My enemy's enemy is my best friend

This week Google has announced its cooperation with Adobe. Google mentioned that it will integrate Adobe Flash in its web browser Chrome, and there are also plans to provide its operating system Chrome OS with Flash. This decision of Google shall not remain without consequences, since main competitor Apple has recently pointed out the approaching end of the Flash technology.

Apple

According to Apple, Flash is a technology which is too heavy and unstable for its iPhone and Ipad. As a result, Apple refuses to add the Flash plugin on its main devices. The company argues that new technologies like HTML5 and CSS3 offer the same possibilities, without these disadvantages.

Google

And now Google has made the remarkable step of integrating Flash into its web browser Chrome. The software is pre-installed, so it is not necessary for users to install the newest version themselves any more. According to Google, the main advantage is that users always have the newest version of Flash.

Rivalry

However, Google's decision can also be seen as a response to Apple's attitude towards Flash. Google's operating system Chrome OS is based on the similarly named browser. This means that devices with Chromes OS will be Flash integrated, while Apple devices like the Ipad do not support Flash. As a result, the cooperation with Adobe might help Google in its competition with Apple.

Adobe

During this rivalry between Google and Apple, Adobe benefits from the new opportunities. Together with Google it tries to integrate Flash successfully into the Chrome web browser. On the other hand, the relationship between Apple and Adobe now perhaps becomes critical. However, Adobe itself has its own striking view on the situation: My enemy's enemy is my best friend.