Adobe Taking its Creative Suite to the Cloud

SAN JOSE, CA—Creative Suite, the software package Adobe sells to designers, Web developers, video editors and other creative types, is giving way to an online, subscription-based model called Creative Cloud.

The new service starts at $50 per month with the purchase of a one-year commitment. New versions of the Creative Suite software package, which includes Photoshop, Illustrator and Acrobat, will not be offered. The move is part of a trend toward selling software as a subscription service as opposed to a one-time sale item, The Associated Press reported.

Scott Morris, senior marketing director at Adobe, said the move will enable the company to respond to marketplace shifts with updates and improvements much more effectively and quicker. Adobe's Creative Cloud service has netted 500,000 paying subscribers since it was made available a year ago, the AP said.