Adobe’s Open Screen Project and the Future of Interactive Development

With widespread support from technology leaders including Intel, Motorola, Nokia, Sony, Toshiba, Verizon, and leading content providers including BBC, MTV, and NBC Universal, Adobe has announced the Open Screen Project.

This will have an unprecedented impact on the future of interactive development, punctuated by the following changes:

1. Removal of restrictions on use of the SWF and FLV/F4V specifications
2. Publishing the device porting layer APIs for Adobe Flash Player
3. Publishing the Adobe Flash® Cast™ protocol and the AMF protocol for robust data services
4. Removal of licensing fees – making next major releases of Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR for devices free

The Flash community has always been influential in shaping the future of Flash, and with the removal of licensing restrictions and fees there is an even greater opportunity for the community to inform its development. It will now be easier to develop more types of Flash applications, across more devices, without the need for a licensing deal.

We are excited to see what new levels of innovation this brings to the interactive industry. The implications for resolving issues between search engines and Flash content are huge, along with potential resolutions to technology-specific conflicts such as viewing Flash content on the iPhone.

If there was ever any doubt about the impact of the already widespread Flash technology, the Open Screen Project should instill a renewed faith in its potential. More information about open technologies supported by Adobe can be found at the adobe open source page.