Adobe gives Flash Player 10.3 security boost

Adobe has released the latest version of its web video software, Flash Player 10.3, to include developer tools and privacy enhancements.

Key features in this Flash update for developers include Media Measurement, for assessing the impact of video content, and Acoustic Echo Cancellation, which is an audio improvement tool for use in communications applications.

"Users will have a simpler way to clear local storage from the browser settings interface - similar to how users clear their browser cookies today," said Flash product manager Thibault Imbert in a blog post.

"Flash Player 10.3 integrates control of local storage with the browser's privacy settings in Mozilla Firefox 4, Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 and higher, and future releases of Apple Safari and Google Chrome."

End users are expected to benefit from better in-browser privacy control, as well as auto updates for the Mac operating system and an improved user panel for ease of use.

Adobe has also begun touting a workaround for running Flash on the Apple iOS called Wallaby.

Adobe revealed that the next release of its AIR software would contain many shared features with Flash.

"Since Flash Player and AIR share the same code base, relevant features in Flash Player will also be available in AIR. Details of future AIR releases will be announced at a later date," the firm explained.

Mobile versions are also due to follow, according to the firm.

"We are planning to release Flash Player 10.3 for mobile and the next version of AIR and AIR SDK for desktop and mobile soon," Adobe said in its release notes.