Adobe Systems has unveiled Flash Professional CS5, which will enable developers to build interactive applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch. It has also unveiled a series of new iPhone apps built using a beta version of Flash Professional CS5. A public beta of Flash Professional CS5 is expected to be available later this year.
The company said that the new Flash Professional CS5 enables developers to export flash apps as the native iPhone applications, leveraging the same source code used to deliver apps across desktops and devices for Flash Platform runtimes-Adobe AIR and Flash Player 10. The new functionality opens iPhone development to designers and developers who currently use Adobe’s flash authoring tools.
Adobe also announced that a number of additional applications are being submitted to the App Store including an iPhone application for Adobe’s web conferencing offering, Adobe Acrobat Connect Pro. Several of these new applications are currently available for iPhone users to download within the Apple App Store.
In addition to allowing developers to deliver applications for the iPhone, Flash Professional CS5 is expected to include a new text engine for controlling the text, enhanced capabilities for team collaboration on projects, prebuilt code snippets for adding interactivity, as well as integration with Adobe Flash Builder for advanced ActionScript editing.
John Loiacono, senior vice president of Adobe Creative Solutions, said: “Adobe Creative Suite is essential for designers and developers worldwide, and touches virtually all the content and applications that enable products, brands and ideas to stand out above the clutter. This is a breakthrough for Flash customers who can now leverage their existing content and expertise to target the iPhone, along with other flash-supported devices.”
