We’ve just announced the new Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0. As you’d expect, it offers numerous crafty new features, and in early reviews people seem impressed.
So, what about the Mac version? In short, we’ve said that it’s in development (e.g. see the last line in the first paragraph here). We haven’t been any more specific than that, largely because as a public company Adobe has to be very careful about forward-looking statements. (Technically speaking, if you asked me whether we were going to start selling garden gnomes tomorrow, I don’t think I could say yes or no.)
And so, fellow Mac users, please don’t jump to any conclusions. We don’t have a new Mac version to announce, nor can we provide details on when we might have one or what it would contain. That said, Elements Mac development continues, and in the meantime the great Photoshop Elements 3.0 for Mac is available now.
Why not develop a version for the Mac at the same time? I know many users that are disappointed.
This is very annoying! I’m still using Elements 2, and I’m afraid there is absolutely no way I would upgarde to 3 for Mac whilst Windows users get version 4. Hope we don’t have to wait long…..
Understandable, considering the Intel transition (whether that has anything to do with it or not, I’m not saying either way cuz I don’t know) No biggie, PS 9 keeps me happy. 🙂
less than a week ago I bought elements three for windows.
is there a policy of free upgrades for idiots like me?
I do hope that Adobe senses the oncoming attack from Redmond. It might be uncomfortable to compete with Apple for a small share but Microsoft won’t just compete, they’ll aim to destroy Adobe. They have PDF and image/photo software on their radar screen. If I was running Adobe, I’d make sure that I kept my Mac customers very happy.
I bought Elements 2 and skipped 3 because of the lameness of the upgrade. I was planning on getting 4 but it’s not here. I’m not happy.
I have bought every version so far, and I will buy the next one for the Mac too. Photoshop Elements is the best bargain in imaging software out there. Hell, I’ll wait until next June and be happy with a Mactel version.
You may qualify for a free upgrade. I recommend giving customer serivce a call: 800-833-6687.
I completely understand the “we’re a public company” and “forward-looking statements” issue but can anyone provide any guidance on 4.0? I don’t expect a feature list but a “buy 3.0 after October ’05 and get 4.0 for shipping costs” (or free) would certainly cause me to upgrade now. I use 2.0 regularly, really find it useful, and would like to upgrade. But I won’t if I then have to upgrade again in a couple of month, say in January at MacWorld Expo.
Sorry, Gary–I’ve said all I can say at the moment. If I get more info I can share, I’ll post a new blog entry.
No offense Neema, but you have no idea what you’re talking about. What does a delayed release of Elements 4 for Mac, have to do with Microsoft (on any level)? Nothing.
Every year, with every Adobe product, some disatisfied person always chimes in with doomsday statements about competition from Apple or Adobe. “I don’t like this; keep me happy or MS will destroy you because they’ll get my money next time!” (hint: no they won’t; you buy Adobe products and not MS’ for a reason — MS products are shoddy).
Are you a tech industry analyst? Do you have deep knowledge of MS’ or Adobe’s software strategies? Do you know the financial details of their software business? No you don’t, and neither does anyone else who makes those kinds of comments. Common….
I’m a Mac user and have been in the market for something like PSE (I recently bought a small digital camera). I waited for PSE4, because I didn’t want to waste money on PSE3 only having to buy an upgrade soon after.
It’s now dragging on. It would be good if people buying PSE3 for Mac from now (or the PSE4 Windows release date) get a free upgrade to PSE4 Mac. Adobe would have my money in a flash.
I got the PSE3 trial to install and thought PSE4 may be out by the time the trial software expired, but no such luck…. oh well… time to play with some other stuff.
John has asked me (Photoshop Elements Product Manager) to check in on this thread, in case anyone is still monitoring it, I can at least offer my input.
I understand and sympathize with the desire for simultaneous manufacturing and release of Photoshop Elements versions for Mac and Windows. But the Photoshop Elements product is unique in that it’s feature set (and core code) is different between Mac and Windows. This difference comes at a cost to the development team, and a cost that must be managed wisely for both the customer and the company.
The split schedule is the result of how we opted to ensure a quality release for Mac users, which we believed was more important than a timely one. Once the product is purchased, I believe the quality of the product’s performance is ultimately more important than the date upon which the product was acquired.
What is often taken for granted with the pleas to release software versions earlier is the impact that shipping timeframes have on product quality; there is a relationship between the two that I believe Adobe has built a reputation upon managing effectively.
Truthfully, the timing of the release is also often a point of debate and sensitivity, regardless of the circumstances. For this reason, Adobe has a grandfathering policy which is designed to offer a fair level of fiscal insurance for users that purchase within a certain window of an new release of the product.
As for the request for an immediate statement that can suggest when the grandfathering period for Photoshop Elements 4 will be in effect, I have to wait until such a time when that is legally viable, and that date has not yet passed.
In the meantime, if you are considering Photoshop Elements 3, consider it on its merits, not on it’s relative value compared to some future version of the software. It will do what it does today, and pretty well. I don’t think it would be wasted money to purchase, as has been suggested.
I will do my utmost to get the availability date to you as soon as possible so that you can feel as comfortable as possible about the purchase decision for Photoshop Elements.
-Mark Dahm
Senior Product Manager
Adobe Photoshop Elements
To Mark Dahm:
Thanks for the update. There are many of us out here interested in buying Elements for the Mac. I, for one, just downloaded the tryout version of 3, but do not want to purchase it if I would have to pay again soon for V4. Can you discuss an upgrade policy for 3->4, without regard to release dates?
Thanks again.
Alice –
We typically outline our grandfather policy at the same time of the official press release for the new version.
The statement would say something to the effect of, if you purchased Photoshop Elements anytime in the x weeks prior to the announcement, or got the old version anytime within y weeks AFTER the announcement, Adobe will offer upgrades at some special bargain (we have done free upgrades to the current version from the previous version for PSE in the past).
Fortunately, we have some flexibility here for how long we might extend the number of weeks prior to the announce that we would offer the upgrade deal. I would imagine that the policy for the next time would be at least as generous as it has been in the past, which is a free upgrade for 2 weeks prior to announce.
-Mark
Thnaks for reassuring us Mac users and PSE-lovers (I have versions 2 and 3). Any indication on whether Photoshop Elements 4 Mac will be universal binary? If so, is it still a year away like the full Photoshop? Seems a long time to wait, but I definitely want a universal binary version that I can migrate to my next intel Mac… that would be the killer feature for me, though other features are welcome, too…
Thalwil –
Adobe is focusing its UB efforts on the Creative Pro products first; you will see a UB version of Photoshop before you’ll see it for Photoshop Elements.
-Mark
I’ve been using Elements 3 on an intel iMac for a week now, and can report that it runs fine under Rosetta – startup and some operations are a bit slower than they were on my G5 iMac, but it’s usable – the faster speed of the processor almost makes up for the inefficency of the emulation.
But let me add my voice to the others – I really want a UB Elements 4, and I want it as soon as possible.
Here another voice, Please let us have a UB Elements 4 as soon as possible.
I want to buy PE, but I wont buy version3… so please come with version4 soon!
Just in case anyone is wondering, Photoshop Elements 4.0 for the Mac was released at the end of February. (Probably why all the comments stopped in February. 🙂 ) It is PowerPC only.
So this is basically the end of the line for PE on the Mac? It’s never going to become a Universal app?
[There will be a Mac version, but not until early next year. See this Macworld story for more info. –J.]