Adobe Updates Creative Cloud Applications

Studiodaily by Bryant Frazer

Adobe today launched the highly anticipated — and controversial — first Creative Cloud-only update to 15 of its desktop applications, including Premiere Pro, After Effects, SpeedGrade, and Photoshop. The new versions of the apps are available only to Creative Cloud subscribers; CS6 is the last version of the perpetually licensed Creative Suite to be released.

Adobe software users with Creative Cloud subscriptions are able to download the revised applications and use Adobe's browser-based services, like the Kuler color-picker and Story Plus screenwriting and production management tool. Creative Cloud is also integrated with Behance, allowing subscribers to publish portfolios online and follow and interact with other Creative Cloud users. Files shared in the cloud can be accessed from different devices — for example, an iPad user could make some basic color-corrections using Photoshop Touch on the iPad, then open the same file with Photoshop on a desktop machine and keep working. And only Creative Cloud subscribers get the updated applications.

For more on what's new, see our overview articles on the new Adobe creative applications and After Effects specifically.

Subscription Model Angers Many

Some users have cried foul, arguing that the new subscription model represents a substantial price hike for individuals who don't use all of Adobe's apps (the full line-up includes page design apps InCopy and InDesign, HTML coding app Dreamweaver, and more that aren't of much use to video pros) or who skip some product update cycles altogether in order to save money in the long run. Larger facilities might not mind the smaller monthly fee so much (compared to a much larger annual cash outlay for an across-the-board upgrade), but some freelancers and small businesses say it's more than they can handle, and worry that Adobe could increase the price at any time. read more..