Adobe Introduces Creative Suite 5.5, Subscription Editions

012916 adobe

Adobe has introduced Creative Suite 5.5 with substantial upgrades to InDesign, Dreamweaver, Flash Professional, Premiere Pro, and After Effects. Also included is a new SDK for Photoshop CS5. This release is new strategy for Adobe which targets mid-cycle releases every 12 months and major releases every 24 months.

Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the new Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 product line (see separate releases), enabling designers and developers to target popular and emerging smartphone and tablet platforms, as the revolution in mobile communications fundamentally changes the way content is distributed and consumed. Substantive advances to HTML5, Flash authoring, digital publishing and video tools as well as new capabilities that kick-start the integration of tablets into creative workflows, anchor the new Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 product family.

Alongside Creative Suite 5.5, Adobe has also introduced a subscription model for companies who wish to stay up to date with Creative Suite releases. For example, Adobe Photoshop can be used for $35/month, Adobe Design Premium CS5.5 for US$95 per month, Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 Master Collection for US$129 per month. MobileBeat explains further:

For one thing, as an alternative to the traditionally-priced version of Creative Suite, Adobe customers can now purchase CS5.5 through a subscription model. Those subscriptions arent exactly cheap (Photoshop costs $35 per month, while the full suite costs $129 per month), and this isnt a full-on embrace of the online software model either. Subscription customers still buy the software in a box they just pay for the license one month at a time.

Dave Burkett, vice president and general manager of Adobe Creative Suite, explains that many freelancers coming on and off a project would enjoy the flexibility a month to month plan offers. Macworld details the different pricing options which include discounts for year-long commitments.

Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 will begin shipping in the next 30 days. A full listing of new features are detailed on Adobe's website.

Popular Stories

apple store down feature

Here's Why the Apple Store is Going Down

Thursday November 27, 2025 1:01 pm PST by
Apple's online store is going down for a few hours on a rolling country-by-country basis right now, but do not get your hopes up for new products. Apple takes its online store down for a few hours ahead of Black Friday every year to tease/prepare for its annual gift card offer with the purchase of select products. The store already went down and came back online in Australia and New Zealand, ...
iPhone Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket is Now Completely Sold Out Worldwide

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:16 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. However, it is now completely sold out in all countries where it was released. iPhone Pocket became available to order on Apple's online store starting Friday, November 14, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, ...
New Intel Logo

Apple and Intel Rumored to Partner on Mac Chips Again in a New Way

Friday November 28, 2025 7:33 am PST by
While all Macs are now powered by Apple's custom-designed chips, a new rumor claims that Apple may rekindle its partnership with Intel, albeit in a new and limited way. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said Intel is expected to begin shipping Apple's lowest-end M-series chip as early as mid-2027. Kuo said Apple plans to utilize Intel's 18A process, which is the "earliest...
streaming black friday 2025

Best Black Friday Streaming Deals - Save Big on Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, and More

Thursday November 27, 2025 1:14 pm PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air Flop Sparks Industry Retreat From Ultra-Thin Phones

Thursday November 27, 2025 3:14 am PST by
Apple's disappointing iPhone Air sales are causing major Chinese mobile vendors to scrap or freeze their own ultra-thin phone projects, according to reports coming out of Asia. Since the ‌iPhone Air‌ launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales and manufacturing cuts, while Apple's supply chain has scaled back shipments and production. Apple supplier Foxconn has...
iphone black friday gold

The Best Black Friday iPhone Deals Still Available

Friday November 28, 2025 6:24 am PST by
Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models during the holidays, and Black Friday 2025 sales have kicked off at AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models during the holiday shopping season. Note: MacRumors is...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Three Breakthrough Features

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include three standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...

Top Rated Comments

chaosbunny Avatar
191 months ago
All this moral discussion about stealing a 1500,- bucks suite of software is pretty ridiculous if you put it into a relation to the billions of dollars/euros stolen from our tax money by the private central banks.

If a corporation steals billions that's ok, but if someone pirates a single piece of software that's theft.

The same rules should apply to everyone.

Btw, I have only legit software on my computer.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BlueRevolution Avatar
191 months ago
So, the way it is now, you buy Photoshop for around $650 and after 18 months you can upgrade for $190. Total: $840 for 36 months, plus you still have your software to use for as long as you want if you choose not to upgrade anymore...

So, $35 x 36 months = $1260 and after the 36 months finnish, you have nothing... :confused:

I don't see a big advantage here, unless you only use photoshop in a few projects a year... I don't know anyone who does that, tho...

The big advantage here isn't for you. ;)
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacMyDay Avatar
191 months ago
If you run a business, like I do, then you would actually appreciate what they've done. To hire a new designer involves having enough work in the first place, which costs money. You then need to pay recruitment fees (anything from £500 - £5k depending who you use), buy them a new Mac (around £1500+ for a decent iMac), load it with software (around £2k) and then hope the candidate is as good as they interviewed. You're taking all of the risk and hoping that the work continues regularly enough to cover their salary and all of the expenses you just paid out on, when in SMEs it can vanish as quickly as it arrived. So after spending maybe as much as £8k before the member of staff has even started and you've bought their software, to be able to pay £85/m for the software instead of £1700 in one hit is a much needed relief.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)