Adobe discontinues software packs, moving an online only model from June
The software giant is now ditching its Creative Suite and moving to Adobe Creative Cloud available for online downloads only, and will no longer sell CS packaged software via retailers.
Adobe Creative Suite 6 products will continue to be available for purchase, but “has no plans for future releases of Creative Suite or other CS products,” it announced on its website.
All software updates will be channelled via Adobe Creative Cloud, and available immediately.
Just under a year ago, Adobe launched the first phase of Creative Cloud, but has now accelerated move to online-only downloads.
After recently being accused of price gouging in Australia, something which the software giant vehemently denies, it has released new Creative Cloud plans for $49.99 per month offering the full versions of its Creative Suite 6 desktop applications, and 20GB of cloud storage.
By comparison, Adobe CS6 Design Standard for Mac currently sells for $2,172 at Officeworks Online.
“We believe that Creative Cloud will have a larger impact on the creative world than anything else we’ve done over the past three decades,” Adobe said.
Retailers will still play a role in selling the online only, cloud-based Adobe software, however, and sell subscriptions via pre-paid cards, reports Fairfax Media. CN contacted Officeworks, who sell Adobe CS, on the massive change, and are awaiting reply.
Existing Adobe users can also upgrade to the wholly-online Creative Cloud for $29.99 per month
Users can also access Adobe’s Edge tools and other services including Digital Publishing Suite, purchase Touch based apps or single apps for $19 p.m.
There are also other plan options available including one for Teams for $69.99 p.m and for students and teachers for $14.99.
Last month it was announced Scholastic would no longer be an Adobe distribution partner.
Adobe says plans for Creative Cloud are “much greater than the applications themselves…our vision is to remove friction from the creative process and make it more productive and connected.”
“In the year since, we built the infrastructure to store and share files in the cloud, and acquired Behance, a thriving social network,” the company said on its website.
“This first year has been more successful than we could have imagined, with over half a million premium members and counting.”
