So, what's this about a hosted Photoshop?

By now you’ve probably seen a whole bunch of stories about how Adobe is planning to put a version of Photoshop online in the next six months or so, based on remarks from CEO Bruce Chizen.  Here’s the original CNET story, as well as a distillation of the quotes from Bruce.

I view this evolution of Adobe imaging as a logical (and exciting) extension of what we’ve been doing for several years.  The company recognized that one size doesn’t fit all, and that it’s possible to leverage core imaging technology & experience to build a variety of related solutions.  That’s what has led to Photoshop Elements (starting with core PS editing, removing pro-level complexity, adding hobbyist-oriented creation & sharing tools) and Photoshop Lightroom (leveraging Camera Raw, metadata, and workflow experience).  A Photoshop-branded online editor lets us start bringing the tech to new customers–much like the new Adobe Remix reaches new customers using Adobe Premiere technology.

To set expectations properly, I think it’s important to mention that by "Photoshop-branded" we don’t mean the professional version of Photoshop.  The tools being discussed here are targeted at the consumer market–especially all the people using social networking and media sharing sites.

Exciting times are ahead.  And meanwhile, we’re working hard to keep opening doors to the online world in Adobe desktop apps. The upshot is that Adobe imaging technology can migrate to the Web, and the Web can transform and enhance desktop tools.

0 thoughts on “So, what's this about a hosted Photoshop?

  1. These online hosted apps are going to be the future even though I still find them cumbersome.
    It would be cool if down the road the full version of PS could integrate with the web app and vice verca and some type of central data repository.
    I for one believe that these online apps are totally the future but I think that people need virtual hard drives that integrate flawlessly at highspeeds with them before we see wide spread success. Right know the more I commit to the web the more stuff I have in lots of places.
    Keep up the good work,
    Tom
    Tampa Bay Photographer

  2. Are you serious guys ?
    Adobe is editing solutions to make web apps and in other hand, they are developping their own applications… I really don’t understand what they wanna do. They are breaking all the little web agency which want to start in RIA, because for now, it’s an online photoshop but what about the future ?
    sincerely, Adobe does not suspect the effect that will produce…
    Wait and see…

  3. i think its cool…. but why use the Photoshop name… bu using its name i think you will be cheapening the brand use something else…. use PS elements online or somehting no just photoshop.

  4. Sooo, John…
    Perhaps this is why you didn’t let out a peep regarding http://www.fauxto.com when I emailed you the link a couple days before Xmas? :o)
    [No, no–it’s just that I start more blog entries than I can finish, and this was among them. 🙂 There are other online editors I’d like to point out, too. –J.]
    This is going to get interesting…

  5. John,
    Adobe Remix was built in Flex. Can we assume that Adobe will build this hosted version of Photoshop in Flex?
    [Good question. I think it’s safe to bet it’ll leverage the Flash Platform, which would probably mean a mix of Flash & Flex. –J.]

  6. Fauxto.com already has layers, the filters, etc. built in Flex. It’s already so close to Photoshop.
    [Er, no. 🙂 –J.]

  7. John
    Can you confirm that there will be 2 versions of Photoshop in CS3? I noticed on the beta that the product is referred to as Photoshop CS3 Standard – which kind of indicates that there may be a Professional version in the vein of Flash MX2004/8 – if so, what kind of additional features will be available in the pro version?
    [Sam, I don’t have any specifics I can share right now, other than to tell you that the word “Standard” in the beta is a typo, and that there’s no plan to make a “basic/pro” split in Photoshop. We’re in the home stretch on CS3 now, so it’ll be possible to discuss all the product details soon. –J.]

  8. I think Adobe Express has a L O N G way to go to compete with established photo gallery software. I was very disappointed in the beta.
    Took forever to upload, could not delete multiple bad photo’s and edit was substandard.
    Let me know when they get it right.

  9. Does anyone know whatever happened to this? Originally it was 6 mos but it’s actually been almost 18 mos now, and I can’t find any update more recent than April 07.

  10. Presumably they’re having trouble reconciling hosted pricing with the expected cannibalization of sales of the (expensive) boxed product.
    Classic microeconomics.

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