Et tu, Google? That must be what Adobe’s thinking these days.

While its Flash technology has been fading since Steve Jobs decided iPhones wouldn’t support it, Google’s recent decision to prevent Flash ads from auto-playing in Chrome, its market-leading browser, may be the final blow.

Why you should care
This turn of events has some real implications for marketers and advertisers. Without Flash, 84% of banner ads would not be viewable on desktop browsers. Despite its shortcomings (e.g., security issues, not a responsive technology like HTML5), the industry is pretty dependent on Flash. Weaning them off may not be so easy.

Long live HTML 5
Of course, agency creatives will have no choice but to become as versed in HTML5 as they are in Flash. Ditto for agency’s QA teams, who’ll be challenged by the fact that each browser supports its own set of HTML5 features. (Not to brag, but we’ve been preparing for all this for quite some time!)

A final goodbye
As we move towards a world without a Flash, a proper farewell seems in order. So, we’d just like to say, you were a good friend, Flash. We’ll remember you fondly. Mostly.