Adobe plans to launch a Photoshop version of freemium on the web

Adobe is reportedly testing the free online version of Photoshop and plans to open a service for everyone, aiming to introduce more users to the industry-standard application. According to The Verge, the company is currently testing a similar version of “freemium” in Canada where users can access Photoshop in their browser using a free Adobe account. Ultimately it plans to remove certain features and offer only paid subscribers. But still, enough tools will be available for users to do what Adobe sees as the backbone of Photoshop operations.

The first web version of Photoshop was released in October last year. It was a simplified version of the desktop application that could be used to manage basic layouts; this includes layers and other important editing tools. But this did not get anywhere near the very rich and flexible Adobe Photoshop desktop application. Instead, the company has set it up as a collaborative tool where artists can share photos with others and participants can leave annotations and minor tweaks before giving it to an artist.

But since then, the company has taken many steps to increase the operating conditions of the app and unlock it for more than just interaction. One example shows that initially, someone had to share a document on the web from a desktop application, but now, any Photoshop subscriber can log into a web application and start a new document without downloading it.

According to the report, Adobe aims to use the web version of the app which is easily accessible to hook users who will want to pay for the full version for some time down the road. The company has already taken a similar approach with mobile applications such as Photoshop Express and Adobe Fresco. Offering a free web version of Photoshop can be an important time as it opens up the service to those who may want to access it using resources that would not be able to use Photoshop, including Chromebooks, which are widely used in schools in the United States and elsewhere.

The company has not yet released a date for this version of freemium but will continue to update Photoshop on the web with additional tools. New updates include tools such as refine edge, curves, cutting and heating tools, and the ability to turn Smart Things. The web app also receives support for updating and commenting on photos on mobile phones.