Adobe launches Creative Cloud 2015 with performance tweaks, stock photo library

Adobe moved the Creative Cloud suite of desktop apps to a subscription-based model in 2013, rolling out incremental updates as and when they're ready. The vendor is still targeting one major release on a yearly basis for the suite with new features, which is what we're seeing with Creative Cloud 2015. The latest update brings stability and performance improvements, but the major addition is Adobe Stock, a library of over 40 million stock images curated by Adobe and available within the entire Creative Cloud family of apps.

Those subscribed to Creative Cloud are eligible to get a discount of up to 40 percent toward buying images from the stock library. Individual images cost $10, with a subscription of 10 images priced at $30 for CC users. Creative Cloud Libraries have also received an update, with Adobe adding a new CreativeSync service that allows you to sync files, photos, fonts, vector graphics, brushes, colors, settings, metadata and stock images across devices. The service is now available for After Effects for the first time.

Here are all the new additions to the desktop apps:

  • In Adobe Photoshop CC, Artboards lets you make multiple layouts of different sizes in a single document, and the new Device Preview shows how designs and interactivity will look and adapt on mobile. The Healing Brush, Spot Healing Brush, and Patch tools have been turbocharged with Mercury Graphics Engine enhancements, so you get results up to 120 times faster than you would if you were using CS6. And be sure to check out the new Photoshop Design Space (Preview Technology), a streamlined experience optimized for designing websites and mobile apps.
  • Adobe Illustrator CC is the fastest version yet—ten times faster and ten times more precise than CS6. Thanks to a new Mercury Performance System boost, you can pan, zoom and scroll faster and more smoothly, and zoom into your artwork to create and edit with incredible precision. And should your system crash before you've had a chance to save, just relaunch the app and your work will be restored.
  • Adobe InDesign CC gets its own Mercury performance surge with twice as fast zooming, scrolling, and paging through complex documents. InDesign CC now also lets you publish and distribute documents with a single click.
  • Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC includes Dehaze, a stunning new feature (also available in Photoshop CC) that lets you eliminate fog and haze from images—even underwater shots. Or you can add haze for artistic effect.
  • Adobe Premiere Pro CC continues to lead the video industry and this is our best release yet. The intuitive and powerful Lumetri Color panel helps you make instant color corrections, and Morph Cut magically smooths and polishes jump cuts and dialogue pauses to deliver a polished interview. With brand new Creative Cloud Libraries integration, Premiere Pro CC takes full advantage of CreativeSync technology so assets like color "Looks" and graphics flow seamlessly between Adobe mobile apps and Premiere Pro CC, After Effects CC, Photoshop CC and more.
  • Adobe After Effects CC dramatically improves your productivity with new support for Creative Cloud Libraries so all of your assets are at your fingertips. Uninterrupted Preview allows you to adjust a composition's properties and even resize panels without interrupting playback. Make sure you also check out the groundbreaking new Character Animator, which tracks your movements via webcam and transposes them onto a 2D character.
  • Adobe Dreamweaver CC reduces the effort to create mobile websites with support for responsive design to create production‐ready websites that dynamically adapt to various screen sizes, and includes the ability to preview and test websites on multiple devices in real time.
  • Adobe Muse CC has instant access to the fonts in Typekit, making it easier to get your web designs done faster. Adobe Muse can also integrate blogs, shopping carts, and more using new widgets downloaded from the Library panel.

Source: Adobe

Harish Jonnalagadda
Senior Editor - Asia

Harish Jonnalagadda is a Senior Editor overseeing Asia for Android Central, Windows Central's sister site. When not reviewing phones, he's testing PC hardware, including video cards, motherboards, gaming accessories, and keyboards.