Jason - Note that my original question included Hulu "or other Flash based video." I did not intend to suggest that Hulu alone was Apple's intended exclusion, but rather other video formats/portals in general (although Hulu has gotten a lot of attention in the market where most iPhones are sold. And their parent company - NBC - has had a high-profile squabble with Apple over the iTunes store). Moreover, I did not state this as a certainty - "I’ve wondered if this isn’t exactly Apple’s intent..." I've wondered. Thus the submission as a question. Big difference between curiosity and myopia. In fact, to confuse the two probably requires a little of the latter.

Either way, it wouldn't be the first sign of myopia that I've displayed. But Apple is hardly immune to wanting their own standards, services, hardware, and applications to prevail. You may be aware of the hubbub regarding the ongoing App Store App rejections based on "competing services" such as Podcaster and MailWrangler. In fact that is just the way large companies that have revenue dependent on their software/formats/portals tend to operate.

Also note the TiPB response acknowledges that "politics between Apple and Adobe may be playing a part" in the lack of Flash video for the iPhone. Politics based on what, do you think? Apple and Adobe have certainly pushed competing applications and formats in the past, and have had plenty of "politics" between them over the years. Surely it's not a stretch to assume Adobe would like Flash to be an unparalleled standard, NBC would like Hulu to be the dominant video portal (at least in the US) and Apple would like iTunes to be the dominant video portal (and would like Quicktime to replace Flash video where it is used).

Keep in mind I'm not blaming Apple. I bought my first Mac in 1991 (could have been 92?) - after years of empty-pocketed lust. I'm a fan. I'm not chastising Apple. I don't consider them evil. I don't particularly care about competing Apps in the App Store (although, I'm not a developer with a competing App). I prefer Apple to come out on top in any disputes with Adobe or any other major corporation.

Nevertheless, the bottom line is that I don't want to pay to watch a television program on iTunes that I can watch for free on Hulu, or other service. One of the great things about the iPhone is video capability. For what I'm paying every month for my iPhone (not to mention the initial $299), I don't want to go to a site and not be able to view the contents because of the limitations of my iPhone's software. Particularly if it is a very common format.

I'm sure that security is an issue with Flash - and I don't want that compromised either. If that's the sole issue, and their is no way around it that will allow Flash video on the iPhone without a serious decline in security, then so be it. Question answered. Perhaps the video-only workaround TiPB suggested is what Adobe and Apple are working on. I suppose in the long run that you are right - we'll just have to wait and see. Meanwhile, I don't see any harm in speculation.

There is a solution. It's already possible with PDANet and jailbreaking your iPhone. The options open up exponentially when you jailbreak.

I have video recording, picture messaging, copy and paste, phone search, different themes, different SMS sounds, finder, tethering and even the flashlight automatically brightens the screen brightness when I open up the application.

Some people don't want to risk jailbreaking but I say it's definitely worth it.

And is Apple/AT&T going to have a tethering solution or is that just a pipe dream?