There has been a number of threads about Apple, Adobe the iPad and the flash controversy. All these threads have inspired me to do a little digging.
HTML5 is the stated ‘flash killer’. The particular functionality in HTML5 that supposedly makes flash obsolete is called Canvas. Canvas is developed and patented by Apple. HTML5 is being standardized by a group called WHATWG which holds a neutral standpoint towards patents. WHATWG was co-founded by Apple.
So the whole Flash controversy both on the iPad and for iPhone development starts to make sense. It’s typical anti-competitive behavior by Apple. Given Apple and Adobe’s long history this seems to be very much a backstab, but I suppose that’s business sometimes.
To me, items like the iPad seem like devices just thrown out there to demote the use of Flash.
So what do you guys think? How do you feel about Apple (or any company for that matter) holding a patent on a major piece of web standard?