Adobe recently unveiled huge updates to its Creative Cloud Photography Plan – a $10 per month
subscription to Lightroom, Photoshop, and other similar apps. Hogging the
spotlight of the update is the sixth major release of Lightroom, now known as
Lightroom CC (unless you buy the software separately). The release includes
facial recognition support, GPU enhancements, new filter brush,
new HDR, panorama features, and slideshow improvements.
In addition to the heavily updated
desktop app, Lightroom for Android received a hefty update as well. Support for
Android tablets was added along with the ability to edit and save photos and
microSD cards, (yes, they still exist) and support for DNG files. iOS wasn’t
left out of the update either but the features are less enticing than the
desktop and Android updates: ability to sign up in-app, better crop, copy and
paste adjustments, and a presentation mode were gifted to iOS users.
Android, desktop, and iOS users will
all discover that with the update, Lightroom now integrates with newly-launched
media filing service Voice and
Slate. Adobe says this will make it
easier for users of Aperture, iPhoto, and Photoshop elements to import their
media libraries into Lightroom and ditch their old photo manager.
It’s hard to believe that any photo
editing software fans will be disappointed in this solid update by Adobe, even
though Photoshop wasn’t included in the overhaul this time around. As for
Adobe, this update reflects a huge shift in company ideology from point
products to the Creative Cloud (a subscription launched in 2012).
As of right now, Lightroom CC is
available as Lightroom 6 for $149, but Adobe’s decision to align Lightroom with the CC banner
reinforces the company’s commitment to the Creative Cloud subscription. It’s
not the right time to kill a standalone (non-subscription) app yet, but don’t
be surprised if Adobe moves to do so in the future.
The Lightroom updates were designed
for Creative Cloud subscribers. Regardless of what anyone else says, that
subscription model seems to work pretty well for Adobe.
No comments:
Post a Comment