Adobe Photoshop makes its debut on mobile via free iOS app

A new Photoshop iPhone app, available today with Android coming later this year, delivers many of Photoshop’s core imaging tools for free on mobile devices with a dedicated mobile user interface.

While Photoshop Express has been available on mobile for some time now, the far more capable full fat version has been tethered firmly to the desktop. With the launch of the new Photoshop on iPhone app though, iOS version available today with Android coming later this year, many of Photoshop’s iconic image editing and design capabilities are now housed in a mobile-friendly design for anyone who wants to do their creative work on the go.

Adobe says the new mobile app has been designed from the ground up to feature an easy-to-use mobile interface and here’s what its free level lets you do. 

• Create unique images and designs by combining, compositing and blending images with core Photoshop tools and features, including selections, layers and masks
• Remove, recolor or replace parts of an image with the Tap Select tool
• Utilize advanced removal tools like the Spot Healing Brush to brush away distractions in seconds
• Leverage powerful generative AI tools powered by Adobe Firefly including the popular Generative Fill and Generative Expand to easily add new elements to designs and quickly edit photos
• Navigate across workflows easily with direct integration with creative apps including Adobe Express, Adobe Fresco and Adobe Lightroom
• Add, replace and create with a vast library of hundreds of thousands of free Adobe Stock assets

If this all feels a bit like the company giving away the crown jewels for nothing, then never fear, there is also an all-new Photoshop Mobile and Web Plan available that takes all that and adds whole layers of paid for additional functionality. This is effectively an in-app purchase that costs $7.99/month or $69.99/annually, and includes the following additional features on mobile and iPad, along with access to Photoshop on the web.

Apologies for a second list of bullet points, but it's the easiest way to get this across.

• Transition from Photoshop mobile to Photoshop on the web to create with added precision and control across workflows and surfaces
• Expanded access to commercially safe, Firefly-powered tools including Generate Similar and Reference
• Image in Photoshop web to easily add unique design and image elements to create fun visuals
• Access more than 20,000 fonts or import additional options for limitless typography options
• Make precise selections with enhanced precision of people and objects with Object Select
• Isolate objects and make targeted adjustments with selection tools like Magic Wand
• Remove distractions with ease with Remove Tool, hide unwanted objects with Clone Stamp and seamlessly fill portions of an image with Content-Aware Fill
• Control transparency, color effects and add unique styles with Advanced blend modes
• Lighten or darken areas of an image without affecting hue or saturation with Lighten and Darken

It’s all an interesting move, and certainly having a tool as powerful as Photoshop in your pocket, even a truncated version, is going to be extremely appealing - especially at what is most people’s favourite price point of $0. The question will be has Adobe got the balance right? Can it be used on the free tier comfortably without too many annoyances? Or will that paid tier upgrade effectively turn out to be an essential add-on whose lack is a constant thorn in the side. 

Certainly, in Adobe’s own words, it adds more creative power and precision; the $7.99 a month question is how much do you want it or will you need it? Either way, we suspect it will instantly shoot to the top of the download charts as users try to answer that for themselves.