One of the risks of trying to find a niche to build a startup is that the big guys can land on your face at any time. That’s why all of these startups are going to be in serious trouble when Adobe releases a free, ad supported online version of Photoshop in six months.
This announcement comes at a time when developers are lavishing attention on Adobe’s Flex platform, particularly in the video editing and sharing space. I think it’s reasonable for startups to question if Adobe will plan on competing with them in areas beyond photo editing. If that’s the case, these startups may not want to spend their time and venture dollars testing out various products, only to have Adobe jump in the middle after all the dirty work is done.
Adobe is both a platform company and an application company. Conflicts are not avoidable.
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Will this be called Photoshop Super Dooper LE? I mean can it really be able to handle the complex manuvers that the standalone does?
What happens when you do all your design, go to click save and realize your internet connection blipped and you lost all your work?
I think this will have it’s place, though I would have called it something new.
ImageReady perhaps
I agree with the guy above makes since! Because im an avid photoshop user being I am a fashion designer!
Obviously it’s not a direct Photoshop clone, rather just a Flex based app that can do the simple on the fly editing jobs that typical users wouldn’t mind enduring ads for. Removing red-eye, resizing (god the amount of shareware available for people to resize…), cropping, contrast/lighting, color, so forth. Saving in multiple formats. Look up each individual function and you’re bound to find 50 shareware or a handful online app capable of doing it.
This can easily segue into photo hosting business or myspace widgeting and it’s just done. Putting Photoshop on the brand and it’s game over.
It’s funny how fashion designer ceo guy writes like he’s a retarded 6 year old.
I presume this means that Linux users will soon have an option of accessing Photoshop via the online edition, in addition to the current solution using the Wine/Crossover emulator.
If so, it will be another positive step for desktop Linux.
this is some gold news…I wonder if they will pump out an embeddable widget…so anyone can add basic photo/image manipulation capabilities to their site…that would save a whole lot of mucking around with RMagick
They will own that online space by the end of 2007, that is my prediction.
That is a killer idea. If Adobe can harness even 5% of Photoshop’s power into web app format, those photo editing startups are going to have a hell of a time trying to compete.
They actually had a similar Logo Maker online tool out a few years ago - perhaps shortly, they will launch a basic online FLASH tools
Love it. There’s been a few times when I could have done with PS and I was on a computer that didn’t have it. I think it’s the right direction for Adobe. I wouldn’t use it as a full time tool…the same way I’m not 100% convinced about using Google Apps full time…but as a service that is there ‘when you need it’…it’s perfect.
Still laughing at Alaska Miller’s 2nd comment.
I Agree with Alaska Miller and I will never use product of company which is usually hard commercial. It’s like Jobster CEO calling community to the action in their press releases.
They already run Flash files as script interfaces on their CS3 beta, so Flash most likely will come embedded, along with shiny new cross platform widgets. Very cool, at least for the not too fussy end user
I’ve seen few if any Web 2.0 start-ups that actually make PRODUCT, most if not all make a SERVICE. It’s an important differentiation. Adobe could launch a video sharing web site shrink wrap package tomorrow, but it would not pose much threat to Youtube since Youtube offers their product as a service. Adobe is a product company not a service company so I personally don’t see much threat in this. If there is a threat it’s in entrepreneurs using the adobe product to launch more services.
This looks like it’s going to be fantastic. If I were running a startup in this area, I would definitely be worried.
I think will hear about this trend more and more. Word and excel were the first desktop based applications that were “ported” for internet and I think they are a success. Internet has the potential of becoming our computer outhere and all that will need in the future will be a free thinkless terminal. Not in 2007 as somebody above said, but in a near future, depending also on the stability and the advantages that the browser will introduce in order to support this kind of online activity which will probably require more resources dedicated to the browser. The fiber optics already are in place… and they can support a million time the transfer rates from today… so the only problem that I can see is browser support.
If this is indeed a ‘lite’ version, then it will obviously not affect pro-designers (they already own and understand PS).
But to woo casual consumers they will need to seriously simplify the interface. PS is archane and extremely difficult to learn as a beginner.
Here’s another way to think about it: think of Photoshop as the “killer-app” of the platform. Adobe’s online Photoshop will be so attractive that it’ll actually prompt users to adopt the platform quicker - making the platform even more successful. It’s win-win for Adobe.
I’m looking forward to this, for two reasons. I love how SnipShot allows input/output of a photo for resizing and cropping to integrate into wep apps like CMS, but it’s limitted. So the Adobe hosted product might be a good alternative. But also, as a big WPF/E and Microsoft ASP.NET/AJAX fan, I hope that Adobe do alienate adopters of Apollo/Flex/Flash and move to a more end-to-end platform!
This is killer - the other contenders in this space might as well give up now. What’s really exciting is the possibility that other applications providers might follow suit.
Microsoft must be quietly shitting themselves.
Two thoughts
1) This will be great for consumers who like to dabble with Photoshop but don’t want to go the full hog yet
2) Will we soon be getting more adobe products online, like flash etc?
very exciting
Browser will the users and developers platform going forward moving from the desktop further reducing the importance of M$. This would be another significant step int his trend if the online version can really take-off.
Well… the success of such a online version of office tools is yet to be seen though there have been major roll-outs by big players. I feel this market would be something which will organically evolve.
Gud luck to them.
It is already operating in other web 2.0 businesses than photo editing:
webfeedz.com
Oobie,
I don’t believe there is a sharp learning curve at all with Photoshop. Using most of the tools, filters and plugins is actually quite simple to do. Learning the harder aspects such as the Pen Tool can take time. If someone is having a hard time learning they can always start with Photoshop Elements which probably is better for them anyway.
This idea is great and will be super-useful. I’m stepping back and thinking Adobe is on a quest for world wide web domination…and is starting to look like a design monopoly…
I’m not sure i agree Adrian.
Even the basic idea of *layers* in PS is counter-intuitive to beginners - i can totally see their usefulness and why they are there - but regular users are used to bounding boxes, dragging stuff round, deleting etc. This is the steep (and ultimately worthwhile) learning curve with PS I am talking about.
Also, are you saying adobe don’t already have a design monopoly??
if you can put photoshop online you can put any app online.
As a user of Photoshop everyday, I think this is a good idea. Though I would believe it will be much lighter version of PS Elements, in terms of usability and functionality.
Be good to see it when it comes out.
I fail to see what the debate is here?
Pro users will continue to use the standalone version they already have - while new users will probably get to grips with the web version.
I have to doubt pro users will use the online version however I doubt that’s Adobe’s intention. It’s far more likely this freebie is simply to encourage new users to learn of some of the more simplistic but useful features of PS.
Most bloggers live in their browsers and don’t need full-blown Photoshop. This will be perfect for them.
Excellent! Aside from the obvious - having a cool tool on the web - this is an excellent business idea for Adobe to make sure they continue to corner the market on the pro graphic set. Young, inexperienced folks will have easy and free access to the web based version and as they move up in skill, they’ll likely stay with the brand they know to purchase the heavier, offline versions.
Good move by Adobe.
heh heh “fashion designer” very good.
yes i agree with all comments too, being i am an internationally ignored rockstar.
deary me….
Creating Adobe Photoshop online by using AJAX isn’t so bad. All they need to add popup ADS or Ad placement on the buttom in order to generate revenue. I think is pretty cool business model for startups.
Well, if the future consists of online apps funded by advertising, my ad-blocking software is going to become even more valuable to me. I wonder how long before Madison Avenue realise that nobody is actually seeing their ads?
This is clearly going to be different code, which suggests that it will have a different plug-in API (if any). This *might* annoy the vendors and users of Photoshop plug-ins….
The smaller guys will need to specialize. My site does many of the image operations and has ImageMagick interface but focuses on demonstrating fonts. http://interactimage.com
there will be a decent amount of time, though, before Adobe makes their editor stable enough to compete with video editors. maybe enough time for folks to make their money and get on with it - isn’t that sort of the intention anyway for all these startups?
Also…
I’d love to see this in action to be honest - Because a browser based application as powerful as even a “dumb-downed” version of PS would be very difficult for even the most capable of web browsers to handle.
What’s that smell? Oh, its the soiled undergarments of six start-up CEOs…
I am super skeptical of ajax/javascript/html web based apps ever being able to provide the desktop capabilities that make something like photoshop so nice.
So what are the choices ?
- javascript/dhtml
- flash
- flash and apollo
- microsoft xbap
Anyone have opinions which is best ?
This is very cool. Regarding some of the browser issue #35 has mentioned…I think they should also have that same free version of Photoshop built on the Apollo platform. Since Apollo supports online/offline mode, users can still have access to the free version, without the hassle of the web browser. I know this in a way defeats the purpose in the first place, since it will probably still have to be downloaded, but something to think about.
Hey #37, I was just posting mine when I saw your post. I think Flash and Apollo is this best option. Also considering the fact that Adobe owns Flash/Flex, Apollo and Photoshop…it shouldn’t be a problem
I wouldn’t be surprised if Adobe is trying to flex its muscles to avoid being hit very hard by Google, who will come up again with an upgraded Picassa. What features will this free software have in the next release? I don’t think Adobe will want to wait and see.
Come on Google, go for it! Hit ‘em hard!
Can’t see it - as a hardcore PShop user since version 2 I’ll be interested as to how the networked processing power is going to handle big, big files. Over adsl? They’re kiding, right? This is just some lightweight faddy toy for the wannabee’s. has its place but don’t get fooled - you’ll still need to spend the money on the real thing. But is cash is tight - GIMP isn’t bad for you PC users - and its free!
and apologies for lousy typing above.
Does Flash have video,audio,image manipulation features embedded or is it just an interface to a serverside codec which does the dirty work?
Great idea especially for all the people that still don’t know the power of Photoshop!
Oob,
I don’t know. Layers was the functionality that prompted/motivated me to learn Photoshop myself years ago. Indeed, an online version has got to be targeted for amateur users - so one Adobe to rule them all!
Nonsense. I am a graphic designer and use Photoshop on a daily basis. However, when it comes to personal photo editing I use iPhoto and if I was on a PC I would use Picasa. Both are basically free and have a wealth of features that operate quickly and painlessly on your computer and not over a network. The thought of trying to crunch through image processing over the web is simply stupid. Anybody who wants to do basic editing should stick to the free apps. Anybody who is a little more serious should get something like Elements… And if you’re a professional then you’ve already got CS.
I wonder how much of a stripped down version of photoshop this really will be. This program will used by many when it first comes out and to think that some may think this is the original version but it can’t be. Photoshop is a pretty intensive program with the size, it chuggs on most computers. I hope that everyone is ready for a stripped down photoshop.
Anyone who uses PS as an amateur should try FotoFusion by Lumapix. The easiest layer creation product for on the market.
I think I’ll stick to the downloadable version, thanks.
Big boys with big bucks and big ego’s,beware.
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