At least some value to Adobe’s buyout of Macromedia: It has inked a deal with Verizon Wireless to incoporate mobile Flash within VZW’s handsets. The deal is Adobe’s first major move to capitalize on its December 2005 acquisition of Macromedia.
VZW users will be able to download ringtones and wallpapers powered by Flash software.
PC Magazine: Missing from the announcement was whether Flash will replace Verizon’s standard user interface. Verizon overwrites manufacturers’ various UIs with a single, standardized interface derived from LG phones; their system, while relatively easy to use, has been criticized by some phone geeks as a dull, ‘one size fits all’ solution.
Reuters: Steve Lidberg estimated that the move into mobile phone animation could double the number of software programmers using Flash from its current base of 1 million developers. That could translate into about $1 billion in additional revenue for Adobe, the Pacific Crest analyst forecast.
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