.
Adobe Flash was upgraded to a certain version to be replaced by HTML5. With the latest version
of Flash it still doesn’t meet programmer’s expectation. Even though Adobe put their focus on
HTML5, programmers still find Flash player useful for online gaming. This paper will explain
what is Flash, the history of Flash, the types of Flash, what each type of Flash are used for, the
role it play online today, the pros and cons of Flash, what will replace Flash, what is HTML5 and
future of Flash.
Introduction
In today’s internet, HTML pages are becoming a thing of the past. Dynamic applications that
function much more like desktop applications are the platform of the future. Flash player is one
of the most used applications to play video, music, and advertise with fancy banners and
animated pictures. Programmers are always seeking for better and faster Flash player to meet
users demand. Flash player often upgraded their version to provide newer features to users. So
what will Flash be in the future? Being as popular as Flash is, there are still other applications
that topped Flash in the use of developer and business. HTML5 comes in to replace Flash player
because programmers find it more suitable to use with other online applications and hand held
devices. Even though Flash isn’t the most suitable player for HTML applications nowadays,
Flash still has its place in online gaming.
What is Flash?
Flash is a tool or an application that allows developers to utilize the appearance of a web page.
As Flash developers are aware, Macromedia Flash provides developers with one of the most
advanced environments for creating interactive user interface. Flash comes with many forms,
such as Flash banner, Flash player, and Flash gaming online animation [1]. Flash player allows
user to play music and movie contents. Banners are mostly used for advertising for online
businesses. Flash gaming is becoming more popular for online game developers. An example of
a simple Flash player in ASP.NET is shown below. The below Flash code uses a Flash player on
a HTML page. The <HTMLAlternativeTemplate> paragraph allows the player to utilize more
features if the Flash player is not the current version. In this example, it linked to another Flash
web site that allows the user to download or update to the current version.
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Simple Flash Code
<ASPNetFlash:Flash ID="Flash1" runat="server" MovieURL="~/cube.swf">
<FlashVariables>
<ASPNetFlash:FlashVariable Name="FlashVarName“>
FlashVarValue
</ASPNetFlash:FlashVariable>
</FlashVariables>
<HTMLAlternativeTemplate>
<asp:ImageButton ID="ImageButtonGetFlashPlayer" runat="server"
PostBackUrl="http://www.adobe.com/go/getFlashplayer"
ImageUrl="~/images/get_Flash_player.gif" />
</HTMLAlternativeTemplate>
</ASPNetFlash:Flash>
(www.netaspFlash.com) [12]
History of Flash
Flash has been in existence since 1996 and because of this, Flash has a strong base of developers
and users. It has been one of the most popular applications since it was introduced to desktop
and the web. Flash has shown a lot of improvement over the years, but still lacks something that
web developers need. Web developers needed a tool to work smoothly with web applications
and iPods including other similar newer technology devices. As good as Flash is Apple still does
not allow Flash to run on iOS because Apple founded HTML5. Apple stated that it had no plan
to use Flash for those devices in the future [4]. But earlier versions of Flash have been used and
run on well-known gaming console systems such as PlayStation 3 (Flash 9) and PSP (Flash 6).
Flash has come a long way from its low-level programming model in Flash 4.0 to the current
version of Flash. It has many data-driven and high level programming capabilities that allows it
to compete side by side with its competitor HTML. Flash is a client-side technology but with
new tools, Flash is fused to run and utilize both the client and the server data. Figure 1 shows an
example of Flash client-side machine sending a request to server and receiving data from the
server. This client-side execution is what makes Flash such a powerful technology. Typical
HTML-based web technologies are “dead” once sent to the client system. By executing on the
client-side, Flash can create reactive user interfaces to perform validation and load images
dynamically which are nearly impossible using standard technologies. Because of it limitation,
Flash has been labeled in the past as a technology only useful for creating animations and banner
ads [2]. In November 2011 there were a number of announcements that demonstrated a possible
decline in demand for Rich Internet Application and Flash [12].
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Figure 1: Flash running on client machine [2]
Type of Flash
With Flash MX, many methods have been introduced that allow Flash to communicate with the
powerful server-side technology, such as ASP.NET. With the help of the server-side
technologies, Flash is able to not only provide reactive, intuitive interfaces, but also to interact
with server-side logic and data-stores. This capability makes Flash an extremely powerful
technology for building applications ranging from reservation systems to online storefronts.
When Flash tag-teams with ASP.NET, the combination is useful as a method for passing data
between client-side Flash and server-side ASP.NET. A Flash movie on its own only has access
to the data embedded with the .swf file created by the developer. Figure 2 shows an example of
a .swf file below. A way to get around this limitation in the server-side technologies is a
combining ASP.NET and SQL. This creates methods for Flash to access and update data. With
this, you don’t need to update data or touch the Flash file. Instead, when the database is updated,
the Flash movie will load the updated information [3].
With ASP.NET working with Flash, it provides some methods of communication between the
two that are useful. Features ASP.NET provides are:
FlashVars: this is used to pass one-way variables to the Flash. This is very fast and efficient.
The data is sent along with the .swf file when requested by the client browser.
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LoadVars: this is capable of either sending data to the server for processing, which loads data
from server, or sending data to the server and waiting for a response from the server in one
operation. It also uses name-value pairs to exchange data between the client and server that can
make a good two-way communication.
XML Object: this sends data to the web server and receives data from it. It is similar to
LoadVars but different in format in which the data is sent and received. XML Object sends and
receives in a well-formatted, structured XML document. It is more suitable for a larger amount
of data. Web Services are introduced with Flash MX 2004 professional edition.
Web Services: this is the newest method for communicating between Flash and ASP.NET. It use
Simple Object Access Protocol(SOAP), an XML based format.
Flash Remoting: this is one of the most powerful and versatile of the options for communicating
between a Flash and a .NET web server. This makes it possible to directly access data from an
ASP.NET web application in a secure, quick, and efficient way [3].
Figure 2: Example of ActionScript compare to C# [3]
What each type of Flash are used for
Flash player is mainly used by users to play music and movie files that are capable by their
specific type. Flash is used by developers to create tool that allow users to interact with
depending on it media file and the web page’s purpose. A good example of this would be
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Netflix or other online movie web sites that require you to play their movie on their site.
Another example would be the media player or window player that came along with your
computer as default application on your desktop. And Flash player that is used for small online
gaming project. Flash banners are used by corporations and online business to advertise their
goods throughout the worldwide web either on the main page of their web site or the page they
sponsor. Many of these are animation and animated picture that have a Flashy look to attract
user’s attention. Many other similar applications are pop-up that tagged web site and annoy user.
Roles it plays online
Adobe Flash player is a small program that allows you to play some media online. Many online
games uses the Flash player to run, as compared to the past where web developers mostly used
Java Applets. Users will know that Flash player is needed when they try to play one of the
games or an online media clip that requires a specific type of Flash to play. Flash manipulates
vector and raster graphic to provide animation text, drawings or image. It supports streaming of
audio and video including mouse input, keyboard, microphone, and camera. Flash is primarily a
client application program, but now it can greatly utilize data sent and received in the server side
programming as well. Flash contains Object-Oreinted Language such as ActionScript and
supports automation the JavaScript Flash language (JSFL). Some Flash application are available
free of charge for common web browsers. Flash is considered a Rich Internet Application in this
wide context.
According to Adobe 85% of the most visited web sites use Flash. 75% of the web video is
viewed using Flash Player. A big 98% of enterprises rely on Flash Player for business
advertisement. And a 70% of web games are made in Flash. This shows that Flash is a great
tool to use in the web [4].
Pros of Flash
Flash player has some unique feature that make it stand out. Flash has treaded text frames that
allows text to automatically overflow into other frames such as text boxes that can be placed
anywhere on the page [7]. Flash can be read by screen readers which is a very useful tool for
web developer. However, special care must be taken to ensure Flash movies are read correctly
[8]. Since the year it came out, all users round the World Wide Web used it and are familiar with
the player’s features. Mostly it is used online as an audio player. Flash audio is most commonly
encoded in MP3 or AAC, however many other applications that still support Flash audio player
will still require Flash player to play them. Flash are useful in doing what it does best. Security
for the Flash file is more secure. New version provided better and more features for users and
Flash developers can still utilize it in a way that is most suitable to them.
Cons of Flash
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Flash player uses a relatively high amount of CPU usage for Flash Video playback [5]. By this,
Flash sometime takes a long time to load large file. It is because the Flash plugin doesn’t use the
GPU to render video. When ActionScript 2.0 is upgrade to version 3.0 the older website have a
problem running with the new version and don’t benefit from it. Another problem is that some
Flash developers incorrectly code their Flash files which can be a problem [6]. Flash as a
runtime is not available on Apple’s iOS devices, such as iPhone, iPod touch and iPad but it can
be compiled as a native iOS application through Adobe’s iOS Packager [9]. As complex as
Flash is, Flash developers find HTML5 to be more suitable for web application. Flash
applications are more complicated on connection devices and tools from web application to hand
held console devices like iPad, iPhone, and smartphones, which is why Adobe stopped focusing
on Flash [13].
What will replace Flash
There is no doubt that Flash will be replaced by HTML5, because HTML5 can support a lot
more variety of application from web application to iPad, iPhone and similar devices. Being
better tool for developers or users, customers already show great appreciation for the replaced of
Flash with HTML5. Flash developers also show great interest in the new application and agreed
that HTML5 is most suitable for communication for these device and tools. This will probably
leave Flash in the hands of lower level developers to use and utilize it efficiently.
What is HTML5?
HTML5 is the alternative of Adobe Flash. It is a markup language for structuring and presenting
content for the World Wide Web. It is the fifth revision of the HTML standard. And it has
similar features that play audio and video within the web page. It also provides animation and
interactivity. In 2003, the works on the HTML5 specification started and reached the standard
working draft state in January 2011 [10]. HTML5 is implemented to a large degree with the new
browser in 2011. The problem is that there are still users using the Internet Explorer browser
which doesn’t fully support HTML5.
Future of Flash
After a review of Flash and its features, it seems like Flash player will still have a future in the
online gaming area. Flash already shows great promises for many online games due to its
features that allow it to send and receive information from server to client [14]. This is a strong
feature that will hold Flash in online game industry for a while until something new comes out to
replace it. I think Flash is going toward the protocol of the web because it can utilizes database
files and interact with it to create a great tool for client-server types of applications. Even though
most web developers’ focus is turned away from Flash player, it still holds some of the base
feature that a lot of web applications require and can use. One thing that is still available for
Flash is animation programming for low-cost 2D television and commercial animations.
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Summary of Flash
As Flash comes and fades in the World Wide Web, it has already played a major role in the great
dynamic change in web page. Developers can rest Flash aside, but it is the base that they will
have to refer to. In today’s internet, HTML pages are becoming more of a thing of the past.
Dynamic applications have evolved in and out to better applications. The future holds unlimited
possibilities for each current application to complete. Flash player is still one of the most used
applications to play video, music and advertisement banners even with HTML5 taking over
Flash. Programmers are always looking for new ways to utilize Flash player. Now that Flash
player isn’t the focus of Apple anymore, it’ll rest in game developers’ hands for the taking. So
what will Flash be in the future? Online game applications are a start. With the dynamic feature
Flash brings to web applications, it will greatly improve toward the client and server
programming. As HTML5 comes in to play, web applications are not the only things that are
focus on. Even though Flash isn’t the most suitable tool for web applications, Flash is still
growing on its own path [16].
Conclusion
This paper has explained how Flash came and leaves the web application. Flash is still a useful
tool despite its future as discussed in the body of this paper. Flash is still another web
application; it just refocused on its uses. Every application has it time to shine. As Flash
developer put their focus toward HTML5, Flash will find its place in online gaming and maybe
evolve fully into ASP.NET. Whatever Flash may be in the future, it will always be the base of
media player.
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