Photoshop for iPad Gains Content-Aware Fill, Remove Background, and More

[cupcakes2000]

I do not like subscriptions but the Adobe subscription gives the most value for the $ out of any that I am aware of except maybe Drafts.

Considering what you get with the basic photo plan for 11.99 a month - it’s basically a bargain. Full 2 full lightroom classic, CC, Photoshop and bridge licenses on Windows and MacOS, lightroom and ps on iPadOS and lr on iOS. 5 custom portfolio websites with ability to use custom domains for each with Portfolio, 20gb of cloud data to use the eco system. Plus lots of other little treats which I don’t use but are still there if you wish.

It’s a massive massive bargain and for a working photographer like me - or even a serious hobbyist - it’s a no brainier compared to the previous prices of the softwares.

Even the portfolio app alone costs double or way more than that with other websites for the same functionality.

Of course, for causal use then ymmv - but Adobe is the leader in the industry, it’s not really meant for casual users. So if you don’t want to suck up the bare minimum to support your needs, then choose form the multitude of other options available.

 

[ruka.snow]

Which other upcoming app?

You’ll see when it is public.

 

[cupcakes2000]

You’ll see when it is public.

Why is it a secret? I assume from what you said that it already has a desktop equivalent. Are they hiding their iPad app development? Strange and intriguing.

 

[bradman83]

Subscriptions = $5 here, $10 there, $20 here...pretty soon you're talking REAL money! No thanks!

Prior to going to the subscription model a license for Photoshop alone (not Lightroom) cost $700 (the extended version was $1000), with upgrades costing $200. It would take six years without ever upgrading for the cost of the $10 a month subscription to equal what you had to lay down for a perpetual license.

 

[sideshowuniqueuser]

Not sure what is missing from FILES. USB-C on my iPad and iPadOS 15 really seemed to fix any issues I had with the "file system". And having DropBox, OneDrive, shared/SMB, iCloud and local storage all in one place. I can zip, unzip, share and manage most of a file's properties. Having multiple FILES windows open, copy/paste, drag and drop between apps and computers, the update has been a dream.

Right ok, didn't know there was such an improvement in 15, thanks for that. Updating to iOS 15 on my phone as we speak! Or is this iPadOS only?

 

[sideshowuniqueuser]

But, but, it’s iPadOS that’s keeping the iPad from being professional, right? /s

Yep. Not /s

 

[jsalda]

This is progress, but it's still slow going with PS on iPad. In order for it to be production ready for my workflow, I need QuickMask and Channels. I'm sure there's some workarounds I can do, but it still seems so cumbersome. Every time I try to start a project on the iPad, I get frustrated and quickly move back to MBP.

 

[4743913]

Prior to going to the subscription model a license for Photoshop alone (not Lightroom) cost $700 (the extended version was $1000), with upgrades costing $200. It would take six years without ever upgrading for the cost of the $10 a month subscription to equal what you had to lay down for a perpetual license.

well a lot of people downloaded cars back then.

 

[notabadname]

The app is getting pretty useful for quick fixes, and this certainly gives a couple of significant features - especially the background selection/removal. I like it as part of my subscription, but still find myself doing any serious edits on my MBP. The iPad, especially with the next likely M chip upgrade, will be approaching the power of a lot of recent laptops that can run the full PS. So we should be about there for a truly full-featured app (I hope).

 

[Bubble99]

Fantastic to see content aware fill. Photoshop on the iPad along with another upcoming app is letting me import RAWs from my Z9, process, fully edit, and then export or publish my photos with little to nothing lacking from their desktop counterparts. I could see myself wanting a bigger iPad in the future for photo work instead of a desktop, especially now that I can reliably process 5K images on the thing as well as I could on my Mac Studio.

Is it Apple or Adobe that does not allow files app to allow import or export files?

You are completely the files app does not allow you to expert files and save it on a USB stick or external hard drive?

 

[Bubble99]

Which other upcoming app?

And most likely any other apps don’t do 20% of what Photoshop app can do.

But the issue is not app for your kid, Mom, Dad or Grandma to use but some one that spends $1,000 or more on iPad Pro and wants app that is professional app yes professional app that people make job working in Photo editing.

For the average casual user GIMP is more than enough. The problem is GIMP is desktop app and is not ported to mobile use and never will be because of the license.

Than you left with spam apps at app store that probably cannot do 20% of what the mini Photoshop app is for iPad that alone 5% what the desktop app can do.

 

[Bubble99]

But, but, it’s iPadOS that’s keeping the iPad from being professional, right? /s

The iPadOS is OS not a software. Well Apple may one day make a photo editing and video editing app for the iPad pros, I think Apple thinking is making the hardware and OS and lay down the road for companies to make such app.

And you got people spending $1,000 or more on an iPad pro not doing what they want to do on it.

The ecosystem today is Apple, Microsoft and Google being three out side of Adobe that many millennials think in terms of computing today not boomers the way they thought of computing that have a very disconnect of ecosystem that you just buy the hardware and hunt and find the software.

And that market shares will dictate if businesses will spend money to make a pro apps for the iPad pro or not. If not it is well a gamble on Apple to bring a bleeding edge iPad pro and hope the private sector will fill the missing void. And same think that Google and Android has with lack of good quality apps that hope private sector will pick up.

 

[klerke]

The subscription model is a never ending mortgage, with the added “bonus” that you’ll never own anything.

 

[klerke]

Subscriptions = $5 here, $10 there, $20 here...pretty soon you're talking REAL money! No thanks!

And in the end you’ll never own anything.

 

[ruka.snow]

And most likely any other apps don’t do 20% of what Photoshop app can do.

But the issue is not app for your kid, Mom, Dad or Grandma to use but some one that spends $1,000 or more on iPad Pro and wants app that is professional app yes professional app that people make job working in Photo editing.

For the average casual user GIMP is more than enough. The problem is GIMP is desktop app and is not ported to mobile use and never will be because of the license.

Than you left with spam apps at app store that probably cannot do 20% of what the mini Photoshop app is for iPad that alone 5% what the desktop app can do.

Photoshop isn’t used in isolation. It is used as part of a workflow(usually the end).

 

[ruka.snow]

Why is it a secret? I assume from what you said that it already has a desktop equivalent. Are they hiding their iPad app development? Strange and intriguing.

These things are usually secret because they aren’t finished yet. Once you make it fully public you have to start commiting to release timelines you might not be able to meet. Check the photography forums here for updates.

 

[tazinlwfl]

Right ok, didn't know there was such an improvement in 15, thanks for that. Updating to iOS 15 on my phone as we speak! Or is this iPadOS only?

All iOS/iPadOS 15 devices. It also supports external drives: my iPad accepts USB-C SSDs no problem. I have a multiport adapter with SD and USB-A for my other drives. All show up in FILES for management. I haven't tried formatting a drive yet, though.

 

[svish]

Background removal is a good feature. Don’t like the subscription based service. Personally I use Affinity photo.

 

[wonderings]

The subscription model is a never ending mortgage, with the added “bonus” that you’ll never own anything.

That is my only gripe with the subscription model. i think they should let you keep the last full version after a year of subscription. Not a big thing for me though as I have a full CC subscription. Adobe is not gearing towards casual home users, it is professional apps for people who make their living with their software. The monthly fee is easily covered by a single job a month. If the Adobe subscription was causing a strain financially we would have bigger things to worry about. Ultimately if you upgraded every 2 years with perpetual licenses the CC is actually a little cheaper and you always have the latest version. Also CC has taken away so many headaches when working with others. No longer do I question or worry about what version a design house is using, we are all on the same, and if not all have access to the same versions. This alone is huge and was a real pain before.

 

[sideshowuniqueuser]

All iOS/iPadOS 15 devices. It also supports external drives: my iPad accepts USB-C SSDs no problem. I have a multiport adapter with SD and USB-A for my other drives. All show up in FILES for management. I haven't tried formatting a drive yet, though.

Thanks!

 

[Bubble99]

That is my only gripe with the subscription model. i think they should let you keep the last full version after a year of subscription. Not a big thing for me though as I have a full CC subscription. Adobe is not gearing towards casual home users, it is professional apps for people who make their living with their software. The monthly fee is easily covered by a single job a month. If the Adobe subscription was causing a strain financially we would have bigger things to worry about. Ultimately if you upgraded every 2 years with perpetual licenses the CC is actually a little cheaper and you always have the latest version. Also CC has taken away so many headaches when working with others. No longer do I question or worry about what version a design house is using, we are all on the same, and if not all have access to the same versions. This alone is huge and was a real pain before.

Sandy every thing is going subscription base. And as long as US middle class gives money every month this is the future unless there is economic recession that would move model back to the way it was in past.

In developing world this not possible. Just about every news website, tech website, newspaper wants a subscription. And at one time Netflix, Hulu, Amazon prime can get you buy with those three and now that not the case. Not to say subscription to spotify, sound cloud and Apple music.

Now subscription to many software on top this and every year new TV shows going subscription base.

 

[daveinpublic]

For people complaining about subscriptions.... please check out Pixelmator Pro NOW!

The latest update 2.4 brings it in line with Photoshop for probably 99% of users. In fact, there's more power in Pixelmator than Photoshop in some areas now. Like the effects layer (like an adjustment layer, but you can add a blur or pattern etc to everything below a certain layer), and also an adjustment layer w every adjustment like curves / color balance etc in that one layer. And you can create as many as you want and it's fast. I'm actually starting to use it for some professional projects because the UI is just so much better. (Pixelmator doesn't have vector masks yet or smart objects, but there's work arounds - and you don't have to pay subscription.)

Because I do work in the graphics industry, my company pays for my Adobe subscription so I don't care how much it costs. Therefore I get to see how it's evolved over time, and Adobe has a pretty nice system overall. Maybe not worth the constant payments (I know it's the best - just saying most people use the same tools over and over, and don't get much for the payments), but they still continue to add a few nice, powerful features over time.

One issue I have with Photoshop is they don't improve the actual UI, the look of it, the layers panel looks kind of crappy. New features aren't consistent in their design principles, and some work slower than others.