Adobe finally releases Photoshop on iPad

Image: Adobe

Adobe finally released Photoshop on iPad.

Besides being able to access and edit Photoshop files on the go, the iPad version “is reimagined with a new user experience completely redesigned for the iPad with touch and mobility top of mind,” said Pam Clark, Adobe’s senior director of product management, in a blog post on Monday morning. 

It’s been a long wait for Photoshop on iPad, with rumors cropping up in the summer of 2018 and the official release announcement coming a year ago.

Clark also announced a new version of the desktop version of Photoshop, which includes the new Sensei AI, and a “major expansion” of Adobe’s cloud documents system. That update includes support for PSD files and Adobe Aero.

But, really, the big focus here is the iPad. Because the same base code is used in both the iPad and Desktop version, Adobe says, “you can open and edit the same PSD in Photoshop on your desktop or iPad without worrying about conversions, compressions, imports or exports.” And that new system means your work gets saved automatically to — you guessed it — the cloud.

Adobe is also careful to stress, though, that “this the beginning.” In other words, the iPad version doesn’t quite yet support everything available on the desktop version. Version 1.0 “is focused on compositing, basic retouching, and masking, common tasks and workflows that we know will be useful for most Photoshop users.”

That said, Adobe promises to add more capabilities over time based on how the iPad version is actually utilized. 

But just as Adobe ends one tease, so begins another: the company plans to announce at its annual MAX conference that Illustrator will also be coming to iPad some time in 2020. 

If you already subscribe to Photoshop, you’re good to go and can download the app to your iPad now. If you’re not a subscriber, you can check out the options here, including a free trial.