Choosing which Flash version to compile an application to is not really rocket science. A well-known tip is to publish to the lowest compatible version possible – reasonable! For projects coded in ActionScript 3 we’re starting at Flash Player 9, since the earlier versions only support ActionScript 1 and 2. Now, Flash Player 10, which was released 2008, has a lot of neat improvements that make us at Nordic Factory eager to make the migration.
The only factor that has kept us waiting, yet the most important, was the lack of users having it installed in their browsers. Adobe has also been quite reserved when it comes to publishing usage statistics by version. Last update was done in September telling us that 93% of the web’s users had Flash Player 10 installed. Now, finally we’ve got a statement telling us that it has a coverage at 97-98% of all Internet’s users!
Edit, Dec 31: according to Adobe’s recently updated version penetration, Flash Player 10 has 95% coverage, not 98.
What benefits come from using Flash Player 10? Here are a few:
- Support for 3D effects
- New advanced text engine
- Dynamic streaming that adjusts to network conditions
- General performance fixes
- Hardware acceleration enhancements
We’re glad to be able to take advantage of these new features in our coming updates and development of BannerFlow.
Keeping you posted!