It seems Adobe has finally taken a stand and drawn a line in the sand.
Adobe's flagship photo editing tool Photoshop will no longer be available for
purchase whether as a boxed purchase or digital download, instead new versions
of Photoshop, will be called Photoshop CC (for 'Creative Cloud') and can only be
obtained by purchasing a subscription-based service, the same goes for the rest
of the suite, so we'll see also Illustrator CC, InDesign CC, Dreamweaver CC and
Premiere Pro CC.
The Times Are A Changing!
Adobe announced there will never be a Photoshop CS7, Instead the new version of
Photoshop, Photoshop CC will be available from June 17th via the subscription
based service, with pricing starting at $50 for a monthly subscription.
Photoshop CS6 will still be made available to buy for anyone who doesn't want to sign
up for the Creative Cloud - but none of the new updates are going to be added to it.
Why Creative Cloud?
The benefit for the consumer of the Creative Cloud is that they can take advantage of new
features Adobe develops immediately, rather than having to wait 12 months for the next boxed
version to hit stores. Rather than the traditional 'buy the box' business model, the Creative
Cloud is an existing subscription-based service, where you essentially rent the whole range of
creative software from Adobe.
"Lets be honest, the main reason is to stop world-wide on-line theft, whether it be illegal
warez digital downloads, the hacked portable versions or the full cracked versions available
all over the web. Adobe is and has lost an incredible amount of money due to piracy".
The Dangling Carrot!
So what will the new Photoshop include? Here are a few updates posted:
Camera shake reduction - a feature which was revealed last month, a tool that helps
to reduce motion blur in your photos.
Smart Sharpen - analyses images to produce the best possible sharpening, while minimizing
halos and noises. With 'intelligent up sampling', Adobe says users will be able to increase
the size of an image, large enough for a billboard, without pixelation.
Advanced Healing brush - enables you to 'heal' or 'patch' images with a brush stroke instead
of the usual circular area.
The 3D features and high-end image analysis tools of Photoshop Extended - an existing, pricier
version of Photoshop CS6 - will be included in Photoshop CC
The Behance creative pro social network, purchased by Adobe in March, will be built into all the
major CC applications, enabling you to post your projects instantly to Behance for feedback.
A new workflow from Photoshop CC to Edge Reflow CC, promised for this summer, that will enable you
to build web designs in Photoshop that can easily be turned into responsive websites.
In total, Adobe promises "literally hundreds" of updates and new features to its Creative Suite tools.
"Has Adobe Alienated The Common Man / The Everyday User"?
Concerns:
Who can afford a $50 monthly bill to use Photoshop.
The Creative Cloud is a tempting treat, but honestly, how many everyday users will invest their money
and time learning the other tools most will never have use for.
What becomes of the offspring of Photoshop, Adobe Elements, will it continue or be discontinued.
As a business I think Adobe has done the right thing, but as an everyday user I feel Adobe alienated
its customers for the professional community that can afford the Creative Cloud price tag.
