Microsoft to drop Flash from Windows 8 tablets

Microsoft is restricting support for Adobe Flash from future versions of Internet Explorer (IE).

IE 10, which will be available with the company's next operating system (OS), Windows 8, will come in two versions – one for PCs and one for PC tablets. The versions of the OS designed for tablets, called Metro, will not support plug-ins such as Flash.

According to a blog post by head of IE development, Dean Hachamovitch, Metro will allow the web to move forwards and consumers will get the most out of touchscreen technologies, "improved battery life as well as security, reliability, and privacy".

The Metro browser, which displays applications and programs as easy to touch coloured tiles, is gesture-oriented interface and is expected to be more commonly used for tablets the other version of IE.

However, Metro will work with a mouse and keyboard as well. Flash is likely to continue to be supported on desktop PCs running Windows 8.

The announcement has not perturbed Adobe as the company's platform general manager Danny Winokur said the company would continue to develop and support Flash.