Why is my Samsung Galaxy Alpha unable to play Flash Videos

Many smartphone users including those with Samsung Galaxy Alpha, have been troubled by an issue in which their device won't play flash videos or open websites that require flash. Learn the reason why and what other options you may have.

The reason why your phone may not be able to play flash videos is because the creator and owner of Flash, Adobe is no longer offering support or update for mobile version of the Flash program. Therefore, it is normal for your phone not to play flash videos or browse sites that require Flash. With that said, smartphone owners are now left with the option to use third-party apps designed for playing flash videos.

You may visit Google Play to scour for the app you desire. There you can find a wide variety of options including FLV Video Player, Flash on WebView, VLC for Android, Flash Game Player, and Dolphin, to name a few.

Here's an official statement from Adobe, explicating the reason why they've decided to end support Flash Player for mobile devices:

"We announced last November that we are focusing our work with Flash on PC browsing and mobile apps packaged with Adobe AIR, and will be discontinuing our development of the Flash Player for mobile browsers.  This post provides an update on what this means for ongoing access to the Flash Player browser plugin for Android in the Google Play Store.

The Flash Player browser plugin integrates tightly with a device’s browser and multimedia subsystems (in ways that typical apps do not), and this necessitates integration by our device ecosystem partners.  To ensure that  the Flash Player provides the best possible experience for users, our partner program requires certification of each Flash Player implementation.  Certification includes extensive testing to ensure web content works as expected, and that the Flash Player provides a good user experience. Certified devices typically include the Flash Player pre-loaded at the factory or as part of a system update."