Adobe Enters the Mac App Store With 'Photoshop Elements 9 Editor'

photoshop elements 9 editor
As noted by Macworld, Adobe has finally dipped its toe into the Mac App Store for the first time, releasing a slightly scaled-down version of its consumer Photoshop Elements software, Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 Editor [Mac App Store]. Priced at $79.99, Photoshop Elements 9 Editor drops the Adobe Elements Organizer functionality found in the retail version of the software, but is also discounted by $20 off the retail list price.

The omission of the Elements Organizer, a tool for managing images, will not affect users who depend on iPhoto to manage their image library, and is in fact designed to be used alongside iPhoto for more advanced editing features than iPhoto offers.

The Mac App Store version of Elements 9 includes the same editing tools that made the full version popular, including content aware-fill, Group Shot, Panorama, and Style Match Photomerge tools. The novice-friendly application offers guided edit modes that walk users though adding effects and cleaning up photos.

Apple has of course been pushing its Mac App Store as the future of software delivery for the Mac platform, going so far as to distribute its new OS X Lion exclusively through the store beginning tomorrow. While a number of other developers have embraced the Mac App Store for its ease of software distribution and consumer convenience, observers have been waiting for some of the software heavyweights like Adobe and Microsoft to make their presences felt in the marketplace.

Microsoft has also dabbled in the Mac App Store with its free Windows Phone 7 Connector, and while it may be quite some time before the software giants release their flagship Creative Suite and Office software through the Mac App Store, if they ever choose to do so, it is encouraging to see them making their first efforts at distributing content through Apple's preferred software marketplace.

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Top Rated Comments

farmermac Avatar
180 months ago
I can't imagine ms or adobe releasing their full suites. Thatd require forking over huge commissions to apple that would eat profit margins. 30% is too high for ms. They don't need that distribution channel. Just like FireWire and thunderbolt the Mac app store will remain very niche.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mwayne85 Avatar
180 months ago
Those cats are adorable! Can I buy those on the app store?:D
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
benthewraith Avatar
180 months ago
Anyone have any experience with Elements and how it compares to Aperture 3???

Aperture's Adobe counterpart is not Elements. You're looking for Lightroom.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sackvillenb Avatar
180 months ago
$80 huh? Is elements useful enough to cost $80? No really, I'm legitimately asking.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
180 months ago
I think Adobe is making a rather clever move here. Elements is the perfect app to test the waters of the Mac App Store. Out of all their apps, it has the widest appeal, and yet isn't their core money-maker. I can see it being fairly popular on the Mac App Store for casual everyday users who want to take things to the next level.

Elements is also a great introductory application to their flagship software such as Photoshop. I know a lot of kids and teenagers who started out on Elements on their path to becoming a designer. Even though Adobe leads the professional segment right now, getting young designers hooked on your products helps ensure a future user for your more expensive professional lines. Just like iPod Touches help ensure future iPhone users, and even Mac users to a certain extent. Marketing has many components!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gamoe Avatar
180 months ago
You're ignorance is incredible. With MAS many developers are reaching big audience without loosing money cause packaging, distribution, servers costs. THE YARE GETTING THE MONEY DIRECTLY MORE THAN BEFORE. Yes i know many devs.

People like you make me sick.

Really, people like him make you sick? Why? Because he has a different opinion than you on software distribution channels? Seriously? I think you need a little perspective. And stop insulting people online since you don't have the guts to do it face-to-face.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)