Adobe previews Photoshop CC for iPad with desktop sync, arriving in 2019

Photoshop maker Adobe announced at its annual creativity conference, dubbed Adobe MAX, in Los Angeles today that the full-on Photoshop for iPad app that syncs with desktop, does layers, supports PSD editing and more will be shipping in 2019.

Adobe promised at the start of the the summer to bring the full-on Photoshop app to Apple’s iPad. Today at Adobe MAX, they’ve previewed the forthcoming iPad version of Photoshop CC.

Redesigned for a modern touch experience, the app promises to deliver the power and precision of its desktop counterpart with the ability to open and edit native PSD files, access the familiar layers panel and use Photoshop’s powerful image-editing tools.

Thanks to full desktop sync, you’ll be able to continue working on any project started on your Mac at any time by opening it on your iPad, and vice versa.

“With Photoshop CC across devices, coming first to iPad in 2019, you will be able to start your work on an iPad and seamlessly roundtrip all of your edits with Photoshop CC on the desktop via Creative Cloud,” Adobe said.

According to the company, both desktop and mobile editions of Photoshop CC share much of the same code. Adobe ensures they haven’t compromised on features, power or performance.

Here are the key highlights:

  • Not Photoshop for the iPad. Photoshop on the iPad: Photoshop is coming to iPad so you can create something unreal. All your familiar desktop tools and workflows are at your fingertips, from retouching and compositing to spot healing and blend modes. Layers? They’re all here. Resolution? No difference. Your PSDs are exactly the same, whether you’re working on your desktop or a mountain top.
  • Dream bigger with Creative Cloud: Photoshop is part of a family of apps and next-generation tools that all work together. Easily bring artwork from Illustrator into Photoshop, even on your iPad. Use pen and touch to make bold new strokes in drawing and painting with Project Gemini. And create photo-realistic 3D images with Adobe Dimension CC. If you can dream it, you can do it.
  • Start here. Go anywhere: With a pen and natural touch, you can take your imagination to entirely new places. All your assets—fonts, brushes, colors, Adobe Stock images and more—are available in your Creative Cloud Libraries. Your Photoshop files are always in sync. Start on your desktop. Work from the road. Finish on your couch.
  • Touch and go: Use all the same desktop tools like layers, masks, filters and adjustments—by touch. Swipe, pinch, tap, scribble, slide. You’ll feel closer to your work than ever before.
  • Performance is in the details: Smooth and responsive navigation means you can pan quickly, zoom down to the pixel grid with precision control and easily navigate through all your layers.
  • Cloud syncing: It’s simple to keep your files in sync across desktop and mobile because now you don’t have to. It’s automatic. No importing, exporting or converting. Your PSDs are the same everywhere and are always up to date.
  • Context-aware UI: Core tools and selection operations surface only when you need them. Minimal panes let you intuitively navigate layers while focusing on your canvas, not the clutter.

The full Photoshop CC for iPad will certainly boost competition in the pro space.

We recently saw a few high-quality iPad apps for productivity and content creation that take full advantage of the fast iPad Pro hardware. Aside from Pixelmator’s rather excellent image-editing iPad app, we dig apps like Serif’s Affinity Photo and were taken aback by an incredible amount of advanced features in their vector illustration app, Affinity Designer.

Photoshop CC for iPad will launch in 2019, but no definite timetable was provided at press time. Watch this space as we bring you more information as we uncover it.

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