Android Froyo is fast [without Flash]
As we count down the days to Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference, where the company’s expected to roll iPhone OS 4, Google is trying to make what hay it can. So, yes, their updated browser is the fastest available, but that claim’s only valid if Flash isn’t running.
PocketNow has a Nexus One running Froyo, a.k.a. Adroid OS 2.2, and they’ve done a browser side-by-side, comparing Google’s mobile Web client with Apple’s Safari and Opera Mini.
So, yes, Google’s Android OS 2.2 browser is at least for the time being the fastest mobile browser available. However, as you can see from the above, there’s a big “drive a truck through that” caveat — this claim is only valid when Mobile Flash 10.1 beta isn’t running.
MacRumors (via Daring Fireball) summed this up nicely in saying, “Furthermore, while the demonstration appears to show adequate ability to play Flash-based games, the browser’s ability to deal with Flash content on a fluid basis as integrated into a Web page seems less impressive. Flash elements lead to stuttering while scrolling and zooming on Web pages with Flash content, and even resulted in a low memory warning requiring the tester to actively manage the currently open applications on the test device.”
What did Steve say?
Of course, the mobile version of Adobe’s multimedia middleware is still in beta with the final version not expected until mid-June, assuming they can keep that promise. Of course, they’ve been promising the world Mobile Flash for years now already and haven’t delivered.
As PocketNow’s speed tests show, they still haven’t delivered. Further, no one’s done a battery life test on a Nexus One running Flash and, forgive my lack of faith, I rather doubt that’s gonna be pretty as Android smartphones already have a poor, poor reputation in that department.
Of course, the bitter irony here is that Mobile Flash is a banner feature of Android OS 2.2. It’s supposed to be one of the compelling reasons that will make you want to buy an Android phone over an Apple iPhone.
So, Flash does kill performance, hogs resources, will probably kill battery and we probably don’t have long to wait for the first Android + Flash hacker attack vector to be published.
Gosh, that Steve Jobs fella sure is smart…
What’s your take?
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May 25th, 2010
u luv jobs knob
May 25th, 2010
Do you know it takes less time to read a book with one page than to read one with 1000. If you don’t get to load or render flash on iPhone, you can’t claim it is faster. This is typical apple fanboy stuff.
Ironically, you don’t have a choice on the iPhone. So you can criticize android instead. boo hoo.
May 25th, 2010
How does it feel to be such a none-sense fanboy?
MS DOS is also faster than any other modern OS.
It only doesn’t support multi-tasking and graphical web browsing!!!
May 25th, 2010
Everything needs to evolve dude. It takes time. Flash ain’t going nowhere. People love it. The problem with adobe flash, is they did not foresee the desperate need of flash in mobile devices. But they are getting it right now.
May 25th, 2010
Did you miss the Beta designation? Seriously, are you really saying having access to all the Flash content for the last 5 years or so was a bad thing or Apple customers are better off not having that option.
You hate Flash. We get it. Many of us also understand the very real drawbacks of it and the need for it to be phased out so web based media can advance, but it ain’t going away anytime soon and I’d rather have the option than not.
May 26th, 2010
Boy did the Google Fanboies jump on you. I tend to agree with you on Flash 10.1 not being ready for prime time and the current displays on the web are baring that out. From poor, jerky browser performance to numerous crashes, Flash is looking to be even more buggy than on the desktop.
I find it funny people are excited Adobe is finally “delivering” Flash for mobile after 3 years while stranding 200,000,000+ mobile smart phone users with NO option to run modern Flash. It needs a 1GHz processor to run poorly and needs GOBS of RAM (Nexus One has > 1/2 GB is a TON of RAM in a SmartPhone) and the VAST majority (as in 99%) of smart phones out there simply don’t have the hardware.
May 26th, 2010
“Flash ain’t going nowhere.”
Well, you go that part right.
Still looking for the Nexus One + Flash battery test, anybody?
May 27th, 2010
You hate Flash. We get it. Many of us also understand the very real drawbacks of it and the need for it to be phased out so web based media can advance, but it ain’t going away anytime soon and I’d rather have the option than not.
July 7th, 2010
Ironically, now that this article is published and iOS4 is out and pretty darned buggy, I can’t wait to hear the Apple Fanboy ask extend grace to Apple and ask everyone to be patient and give Apple time to make iOS4 better! This inequity is ridiculous.
Everybody knows that Steve Jobs and Apple are banning Flash from iOS simply because they want you to buy their appstore applications instead of playing or using free games and rich internet applications built in Flash (of which it completely dominates… there are more free Flash-based games at kongregate.com alone than in the appstore). Let’s keep it real here.
I am creating Flash for Android apps literally right now using my MacBook Pro and HTC Evo in CS5. Many like me will continue while Apple fanboys will still be suckling the teet of Steve Jobs celebrating his narrow vision sold as innovation.