One of the biggest problems Adobe has had with their applications in recent years is product bloat. Over time, their flagship products have become more and more complex with the addition of new features. My sense is that they do this in order to encourage existing users to upgrade their Creative Suite, which is fair enough. However, that comes at a cost. This approach to selling generally makes their products:
- larger to install
- more menu options / tools / windows
- more difficult to use for simple tasks
- more difficult to introduce to new users
- diminishing returns for sales appeal (why do I need a new version again?)
The Adobe Ideas 1.1 for iPad has just landed, and has introduced layers as a new feature. However, the feature is only unlocked as an in-app purchase. I think this is a great idea; it keeps the app as simple as it can possibly be for first-time users. People who are regular users of the app, and are interested in expanding the functionality, can do so too.
I think they should look at expanding this concept into some of their other products. That way they could make the products cheaper, simpler, and introduce functionality incrementally, rather than trying to package it all up into a new CS bundle every 2 years.
