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Adobe has unveiled plans to incorporate a 3D API into a future version of the ubiquitious browser plug-in.
In a move which appears to recognise the increasing competition Flash is facing in the form of upcoming web standards such as the 3D support in HTML5, Adobe looks set to unveil a new 3D system at the Max 2010 conference in Los Angeles in October.
Flash has often be used to implement 3D content but this has been implemented via complicated scripting by Flash developers themselves but by incorporating a 3D API, Flash will then be able to avail itself of 3D hardware acceleration and raises the possibility of a new class of interactive content in the web browser.
With a rapidly expanding set of hardware platforms, Flash has the chance to offer a common platform across desktop PCs and mobile operating systems which support Flash such as Android. Apple, however, is firmly opposed to allowing flash on any of the the company’s devices.
Adobe Flash product manager Imbert Thibault posted a teaser in a blog post, "What kind of API ? True textured z-buffered triangles ? GPU acceleration ? Even better ? What I can say is forget what you have seen before, it is going to be big". Further extract below:
"If you are into 3d development for games, augmented reality or just interactive stuff like websites, you just can’t miss the session entitled Flash Player 3D future scheduled for Max 2010 scheduled on October 27 at 11:00AMin room 503. Sebastian Marketsmueller (Flash Player engineer) will deep dive into the next generation 3D API coming in a future version of the Flash Player."
Image credit: Focal Press
