Adobe’s Photoshop has become so influential in the media world that the name of the app is usually used to describe edited images. Although the name is ubiquitous, not everyone uses it, and Adobe hopes to replace it with a new free version.
According to The Verge, Adobe is creating a “freemium” version of Photoshop on the web that is currently only available in Canada. To access the free web version, users need to sign up for an Adobe account that does not have many features but key features are accessible. To get the full version, users need to pay for an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription – although Photoshop on the web still doesn’t have many features like standalone apps. Photoshop on the Web is currently in beta, and Adobe is adding more features over time.
Photoshop on the web only works in Chrome or Microsoft Edge browsers, and if you try to use unsupported browsers like Safari, users will only be able to view and comment on existing documents. An Adobe FAQ states that the company will “soon bring edits to other browsers, such as Firefox,” but does not mention Safari or WebKit.
If you are an iPad user, Adobe does not recommend using Photoshop on the web on tablets. According to Adobe’s FAQ, “You can currently only edit Photoshop in Web Beta in non-mobile web browsers. You can view and comment using a mobile web browser. For the iPad, we recommend using Photoshop on the iPad, which is part of your Creative Cloud subscription. “
Adobe did not mention plans to expand free Photoshop access to the web, but the Canadian trial is probably a trial. Maria Yap, Adobe’s VP of digital imaging, told Verge: “We want to create. [Photoshop] It’s more accessible and easier for more people to use and experience the product. “
Users who decide to pay for a standalone Adobe Creative Cloud subscription to get the full set of features will pay $ 21 / month for Photoshop or $ 55 per month for the full suite of Adobe apps.
While Photoshop has a legacy of its own, its price, Adobe’s subscription model, and the complexity of the app have turned off potential customers, with customers turning to more user-friendly apps such as Acorn, Affinity Photo, or Pixelmeter. Adobe’s Freemium offer is clearly an attempt to better compete with those apps and get more people to sign up for a Creative Cloud subscription.