Adobe Flash Builder 4.5 and Flex 4.5, Now With Support For Building iOS Applications

Originally revealed back in April, Adobe has this week released both Flash Builder 4.5 and Flex 4.5, adding support for building applications for Apple’s iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook.

Announced via the Official Adobe Flash Blog, Adobe explained the two new applications now allow developers to “quickly build and distribute apps through the Android Market, BlackBerry App World and Apple App Store using one tool chain, programming language and code base,” which it calls a first for developers.

Developers from different industries such as government, entertainment and gaming have been using Flash Builder 4.5 and Flex 4.5 to help them reduce development time and the cost of delivery to build some pretty amazing apps across the major platforms, Puneet Goel for Adobe, noted.

With Apple having tweaked its App Store guidelines to facilitate the approval of Flash-based application using the new frameworks as seen in Adobe Flash CS5, the stage is now theoretically set for a whole wave of Flash applications to arrive in the App Store.

Developers now have a single platform for building highly expressive mobile applications that can be distributed via the Android Market, Apple App Store and BlackBerry App World. Offered standalone or as part of Creative Suite 5.5 Web Premium and Master Collection, Flash Builder 4.5 enables the creation of applications that work seamlessly across leading mobile device platforms.

“The reaction from developers to the new mobile capabilities in Flash Builder 4.5 and the Flex 4.5 framework has been absolutely fantastic,” said Ed Rowe, vice president of developer tooling, Adobe. “They are amazed by how easy it is to create great mobile apps for Android devices, BlackBerry PlayBook, iPhone and iPad. Companies can now effectively reach their customers no matter what type of device they have.”

Of course, whether such applications actually end up hitting the App Store or not, is – as ever – left up to the gatekeeper – Apple.