Andy Rubin says Flash is coming in Froyo version of Android operating system

By Phil Nickinson
last updated

Andy Rubin, VP of engineering for Google and one of the chiefs behind Android smartphones, just slipped a little bombshell into an interview with the New York Times' Bits blog. In it he says that Flash will be coming with the Froyo version of Android. Much of the interview is paraphrased, but writer Brad Stone relates the following:

He also promised that full support for Adobe’s Flash standard was coming in the next version of Android, code-named Froyo.

Doesn't get much more clear than that. There's also some good stuff on Android's openness ("We use the same tools we expect our third party developers to") the iPad (he bought one for his wife) and Android and/or Chrome tablets ("If a consumer walks into store and two of those tablets are my company’s choices, I’m all good.") [NYT Bits blog]

Edit: Good lord, people. Yes. The writer (and not Rubin, actually) said "full support." Read into that what you will. We choose to believe that means Flash is coming with Froyo. At launch? Maybe. We'll just have to see, won't we ...

Phil Nickinson
Phil Nickinson
43 Comments
  • FLASH! AHHHHH!!! SAVIOR OF THE UNIVERSE!!! So....when??? {{-_-}}
  • They said they'd have it going on 2.1 later this year. Now its 2.2? Google really is screwing up lately, first the N1/VZW fiasco, now this
  • Hey, Copernicus... Flash has NOTHING to do with Google. Flash is Adobe's puppy and Google, like any OS manufacturer, is simply waiting for Adobe to get their act together. Also, the N1/VZW situation had nothing to do with Google either. That was VZW's decision, not Google's. Before you ever post again, please do your homework. Then you can go outside and play with Jimmy, but only afte you've taken out the trash. Thanks.
  • ehh... it was google's fault for n1/vzw imo; google should've asked for a specification to verizon, as well as other carriers, before they started n1's production. they shouldn't have promised their customers that n1 will be available for vzw either.
  • Do we feel all better now? Now that your one sided dick swinging contest is over........ Its a fact that google and adobe said that they'd have flash later this year, and that users running 2.1 would be the ones to use it. As in it required 2.1 to run. And next time before you think about acting like a total ass on the internet, don't.
  • The Nexus One/VZW thing was not a fiasco...at all, actually. The Incredible is a better phone in every way. Verizon probably didn't want the N1 due to multitouch/screen issues, capacitive bottom button issues, and a lame trackball. The Incredible has a better cam, as well. As far as I'm concerned, Google is doing the right things. Why release the N1 to compete with the Droid Incredible, something that will bring a lot of awareness to Android, like the Droid did.
  • froyo 2.2 when is that gonna be out cause I'm planning on picking up and evo but I don't wanna have to wait a yr for an update
  • The EVO will have HTC's sense UI, this already includes flash, so you're safe ;-) :D
  • It includes Flash LITE . . . not full flash. Theres no viewing videos in browser or flash gaming online
  • Well it's better than nothing :p And I've seen someone play a flash game on a hands on or something like that from one of the new htc phone's I think it was the desire :)
    But is there no flash at all in the normal android? Or also the lite one?
  • That is incorrect. Flash for Android is nothing other than the latest version - 10.1 - which has been optimized for mobile hardware. It has been in beta for a while and will be available to the public at large in a few months. You can play everything you can play on a desktop computer (as long as you have enough memory), including videos and flash gaming. There's plenty of videos demonstrating that version of the player on YouTube, but here's a good example of someone playing normal, non-mobile-optimized Flash content from a variety of websites. http://theflashblog.com/?p=1781
  • Sprint insiders have said the EVO will have Froyo. Not sure if it will be 2.2 or 2.5.
  • Well Phil, this isn't going to make you too happy, is it? :D When it finally hits, I better not catch you enjoying Flash in any way, shape or form.:D
  • lol. I'll just be happy when it's either here, or not here. :)
  • I hear you man.:)
  • for someone thats never had an android phone before, I'm getting the incredible tomorrow, will I be able to update my phone to 2.2 when it comes available or would I have to buy a new phone with 2.2 already on it?
  • You can just update ;-) But HTC's updates always come later than the normal android updates, because they have to adjust their sense, and sometimes they even skip an update like they did with 1.6, so time will tell :)
  • Will believe it when I see it
  • As long as HTC doesnt take forever to make an update once 2.2 is released, then it shouldnt be too far off. Since they are testing 2.2 on some units now
  • YESSSSSSSSS!!!!!! i can't wait til my Nexus gets it!!!!!!! and can't wait to get it first BECAUSE i have a Nexus! ;)
  • He said Flash SUPPORT. It's still up to Adobe to push it out. Don't everybody get all worked up and then steaming mad when it doesn't release with Flash enabled.
  • Yeah I must admit I parsed the hell out of his statement. I have to believe if they are adding functionality that an actual download cannot be far behind(if not included). Then again with the way this Flash stuff has gone the last few years nothing would surprise me.
  • The current version of webOS includes support for Flash. And it was announced at CES in January that a downloadable Beta would be available "soon." Yet, still we wait. No matter how much support a platform has it's ultimately up to Adobe. And it seems to me that they're too busy playing cat and mouse with Apple to worry about this.
  • I agree with you. I almost get the feeling that if Adobe could get Apple on board, that they would dump us in a heartbeat and that they are only using us as a proxy to fight with Apple. If Adobe spent half the time developing for Android as they do talking about Apple, we'd have had 10.1 months ago.
  • htc must be done with 2.2 because the evo can do it. It's in the sdk.
  • Am I the only one concerned about battery life with this? I really hope it's an option. I hope you have to say what sites you want it on, because I really don't want flash ads to kill my battery and experience.
  • Let's hope that there is some sort of Flashblock for Android as well. I need Flash like I need my Eris to fall in a puddle. Speaking of that, since Adobe has already announced that Flash will be supported only on phones with ARM Cortex A8 processors, I assume that means that a phone like my Eris is unlikely to get FroYo (not that I was expecting that anyway...)
  • Does not mean you will not get FroYo, but it may mean you get a watered down version of FroYo (i.e. no Flash support)
  • You should be able to disable it. There is no way Google is going to provide Flash support with no way to shut it off. If you find it hogs too much battery, then shut it off but none of this is any reason to not offer the choice of having Flash available.
  • I'm for choice (though I wish flash would go away), but I just want the choice to turn it off. You want it on? Go nuts, but options are what make people on both sides happy.
  • You realize there is more to Flash than ads, right? Streaming video, applications, and games are all written in Flash since it's a cross-browser platform. Hell, a native .swf player would be a great way to instantly get tons of games and apps on the phone. I was hoping for it on WebOS but it has not materialized.
  • Who cares!? I still cant get 2.1 on my MyTouch! It will be YEARS before I get an upgrade to Froyo!? I mean... Palm will be popular again!
  • I know how you feel dont forget that Carriers need to test OS Versions for the phones before release too... Blackberry OS 5.0 has been official out for a year or so and Tmobile has yet to release it on any phone but the BOLD and The BOLD came standard with it
  • I dont believe a thing the assholes at adobe say and at this point I could care less , they will find some other excuse to delay it even more real soon I am sure
  • Yeah like getting it working and optimized. I'd rather have something that works well than some halfassed implementation that might as well be useless due to crashes or poor performance.
  • Yeah I used to say that too. For years I said it. Check out this link though and try not to vomit when you see the date it was posted and the date the Adobe Flash for Android beta was promised to be out: http://gizmodo.com/5300800/flash-for-android-webos-landing-in-october You see, at this late date, the whole "let's give them time to get it right" horseshit has run it's course and the time has come for them to put up, or shut up. Deliver Adobe, DELIVER FLASH TO ANDROID!
  • The beta was delivered as promised. What do you think people have been developing their test applications on? http://blogs.adobe.com/air/2010/04/adobe_air_applications_for_and.html Just because *you* didn't have access to it doesn't mean it's not out. It was not a public beta; MAX is a developer conference. That you assumed a beta release was supposed to be public is your fault alone.
  • what the heck is Froyo?
  • Froyo is the code name for the next android UI . 2.2 or 2.5 , we will be on android 87.5 and Adobe will still be promising flash to all of us !!
  • Wow that's great!I was hoping for flash in iPhone 4G but Apple says no then I said no to iPhone.I have ordered Droid Incredible and might get till next week.
    m3 real
  • So this means will be getting another update this year? To 2.2? Cool!
  • I wish companies could just be cool and reasonable and just post release dates. (Except Motorola, considering they change their release date atleast 7 times before it actually comes out).
  • Nice one, bang up to date news from 2010 published in today's newsletter!