FAQ – Flash Player 10.1 beta for Google TV

How does Adobe Flash Player fit into Google TV?
When will Flash Player integration into Google TV be available?
How will it be available?
Why is a beta version of Flash Player 10.1 integrated onto Google TV as opposed to a final release version?
How does it work? What are the main use cases and content that Flash Player makes available to Google TV users?
Will standalone AIR apps be supported on Google TV?
What about performance? Will Flash Player support on Google TV support hardware acceleration?
Will other browsers like Opera Mini in Google TV support Flash Player 10.1?
Whom else is Adobe working with to bring Flash Player to TVs?
How does Flash Player on Google TV differ from Flash Platform technology on other digital home devices?

How does Adobe Flash Player fit into Google TV?

Adobe and Google are working closely together on a number of different efforts including support for Flash Player 10.1 and AIR across various platforms and devices. A beta version of Flash Player 10.1 for Google TV is integrated into Google TV devices delivering the full web to consumers on their television sets.

When will Flash Player integration into Google TV be available?

Flash Player 10.1 beta for Google TV is now shipping on devices from Sony and Logitech.

How will it be available?

A beta version of Flash Player 10.1 for Google TV is built directly into the Google Chrome browser. To ensure that consumers always have the latest version of Flash Player running on their digital home devices, Flash Player will be updated by Google via Google TV's Internet connection as new versions of the Google TV platform are released.

Why is a beta version of Flash Player 10.1 integrated onto Google TV as opposed to a final release version?

Similar to the release of Flash Player 10.1 for Android smart phones in May 2010, this initial beta release of Flash Player 10.1 for Google TV is a great way for us to get feedback on real-world performance within the unique context of these new device screens. Users will be able to benefit from "over-the-air" updates of the Google TV platform and Flash Player as we continue to collaborate with Google to improve the capabilities of Flash on these devices. We are committed to delivering updates to Flash Player over the coming months to constantly improve the web experience on Google TV.

How does it work? What are the main use cases and content that Flash Player makes available to Google TV users?

With support for Flash Player 10.1, consumers will be able to access the full web on their Google TV devices. Flash Player for Google TV is optimized to deliver amazing HD Flash video—all the way up to pristine 1080p. Users can access both free and premium video content from sites across the web. Some great examples are YouTube, TBS, TNT, CNN, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, VEVO, Amazon Video On Demand, and HBO GO—just to name a few. With support for Adobe Flash, more than three million developers worldwide are now able to extend their web content to the digital home so users can enjoy rich, high-definition videos and other Flash-based web content. While the beta version of Flash Player 10.1 for Google TV is a work in progress and still needs to be optimized for certain types of content, we are excited about the unlimited potential a full browser combined with Flash Player will bring to the TV experience.

Will standalone AIR apps be supported on Google TV?

We anticipate bringing AIR apps to Google TV in the future.

What about performance? Will Flash Player support on Google TV support hardware acceleration?

Yes. Flash Player 10.1 beta for Google TV will support hardware-accelerated video playback and deliver smooth, HD (1080p) performance of video on Google TV devices.

Will other browsers like Opera Mini in Google TV support Flash Player 10.1?

Flash Player 10.1 will be integrated with Google TV and built directly into the Google Chrome browser. Support for other browsers on Google TV is not available at this time.

Whom else is Adobe working with to bring Flash Player to TVs?

Adobe and Open Screen Project partners like Google are working together to deliver rich Internet experiences across desktops, mobile phones, and televisions. We are seeing widespread interest from our partners in the digital home space and are working closely with SoC vendors such as Intel, Broadcom, STMicroelectronics, MediaTek, Sigma, NXP, Samsung LSI, and others to include support for Flash Player. Today, consumers can experience rich applications, content, and user interfaces in televisions, set-top boxes, and Blu-ray players from Samsung, Vizio, Haier, Best Buy Insignia, Samsung, and Tivo. Game consoles such as Nintendo Wii and Sony PlayStation3 also feature Flash Player.

How does Flash Player on Google TV differ from Flash Platform technology on other digital home devices?

Google TV includes Flash Player 10.1 to deliver uncompromised web browsing and video playback of interactive content on the web. We also announced AIR 2.5 for TV at MAX 2010 as a technology platform that enables developers to build and deliver apps to the TV screen on devices that support AIR. Other digital home solutions in market today are based on Flash Lite 3.1 and feature branded user interfaces, video playback, and device-specific applications as opposed to web browsing.