Web Browsing Performance on Android 2.2 Hampered by Flash Compatibility [Updated]
PocketNow offers a comparison of Web browsing speeds between Apple's iPhone 3GS and Google's new Android 2.2 "Froyo" announced earlier this week. Froyo is notable for Google's claims regarding browsing speed, but also for its support of Adobe's Flash Player 10.1 Beta, which will allow Android devices running the updated operating system to handle Flash content on the Web, unlike the iPhone.
PocketNow's lengthy video comparison seems to show that Froyo does in fact offer a speedy browsing experience, but that speed increase is canceled out by the need for it to load Flash content on many websites. The result means that users may be able to enjoy the benefit of seeing webpages rendered with Flash content included, but at the expense of slower page loading.
Furthermore, while the demonstration appears to show adequate ability to play Flash-based games, the browser's ability to deal with Flash content on a fluid basis as integrated into a webpage seems less impressive. Flash elements lead to stuttering while scrolling and zooming on webpages with Flash content, and even resulted in a low memory warning requiring the tester to actively manage the currently open applications on the test device. Commenters on the PocketNow article report that users have the ability to load Flash elements only on demand, but that even so the browser experiences some increased lag compared to Flash-free browsing.
While Flash 10.1 remains in beta form and will likely see improvements in both the software and hardware partners' ability to offer hardware-accelerated Flash performance on mobile devices, the current performance is not likely to sway Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who noted in his "Thoughts on Flash" open letter last month that he had yet to see Flash "performing well" on mobile platforms.
Update: PocketNow has now posted a follow-up video showing that, with Flash disabled, the Android 2.2 browser is indeed faster than Safari on the iPhone 3GS in many of the real-world tests shown, sometimes by a significant margin.
PocketNow's lengthy video comparison seems to show that Froyo does in fact offer a speedy browsing experience, but that speed increase is canceled out by the need for it to load Flash content on many websites. The result means that users may be able to enjoy the benefit of seeing webpages rendered with Flash content included, but at the expense of slower page loading.
Furthermore, while the demonstration appears to show adequate ability to play Flash-based games, the browser's ability to deal with Flash content on a fluid basis as integrated into a webpage seems less impressive. Flash elements lead to stuttering while scrolling and zooming on webpages with Flash content, and even resulted in a low memory warning requiring the tester to actively manage the currently open applications on the test device. Commenters on the PocketNow article report that users have the ability to load Flash elements only on demand, but that even so the browser experiences some increased lag compared to Flash-free browsing.
While Flash 10.1 remains in beta form and will likely see improvements in both the software and hardware partners' ability to offer hardware-accelerated Flash performance on mobile devices, the current performance is not likely to sway Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who noted in his "Thoughts on Flash" open letter last month that he had yet to see Flash "performing well" on mobile platforms.
We have routinely asked Adobe to show us Flash performing well on a mobile device, any mobile device, for a few years now. We have never seen it.
PocketNow is planning to completely uninstall Flash from its Nexus One handset running Froyo in order to more accurately assess the speed increase associated with the new Android browser when not being hampered by Flash content. Preliminary indications based on benchmarks suggest that its speed easily exceeds that of Android 2.1 and should significantly surpass that of the iPhone 3GS.Update: PocketNow has now posted a follow-up video showing that, with Flash disabled, the Android 2.2 browser is indeed faster than Safari on the iPhone 3GS in many of the real-world tests shown, sometimes by a significant margin.
Top Rated Comments
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23 months ago
Better to have the choice to view Flash if you want rather than no choice at all. Looks pretty good actually! And this version of Flash is beta, so hopefully it'll get better still. Google are doing a really great job with Android right now, there's a lot of impressive things coming from them just now.
23 months ago
Predictable, really. I am impressed that non-Flash loading speeds are as quick as they are, but I've generally been unimpressed by Android overall, so we'll see how it matures. Haven't gotten to see Froyo in action yet, so maybe it'd be better.
Of course, I'm saying all of this as I'm still stuck with a cheapo Samsung dumb phone, so it's not like it directly affects me much.
Is it really better if it's not a choice? Since Flash content loads automatically (unless you uninstall Flash completely), and apparently significantly slows down page loading for most webpages (even for nothing more than Flash ads), doesn't that mean that it's worse to have the choice than not to have it at all?
jW
Of course, I'm saying all of this as I'm still stuck with a cheapo Samsung dumb phone, so it's not like it directly affects me much.
Better to have the choice to view Flash if you want rather than no choice at all.
Is it really better if it's not a choice? Since Flash content loads automatically (unless you uninstall Flash completely), and apparently significantly slows down page loading for most webpages (even for nothing more than Flash ads), doesn't that mean that it's worse to have the choice than not to have it at all?
jW
23 months ago
Come on, why do you compare browser with full compability, with the one doesn't even support ?,
Its not fair.
Its not fair.
23 months ago
I disable flash on my Mac! Who needs that crap! Some moron playing some lame game on facebook?
The only time I actually need to turn on flash is occasionally when i order domino's pizza! Pages load much quicker without flash and usually most flash content seems to be annoying advertisements.
I also prefer my porn in high quality, hi-def, so no loss for me there either.
The only time I actually need to turn on flash is occasionally when i order domino's pizza! Pages load much quicker without flash and usually most flash content seems to be annoying advertisements.
I also prefer my porn in high quality, hi-def, so no loss for me there either.
23 months ago
Interesting for sure. While I would likely turn Flash off myself, I know some people desire it.
But something tells me if we let it, even as an option, it will continue to thrive. We needed someone like Steve Jobs to say "no" entirely in order to deal it a lethal shot. Now we may see it disappear, albeit slower because of Android.
I'm split.
But something tells me if we let it, even as an option, it will continue to thrive. We needed someone like Steve Jobs to say "no" entirely in order to deal it a lethal shot. Now we may see it disappear, albeit slower because of Android.
I'm split.
23 months ago
Is it really better if it's not a choice? Since Flash content loads automatically (unless you uninstall Flash completely), and apparently significantly slows down page loading for most webpages (even for nothing more than Flash ads), doesn't that mean that it's worse to have the choice than not to have it at all?
Great if they stuck an option in there to allow/disallow it on the fly. That would be the icing on the cake.
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