Android 4: browsers demand Flash install even if already there

[bbbo]

see http://flowplayer.org/forum/#!/moot/5418 I observed this too in some tests: when loading pages with Flopwlayer Flash, browsers ask for Flash 10.1 + install, even though it is already there.

[ViliusS]

Actually since Android 4 flash is not supported by Google anymore, so probably a correct way to solve this is to allow ipad.js plugin to accept android 4 user agent too and rely on HLS.

[danrossi]

confirming its an issue, I'm fairly certain it's been working though, perhaps since an update it can't detect the plugin correctly. Its not available by default anyway and had to be downloaded specifically. It might need some tweaks to the ipad plugin fallback however, I've read they will be scrapping support for HLS soon in replace of mpeg dash.

[bbbo]

well yes you need to install the inoffical flash apk, but I know quite some people who do so ;) you can already trigger use of ipads.js with

.ipad({simulateiDevice: /android/i.test(navigator.userAgent});

but I'm sceptical too about HLS on Android, Google's strategy here seems to be rather confusing.

[ViliusS]

Well, technology changes always. I'm personally looking at this like "support what currently we know will work best". IMHO it's irrelevant if Google will move to MPEG-DASH or something else. Moreover, the changes need to be done at ipad.js is pretty minimal to add support for Android 4.x.

[phloxic]

@ViliusS - I don't think that we will do that. That's what Flowplayer 5 is for. If the ipad plugin's simulation mode is good enough for your purpose, use it. Otherwise we start to implement another html5 player by the back door. Some api methods may well not work with the ipad plugin on Android etc. And if you need Flowplayer Flash when Flash is present because you want more Flash features than Flowplayer 5 currently offers, then there's: http://flowplayer.blacktrash.org/graceful.html

[danrossi]

It may well be after software updates it removes plugins, i'll test this.

[danrossi]

Its been removed after an OS update I think and I can't find the apk anymore, it's not on the play store either.

[danrossi]

here is an updated link but this may change http://blogs.computerworld.com/application-security/21377/updating-flash-player-android-now-requires-hack

[danrossi]

That download worked fine for me, so yes OS updates seem to remove the plugin for some reason.

[danrossi]

they are still available on this page also http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/archived-flash-player-versions.html#flash_player_archives

[danrossi]

is this working for you now ?