Adobe is finally bringing full blown Photoshop to the iPad

July 13, 2018 by John Aldred 14 Comments

Yes, that’s right, it’s finally coming. Photoshop is to become an iPad app. Apple’s dream of turning the iPad Pro into a desktop replacement is potentially about to become a little more true thanks to a report from Bloomberg today. All I can say is, it’s about time!

Bloomberg reports that Adobe is working on a new cross-platform version of Photoshop, as well as other applications. These cross-platform apps will allow users to run the full versions of those applications on the iPad, and then continue edits on other devices, like a desktop or laptop.

While Adobe’s lack of a real Photoshop for iOS has allowed others, like Affinity Photo, to enter the fray, it’s still the core product that most photographers use to retouch their images. Affinity Photo’s release for the iPad, though, certainly shows that people want that freedom and flexibility to retouch on their tablets. Affinity Photo was also awarded the title of iPad App of the Year by Apple themselves in 2017.

So, the demand is most definitely there, and Serif’s proven that the iPad is capable.

As well as satisfying the needs of professionals who want to work on the go, Bloomberg says that Apple is also trying to appeal to the more casual user who doesn’t want to spend hours sitting at a desktop. And, who can blame them? I’d like to be able to sit back on the couch with my feet up editing on a tablet sometimes, too.

But I wouldn’t start celebrating just yet. Photoshop for iOS is not going to be coming until 2019, so they say. And they don’t mention which of the 12 months in 2019 it will be coming – assuming they can stick to a 2019 release.

[via The Verge]

About John Aldred

John Aldred is based in Scotland and photographs animals in the studio and people in the wild.

You can find out more about John on his website and follow his adventures on YouTube and Facebook.

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Chainsaw Charlie

Yeah, a 10 or 12 inch iPad will replace my 27 inch desktop. The smaller the screen, the more it’s suitable for photo editing. What’s next? Should i edit my photos on my 5.5 inch phone?
- Sean
  
  I edit photos on my 12″ MacBook just fine, so why not an iPad Pro? And yes, I edit them on my iPhone 7 Plus as well. My thinking is not the screen size but the computing power. PS requires a LOT of it.
  - Chainsaw Charlie
    
    Good for you.
    
    By the way, how do you, for example, mask precisely the top layer around the hair? Or when you sharpen the eyes, but you want to avoid sharpening the eyelashes? Cos i can’t do it with my fingers on such a small screen.
    - Sean
      
      Called an iPencil
      - Chainsaw Charlie
        
        A pencil and 6 and 12 inch screens … Again, good for you if you’re able to edit photos with that.
      - Renlish
        
        Charlie, it’s called a fucking zoom key. Stop with the “you do you BUT YOU’RE WRONG” bullshit. Yes, you are able to edit extremely fine detail on small screens – you just apply a different method of working. I’ve edited photos on a small laptop and my lovely big desktop with a 27″ monitor. The only hassel I had with the laptop was that it’s processor power wasn’t nearly as good. Having a large screen isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be either because sometimes you can’t see the forest for the trees. Big screen works for you? Awesome. Smaller screens work for others. Accept that and the fact that your opinion isn’t the only one.
    - EDVISIONS
      
      i agree with sean lol.
      as for how to mask this and that, how about take a better picture next time?
      you can put a bow tie on a piece of shit, but at the end, its stil a piece of shit…
      - Chainsaw Charlie
        
        You are free to agree. But what do you edit, then? Boost the saturation and contrast, and you’re good to go? You don’t need Photoshop then. You don’t even need a camera then. Take a photo with your phone, share it on “social media”, and you succeeded, you’re an awesome photographer. Congratulations.
Debbie Glisson

Carla Royal
- Carla Royal
  
  You keep me in the know. Thanks, cuz.
John G Schickler

LOL. Affinity Photo has had their product for the iPad for a while now. One-time price and now on sale for a couple months price of cloud. Has everything PS has and updates a free. Check it out.
- EDVISIONS
  
  no thanks. adobe for life
Kacper Cybuch

Now, when I already bought Affinity?:D
Kacper Cybuch

“Photoshop for iOS is not going to be coming until 2019, so they say.” 😉