Adobe Launches Free Photoshop App for Smartphones

Adobe has released a free version of its Photoshop app for iPhones, marking the first time the popular image editing software is available at no cost, Reuters reports. A paid version is also available for $7.99 per month, offering additional features and access to cloud storage and the web-based Photoshop.

Adobe's Photoshop, first released in 1990, has long been a paid software, with the lowest-cost option previously being a $9.99 per month subscription for iPads. The new free version for iPhones, and an upcoming Android app, aims to capture a wider audience, particularly younger users who rely heavily on their phones for both photography and editing.

The move comes as mobile operating systems from Apple and Google have increasingly incorporated features that overlap with Photoshop's capabilities, such as color adjustment and object removal.

Adobe's software for creative professionals remains a significant revenue generator, accounting for over half of its sales. However, the company recently lowered its 2025 revenue forecast, prompting concerns about its ability to compete effectively in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Adobe's Vice President of Product Marketing for Creative Professional Apps, Deepa Subramaniam, emphasized the company's focus on attracting younger users who increasingly rely on their phones for creative expression.

"We spent a lot of time and energy testing directly with our target user base, which is the next-generation creator who does a lot on their phone," Subramaniam told Reuters. "It is the way that they express personal creativity, and the application is really built for them."

Even the free version of Photoshop will offer features such as layer separation, masking, and text addition, enabling users to create visuals for podcasts, streaming music playlists, and YouTube videos.