Mobile video calls – what’s new, and how the battle between Adobe and Apple relate to it?

In the early days of the world 3G mobile operators focused on marketing the new technology as an enabler of video call: no longer just talking but seeing as well. It was quickly realized that people do actually like talking on their mobiles but are not very enthusiastic about seeing their talking partner or showing themselves.

It seemed like a lost area until Apple decided to incorporate the option for video calls in the iPhone 4 from one device to the other using WiFi. The application, at least in its current form, stutters – the two devices need to be in a wireless network area and both have to iPhone 4 devices – a fact that limits significantly the possibility.

Adobe V. Apple – again

This weak spot is exactly what Adobe is using. Adobe is not a fan of Apple after its recent behavior in blocking flash services on the iPhone. Adobe decided to develop an advanced video calls service from one device to the other, that will run on the competing OS by Google, Android (it is not the first time Adobe teams up with Google and after Android 2.1is running partial flash, the 2.2 version is promised to have full flash browser surfing in all the websites).

So what’s really new with Adobe’s service? We already have Fring that allows video calls on the network and there QIK and others.

Well, the new Adobe application is not intended for the end user but more to show potential to application developers. The new platform, AIR 2.5, which is expected to be launched later this year should supply developers tools that did not exist until today and video calls in incorporated within it.

Not easy for Flash

Despite optimism, not everything is positive. Although the connection to Android did wonders for the company in the mobile market, it is still struggling to push forward flash into other OS. Nokia, for example, is waiting for new SDK (development tools) for its next OS, MEEGO, and only then start implementing flash into it.

Such a device by Nokia is expected before the end of 2010 (most likely be revealed in the Nokia World conference in September). In addition, Adobe is striving to insert its services into Palm’s and RIM (blackberry)’S new OS, that have already expressed a willingness to do so.