Photoshop Streaming brings powerful image editing to low-end computers

Published on October 2, 2014

Adobe is providing a version of Photoshop as a streaming application for Chromebooks, low powered computers, rarely used for digital imaging work. Adobe’s creative tools currently require powerful computers with advanced processors and additional memory. Because the streaming version of Photoshop will have all the processing work done in the cloud, lower powered Chromebooks will be able to access and use Photoshop. In addition to providing access to this advanced image editing tool for a wider audience, Adobe is also revealing the future direction for their Creative Cloud tools.

This announcement from Adobe is a major shift in the way Photoshop or any of the Adobe Creative Cloud tools are used. The current version of the Creative Cloud still requires that applications such as Photoshop be downloaded entirely onto a computer before they are used. Ever since its inception, Photoshop required the images being edited to sit locally on the computer where Photoshop is being used.

The streaming version of Photoshop will also connect with Google Drive, allowing access to images that are stored on Google’s cloud. This allows for users to work with Photoshop entirely in the cloud, accessing Photoshop’s tools and images for editing without ever downloading them to a computer. This will be the first true cloud integration for any of the Adobe Creative Cloud applications. When Adobe announced the Creative Cloud they primarily changed the way users license the applications on a monthly or annual basis, rather than owning the apps. Most users never see or use any of the supplemental cloud services, which were added in a more patchwork fashion. This adds a new value to the cloud.

Initially the Photoshop Streaming project will be available to education customers who have a current Creative Cloud subscription. Adobe will not want to undercut its current licensing revenue, and it is expected that Photoshop Streaming will likely be available as an added benefit to existing Creative Cloud subscribers.

If streaming of Photoshop is successful, this opens Photoshop to being used on a much wider range of devices. The full range of Photoshop tools could be made available for use on tablet devices, not just on Chromebooks. Expect that additional Creative Cloud tools could also be made available as streaming versions, such as using a streaming version of InDesign to create publications. We could also expect to see integration into other cloud storage, such as Microsoft’s OneDrive or Box. Regardless of the device you use, the Photoshop training classes at American Graphics Institute are a great way to expand your skills with Adobe’s creative cloud tools, and are part of a broad range of Adobe training options provided at AGI.

About the author

Jennifer Smith is a user experience designer, Photoshop expert, educator and author based in Boston. She is the author of more than 20 books on design tools and processes, including Adobe Creative Cloud for Dummies, Adobe Creative Cloud Digital Classroom, and Photoshop Digital Classroom. She has been awarded a Microsoft MVP three times for her work with user experience design in creating apps for touch, desktop, and mobile devices. Jennifer holds the CPUX-F credential from the UXQB.

Jennifer delivers UX training and UX consulting for large Fortune 100 companies, small start-ups, and independent software vendors. She has been hired by Adobe and Microsoft to deliver training workshops to their staff, and has traveled to Asia, Europe, India, the Middle East, and across the U.S. to deliver courses and assist on UX design projects. She has extensive knowledge of modern UX Design, and worked closely with the Microsoft Windows team to create educational material and deliver UX workshops to key partners globally on behalf of Microsoft. Jennifer works with a wide range of prototyping tools including XD, Sketch, Balsamiq, Fireworks, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Blend for Visual Studio. She also works extensively in the fields of presentation design and visual design.