Steve Jobs recently wrote his reasons for not including Flash in the iPad. Content companies seem to think otherwise. NBC and Time Warner both say that they refuse to reformat their video for HTML5 and that Jobs should accept Flash. And so the consumer seeking this content from these providers will be unable to view their favorite NBC or Time Warner Shows on the iPad. Will Jobs acquiesce or will these and other content creators that refuse find themselves missing a huge chunk of audience.
Apple already claims 2 million iPad users since its release a couple months ago. That number is sure to grow as the next generation of iPads are released. For now, it only represents the early adopters. And perhaps the video component of iPad is not the sole reason to purchase one. Users will find its multiple uses so important, that it may become as indispensable to carry as a mobile phone.
So who will blink first, Apple or the content companies. I suspect at the end, Apple's device will be the home run and the others will eventually join up and stop fighting.
