BlackBerry has decided to remove support for Flash from the OS 10.3.1 update. Some BlackBerry users could not understand why the smartphone maker dropped Flash from its browser, but the company has released an explanation.
Why did BlackBerry stop supporting Flash?
BlackBerry said its OS 10 version has been available on the market for the past two years, and its smartphones have earned the maximum mobile HTML5 test score. The Canadian firm said, “We understand how important web browsing is to you, which is why we have always invested in giving you the best possible web browsing experience.”
BlackBerry said Adobe has stopped developing Flash for mobile browsers, primarily due to the emergence of HTML5 for mobile web content. The Waterloo, Ontario-based company cited this very reason for not supporting Adobe Flash in its upcoming operating system, version 10.3.1.
For quite some time, Android users have claimed supremacy over iOS users when it comes to Flash support. It was an important feature because many websites were dependent on Flash then, but recently Adobe withdrew from developing Flash.
Users who cannot do without a Flash player can still install Android apps and browsers that support Adobe Flash, but since there is no support, wanting it does not make any sense any longer.
Key wins last year
John Chen, CEO of BlackBerry, is playing a good captain by marching ahead with his turnaround plans to revive the company from its near-death lows. As a part of his wider restructuring and turnaround strategy, he has made some significant acquisitions.
According to Trefis analysts, BlackBerry’s smartphone market share is declining due to the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) strategy employed by enterprises. The analysts suggest the acquisition of Movirtu was a step in the right direction, as it has given BlackBerry a virtual SIM platform allowing users to run their business and personal phone numbers on the same device.
Also with the acquisition of Secusmart, the Canadian company becomes an end-to-end provider of mobile security, which is an important segment for BlackBerry.
Last year Amazon and BlackBerry inked a deal allowing BlackBerry users to access the Amazon Appstore on their BlackBerry 10 devices. App developers have been shying away from designing apps for the BlackBerry platform due to the declining appeal of the company’s handsets. However, after the partnership with Amazon, BlackBerry is now talking developers into creating apps for the BlackBerry platform.
