Adobe replaces Creative Suite retail packaging with subscription-based system

Adobe has taken a radical turn in the way it offers its solutions to consumers, and from what we can tell, it has been receiving a radically mixed response.


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Adobe yesterday announced the future of its Creative Suite line of products at Adobe Max, stating that the company was steering clear of any retail and switching over to a subscription only model. If you were hoping for the announcement of a Photoshop CS7 or an Adobe Master Collection CS7, lay those hopes to rest. Going this new direction, the “CS” in all product names will now be replaced by “CC” for “Creative Cloud.”

Adobe has made it clear that there will be no further development on CS6 line-up of products, but it will continue to offer support for the series. This, according to Adobe, will help them focus on a single suite of productivity tools. “We launched Creative Cloud a year ago and it has been a runaway success,” said David Wadhwani, senior vice president and general manager, Digital Media, Adobe. “By focusing our energy -- and our talented engineers -- on Creative Cloud, we’re able to put innovation in our members’ hands at a much faster pace.”

Moving the service to a completely subscription based system will definitely help Adobe combat piracy, which has been a major concern for the company. At the same time, Adobe is also worried about leaving its existing customer base miffed and to sweeten the deal, they have introduced special pricing for those who own a legal copy of the CS3 suite and above. Here is a full breakdown of the pricing for the subscription of Adobe Creative Cloud service:


Starter Package Single App Complete For owners of CS3 and above Single App - For owners of CS3 and above For owners of CS6
Cost Free Rs. 1,000/month Rs. 2,700/month Rs. 1,600/month Rs. 499/month Rs. 1,000/month
What's included 30 day app trial, 2 GB Cloud Storage, Limited Access to features A full version of the selected app, 20GB of cloud storage, Limited Access to services Full version of every app, 20GB of cloud storage, Full access to services Full version of every app, 20GB of cloud storage, Full access to services A full version of the selected app, 20GB of cloud storage, Limited Access to services Full version of every app, 20GB of cloud storage, Full access to services
Rs. 2,700 per month can be a little too steep for many individuals, but the pricing seems to run in accord with how much it would cost to update the Creative Suite after 18 months. Regardless, many might find sticking to the existing version of CS6 a better option, albeit, they’d have to live without the amazing new features Adobe will keep bringing to the suite over the coming days, months and year.