Is the AIR Too Thin?
For those of you unfamiliar with AIR, it is Adobe's Integrated Runtime environment for building rich Internet applications using Adobe Flash, Adobe Flex, HTML, or Ajax, that can be deployed as a desktop application.
Its promise is the two-way constant stream of data right to the desktop, across all platforms, with a simple installation process. Install the runtime once, and each additional program is a click away from living on your computer.
But where are all the applications?
There are a few that I use every day, including Tweetdeck for all my Twittering needs.
But this seemingly perfect application environment is neither boasting the applications that can generate a significant number of downloads, nor a significant amount of adoption.
While Adobe's Flash player has 99% penetration, numbers are not available for AIR. But my hunch is that it lingers in single digits. It's an opt-in download, and people need a legitimate reason to install it.
But where's the OEM support from the PC manufacturers? Where's the ad campaign? Where's the communication from Adobe as to why we should install it in the first place? It's a great development environment, and the technology holds promise not just for computers, but for all kinds of connected devices.
If the driving force behind a successful (branded) application is utility, then AIR could be the engine driving it for millions of people.
But instead, half of the most popular AIR applications are social media interfaces created by amateurs. Whither the corporate support?
If Adobe wants AIR to take off, we're going to need official AIR apps -- and they should probably look to the iPhone App Store on iTunes for some helpful hints.
