14 DAY TRIAL // Adobe Systems Incorporated and HTC Corporation announced today that the latest mobile phone from the Taiwanese company to come to the market running under the Google Android operating system, the HTC Hero, was the first such device to feature support for Adobe Flash Platform technology. According to the duo, the handset is meant to provide a better Web browsing experience, while also offering access to a wide range of Flash technology-based content that can be found around the Internet.
“As the first Android device with Flash, the new HTC Hero represents a key milestone for Android and the Flash Platform. With close to 80 percent of all videos online delivered with Adobe Flash technology, consumers want to access rich Web content on-the-go.” said David Wadhwani, vice president and general manager, Platform Business Unit at Adobe. “Adobe Flash is an important core technology for people interacting and experiencing the Web, it is only natural to be offering it on the new HTC Hero first,” said John Wang, chief marketing officer, HTC Corporation.
Both Adobe and HTC announced that their collaboration would continue in the future, and they also pointed to the future Flash Player 10 that should come to mobile phones sometime in October this year. The newly launched HTC Hero is the first step the manufacturer makes towards a new generation of HTC mobile phones and devices. Flash technology will enable users to view YouTube videos in full screen, while also opening the door to a variety of Web content and applications.
The new Android mobile phone offers a powerful video playback performance with Flash technology, while also including ActionScript 2.0 for interactive content. Moreover, the handset is able to offer a seamless audio experience through streaming of large MP3 audio files, while the Sorenson and On2 VP6 codecs it supports provide a leveraged video playback experience. Those who would like to see how the HTC Hero handles Flash technology can watch the device in action here.
Besides announcing the support for Flash that comes with the fresh phone, HTC also revealed its participation in the Open Screen Project, which is aimed at delivering access to all Flash technology-based Web content. According to the mobile phone maker, it will work with Adobe and other companies in the project for bringing Flash Player 10 to the next generation of Android-based smartphones.