Steve Jobs Trashes Flash (Again)

Apple CEO Steve Jobs took another swipe at Adobe's Flash online video technology Tuesday—this time at a high-profile tech industry confab in Southern California.

"We don't think Flash makes a great product, so we're leaving it out," said Jobs, referring to Apple's decision not to support Flash on the iPhone or iPad.

"We're going to focus on technologies that are in ascendancy. If we succeed, people will buy them and if we don't they won't. And, so far, I have to say people seem to be liking the iPad. We sell like three iPads a second," Jobs said at the Wall Street Journal's D conference, in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Jobs' comments come on the heels of statements he made last month, in which he claimed Flash is slow, unstable, and the number one reason why Macs crash. Apple's decision to abandon Flash isn't without risk.

While the iPad is enjoying brisk early sales, that momentum could slow as more consumers discover the device is incapable of displaying all the content on many Web sites.

Flash is, by far, the dominant format for online video and interactive graphics. The iPad and iPhone, however, will only display content authored in HTML 5. Adobe has criticized Apple for not using Flash, accusing the company of attempting to dominate the Internet.

Jobs said he would have preferred to keep talks on the matter internal to the two companies.

"We didn't set out to have a war over Flash," said Jobs. "We made a technical decision, and it wasn't until the iPad that Adobe raised a stink. That's why I wrote 'Thoughts On Flash.' We were tired of being trashed by Adobe in the press," Jobs said.

Apple on Monday said it has sold more than two million iPads since launching the product on April 3rd.