There has been a lot of buzz about why Apple refuses to support Flash on its upcoming iPad. Most discussions focus on Flash being resource-intensive, but few consider a different angle.
Flash operates as separate code, meaning it can be used to upload dynamic content. This could include updated links and prices for products or even entirely new advertisements. Consider the thousands of “How-to…” e-books available. Many of these guides recommend related products—ranging from affordable tools to high-end professional equipment.
For a traditional book publisher, selling a paper book generates revenue only once, and Apple takes a cut of that sale. However, if publishers could embed Flash-based ads in e-books, they could sell ad space multiple times, creating an ongoing e-book ad market. That sounds appealing—for publishers, at least. But not for Apple.
From Apple’s business model perspective, Flash isn’t just a piece of uncontrolled code—it’s a Trojan horse that threatens Apple’s share of advertising revenue. And it’s not just about Flash ads; HTML, JavaScript, and other web-based ads present the same issue.
That’s why I’m eager to see how Apple handles advertising within iPad books and magazines. Will they contain static, non-updatable ads? I’ll be watching closely.