Freescale, Adobe and Movial collaborate to enable Flash Player 10.1 on Freescale i.MX platforms

AUSTIN, USA: Manufacturers of smart mobile devices built with i.MX processors from Freescale Semiconductor can soon enable Adobe Flash Player 10.1 software for engaging experiences including video playback, animation, gaming and the enjoyment of other rich web content.

Through close work with Adobe and Movial, Freescale is bringing Adobe Flash Player 10.1 to its i.MX platforms, enabling the creation of consumer products running either the Linux or Android operating systems and delivering superior video and graphics capabilities.

Starting with the Freescale i.MX51 family of processors, the companies are collaborating to accelerate Flash Player 10.1, which is scheduled to be released in the first half of 2010. Smartbooks, smartphones, netbooks and other Internet-centric consumer products based on the i.MX51 family of processors will be able to enjoy full H.264 video playback when accessing rich content built with the Flash Platform, including HD and SD video from popular sites like YouTube.

“Freescale, Movial and Adobe have optimized Flash Player 10.1 on Freescale’s popular i.MX processors,” said Ken Obuszewski, director of product management for Freescale’s Multimedia Applications Division. “With this announcement, we are enabling our customers to deliver world-class video and web experiences for a growing number of smart mobile devices.”

Freescale plans to support a fully optimized and hardware-accelerated version of Flash Player 10.1 that leverages i.MX51 processors’ integrated, high-performance graphics (OpenGL/ES) and video (H.264) cores to deliver outstanding video experiences while conserving battery life and minimizing resource utilization. As a result, products using i.MX51 processors can be designed to deliver compelling end-user experiences including uncompromised web browsing and HD video playback with substantially decreased power consumption.

“Seventy-five percent of online videos viewed worldwide are delivered with the Adobe Flash Platform, making it the No.1 format for video on the web,” said Tom Barclay, senior product marketing manager, Flash Player at Adobe. “Freescale’s high-performance i.MX processors with dedicated graphics and video engines are ideal for running videos and other rich, Flash-based web content.”

Movial is a key porting partner for Freescale and Adobe for Flash Player 10.1, and the company enables Flash technology on a wide variety of Linux and Android operating system environments. Movial has been integrating and testing Flash Player 10.1 on the i.MX51 family of processors.

“We are proud to be working with industry leaders like Freescale and Adobe to provide consumers with the next evolution in video experience,” said Wade Vesey, president of Movial North America. “Working together, we are able to ensure customers a consistent web experience across a multitude of computing environments.”

Freescale sells a full platform solution that includes an i.MX system-on-chip, accessory chips, BSP and middleware software. The first consumer devices ready to support Flash Player 10.1 and based on Freescale's i.MX chipsets are expected to be smartbooks.