Is the iPad breaking your website.

You will no doubt be aware that Apple have launched another product onto the market; The iPad.

Unless you are one of Apple's clan of geeky followers that purchases everything as soon as Apple launches it (Yikes! That now includes me) you probably won't have rushed out and got one, so it's likely that you are blissfully unaware that your website may not be working correctly (or even at all!) when viewed on an iPad.

What websites are affected?
Any website that uses Flash to display all or part of its page content is affected.
Flash is typically used wherever movement or visual effects are required, typically this would be image slide-shows and "call to actions", but Flash may also have been used for key elements such as Menus. Some websites are even developed completely in flash. 
On the iPad Flash is not supported, so any object in flash will not display. If your menu is made of Flash no-one will be able to navigate your website. If your website is made completely of Flash it will not display at all! 

Here's the techy explanation about Flash!
When you view a website you are using a browser, typically this is Internet Explorer or Firefox if you are on a PC and Safari or Firefox if you are on a Mac.
The browser contains most of the instructions that are required to display your website, however the instruction to display Flash is provided through a "plugin" which is not part of the browser. Flash is the proprietary software of Adobe (the Flash plugin is pre-installed on most computers, but you may remember being instructed to update it at various intervals in the past) and Apple have indicated that they will not allow the plugin to be installed on the iPad. No plugin - no Flash!  Apple are adamant that they will never support Flash on the iPad and without going into details there is no reason to disbelieve them.

What can be used instead of Flash?
All modern browsers support JavaScript and over the last few years Javascript functionality has improved rapidly to the point that it can now provide an alternative to flash whenever a similar effect is required. As Javascript works within the browser and not a plugin it will work fine on an iPad.


Will the iPad be big?
YES. Sales have been extraordinarily fast already (even for Apple products) and as more people become aware of the advantages of owning an iPad, sales will continue to soar.

For most people the iPad will replace the need to own a laptop. The iPad provides users with access to websites (not flash ones!) , email, music, digital books, photos, films and "apps" (applications extend the way information is presented - such as digital newspapers) and there are already apps being written specifically for the iPad - the BBC launched a news app for the iPad just a few days ago. Add to this the fact that it is small (similar in dimensions to a page of A4), it's light, it has a battery that lasts in excess of 9 hours and is so easy to use that even your granny will get on with it!

But even instant successes take a time become mainstream, not everyone will rush out and buy them - they're certainly not cheap, but they will be particularly popular with certain audiences such as frequent travellers, others will wait until they can justify the purchase but they will end up being used by a sizeable amount of people within a relatively short space of time. I also feel that Apple's refusal to support Flash will be viewed as a defining moment in how websites are developed in the future.

What should I do?
If you don't have flash on your website, you are not affected by this issue and don't need to worry.
If you do have flash, your website will have display issues when viewed on the iPad. Your first consideration should be to decide how many of your website visitors may use an iPad and how will they be affected. If the flash elements are just images, you may decide that it is not important to do anything at this stage. If Flash has been used for menu's or your whole site is developed in Flash I would suggest that you start considering a re-design/re-development of your website for some time in the foreseeable future. Certainly this year. If your target audience is unlikely to be the early adopters of iPad's, there is less of a rush, but I would still suggest planning to move away from flash by the end of next year.


If you have any questions at all or you are unsure how your website will be affected and would like me to take a look for you, feel free to get in touch