At Adobe's latest Adobe MAX conference, the company announced that it is no longer offering boxed versions of its popular Creative Suite software and instead will supply new versions through its subscriber-based Creative Cloud service.
The change in policy will affect all Adobe software newer than version CS6. All new versions can only be upgraded through the cloud-based service. Adobe's Creative Suite, first introduced nearly 10 years ago, includes such digital imaging staples as Photoshop, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Premiere, and other tools.
New users will be able buy a $50-per-month subscription to Creative Cloud, with an annual commitment, or customers can go with a $75-per-month model on a month-to-month basis. A subscription gives users access to the full suite of software, plus all of Adobe's Edge services and 20GB of cloud storage.
Those using versions CS3 to CS5.5 can get their first year of service at a reduced rate of $30 a month for the first year. Current CS6 users can subscribe for $20 a month for the first year.
Individual users of CS3 through CS6 products can get a discounted rate of $10 a month for the first year. Other pricing options are available for teams and users at educational institutions.