2 weeks ago, on the 18th June 2014, Adobe revealed it’s biggest update of its Creative Cloud software yet. The update includes major updates across their desktop apps, new mobile apps for iOS, Creative Cloud SDK and a new Creative Cloud Photography plan.

With this major 2014 update, Adobe has decided to put in the year together with the software name in the window’s title of the application. For example, in the window’s title, it now says Adobe Photoshop CC 2014 instead of just Adobe Photoshop CC.

Adobe Photoshop CC 2014 - Splash
Adobe Photoshop CC 2014 – Splash
Adobe Photoshop CC 2014 - Screenshot
Adobe Photoshop CC 2014 – Screenshot

Adobe Ink and Slide was also unveiled but unfortunately, it is only available in the US for US$199.99. No word yet on whether it will be available in Singapore.

Adobe Creative Cloud Wallpaper
Adobe Creative Cloud Wallpaper

If you are looking for the above Creative Cloud Wallpaper, checkout Adobe’s Blog: Creative Cloud Wallpaper For All.
Desktop Apps Update

  • Photoshop CC
    New capabilities in Photoshop CC for photographers such as Blur Gallery motion effects for creating a sense of motion; Focus Mask, that makes portrait shots with shallow depth of field stand out; and new Content-Aware capabilities. Designers using Photoshop CC will enjoy enhanced Mercury Graphics Engine performance as well as the ability to link Smart Objects and share them across multiple documents. With improved Layer Comps, users save time by changing the visibility, position, or appearance of one layer and simply syncing to see the change reflected in all other Layers. Photoshop CC also has ability to pinch and zoom images, create smoother strokes, and deliver a more responsive experience on Windows 8 Touch devices, such as Microsoft Surface Pro 3.
  • Illustrator CC/InDesign CC/Adobe Muse CC
    Also for designers, new capabilities in Illustrator CC include Live Shapes to quickly transform rectangles into complex shapes and then return to the original rectangle with just a few clicks, as well as faster rendering of vector graphics with GPU acceleration on Windows with an Adobe-certified NVIDIA graphics card. In InDesign CC, layout artists can now select table rows and columns and use EPUB Fixed Layout to easily create digital books. Adobe Muse CC has been completely re-built as a native application with 64-bit support, and now includes HiDPI display support for sharper-looking images, objects, and text.
  • After Effects CC/Adobe Premiere Pro CC/Adobe SpeedGrade CC/Adobe Audition CC
    New features in the video apps, originally previewed at the NAB show in April, include Live Text Templates and Masking and Tracking, new integrations that leverage the power of Adobe After Effects CC inside Adobe Premiere Pro CC. Race through projects thanks to enhanced graphics performance in Premiere Pro; precise new keying effects in After Effects; a more flexible Direct Link color pipeline in Adobe SpeedGrade CC; and enhanced multi-track tools for audio work in Adobe Audition CC.
  • Dreamweaver CC/Flash Pro CC/Edge Animate CC
    Web tools now include the ability to look at the markup in a document using the new Element Quick View in Dreamweaver CC, which allows web developers to easily see, navigate, and modify the HTML structure of pages. CSS Designer improvements help apply CSS properties like gradients, box shadows and borders and then easily undo. SVG export in Flash Pro CC lets developers export any frame in Flash projects as an SVG file, while native HTML video support in Edge Animate CC allows the direct import of HTML5-friendly video clips.

New Mobile Apps

  • Adobe Sketch, a social sketching iPad app for free-form drawing. Sketch gives designers a connected creative process bringing inspiration, sketching and community together into one place. Create with essential drawing tools: a graphite pencil, an ink pen, two blending markers, (brush tip, chisel tip), and an eraser. Get live feedback from the creative community as you work.
  • Adobe Line, the world’s first iPad app for precision drawing and drafting. Line recreates the art of drafting, combining organic drawing with beautiful straight lines, French curves and perfect shapes that can be drawn in plan and elevation views or in perspective. Line can be used in conjunction with Slide and reimagines traditional drawing tools like rulers, T-squares and shape templates for the mobile world, as well as giving creatives access to assets, Kuler color themes, and the ability to share work.
  • Photoshop Mix, the first iPad app that brings Adobe image mixing and magic to mobile users. Photoshop Mix offers a new Creative Cloud connected mobile workflow with access to powerful creative imaging tools on iPad for the first time,including Upright, Content Aware Fill, and Camera Shake Reduction. It offers non-destructive photo enhancements, selections, the ability to cut-out and mix images, and more.
  • Lightroom mobile for iPhone extends recently shipped Lightroom capabilities to the iPhone. It provides the most efficient way to manage and edit images across desktops, mobile devices and the Web. Additionally, the recently announced Adobe Voice, a free animated video app for iPad, has also been updated to sync with Lightroom.
  • Creative Cloud for iPad and iPhone, a new app that allows Creative Cloud members to access and manage their files, assets, and more from their mobile device.

Creative Cloud SDK
Adobe’s new Creative SDK is a software library that enables developers to tap into Adobe’s creative technologies to build mobile apps. Examples include, browsing files stored in Creative Cloud and extracting elements from PSD files; Adobe’s “Touch Slide” software for straight-line drawing; and cloud image editing services like Content-Aware Fill and Upright. Adobe Photoshop Mix utilizes these new APIs and offers some of Adobe’s best imaging technology for applying Photoshop looks and compositing images. Adobe Creative SDK is initially targeted at the delivery of iOS applications and is currently being tested by select developers. A beta launch is expected in the coming months.

Creative Cloud Photography Plan
The new Creative Cloud Photography Plan is available at S$13 per month and it will give you access to Photoshop CC and Lightroom 5. In addition, you will get access to Lightroom for iPhone and Lightroom for iPad as well.