Here is an interview to Kevin Lynch and see what he has to say regarding Flash Lite:

Knowledge@Wharton: Historically Adobe, and before that Macromedia, has been very focused on the mobile device space. You recently introduced a new version of Flash Lite. But you’re competing against Java which has a greater installed base within the U.S. How do you compare the two technologies, and how do you plan to compete on mobile devices?

Lynch: Java does have greater reach on mobile phones today. They started earlier than we did with Flash on mobile phones and they’ve done a very good job of getting distribution.

Although it started later than Java, the Flash Player — called Flash Lite on mobile phones — is now also having incredible distribution. We’ve signed up the top handset manufacturers, the top operators, to distribute Flash on mobile phones. And the experiences that you can build with Flash are really incredible.

One of the things that happened with Java is that their early move into mobile was done through many different implementations of Java on phones. So, it’s actually not a consistent implementation.

The result now is, yes, there’s lot of Java out there but it’s highly variable. To create Java applications that work on mobile [devices] you must implement many, many times over in order to deploy on these telephones — like over a hundred different times. So that’s not very sustainable.

We’re trying to be more consistent in our deployment of Flash — which takes a little bit longer, but we hope will build a stronger base for people to create content.

Knowledge@Wharton: Is this part of the challenge? Don’t the carriers have a vested interest in not providing a carrier- and device-independent platform?

Lynch: Well, the carriers that we work with are very focused on their relationship with their customers and the expression of their brand. And whatever technologies they can use to accomplish those things is what they want to do.

Flash can help them show their brand better and reduce the cost of creating the brand on the devices. We’re seeing a lot of interest from them.

And Java and Flash aren’t head-to-head competitors on mobile devices. They’re included in many mobile phones together. It’s not an either/or situation. There’s a potential for people to use those technologies together. My guess will be you’ll see more people starting to do that over time as they realize the strengths of each technology and how you might use them together.

Alessandro