What is Adobe? What Software Does Adobe Offer?

Are you someone who loves design and creativity? You’ve probably heard of Adobe—a name synonymous with leading graphic design, web development, and video editing software. But do you really know what Adobe is and what the company offers? Let’s dive in and explore!

What is Adobe?

Adobe is an American software company founded by John Warnock and Charles Geschke in December 1982, with its headquarters in San Jose, California. Today, Adobe is one of the top 10 largest software companies in the world.

In December 2005, Adobe officially acquired Macromedia, one of its competitors. Besides its main headquarters, Adobe Systems also has development offices in Seattle, San Francisco, Massachusetts (USA), Ottawa (Canada), Hamburg (Germany), Noida, and Bangalore (India), among others.

Software Developed by Adobe

Adobe has introduced highly useful, licensed software across various fields that are highly regarded by users:

1. Web Design

• Adobe Dreamweaver
• Adobe Contribute
• Adobe Muse
• Adobe Flash
• Adobe Flash Builder
• Adobe Edge

2. Graphic Design

• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Lightroom
• Adobe InDesign
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe Acrobat

3. Audio Editing

• Adobe Audition

4. Server Software

• Adobe ColdFusion
• Adobe Content Server
• Adobe LiveCycle Enterprise Suite
• Adobe BlazeDS

5. Video Editing and Visual Effects

• Adobe Premiere Pro
• Adobe Premiere Elements
• Adobe After Effects
• Adobe Prelude
• Adobe Spark Video

6. E-Learning

• Adobe Captivate
• Adobe Presenter Video Express
• Adobe Connect

7. Digital Marketing Management

• Adobe Marketing Cloud
• Adobe Experience Manager
• Mixamo

How Does Adobe Manage and Distribute Software?

Since 2014, Adobe Systems has transitioned to a subscription-based model using cloud technology—Adobe Creative Cloud—instead of the previous software sales model. To use Adobe’s continuously updated software, users must register for an Adobe Creative Cloud account and pay a fee of $50 per month.

When Adobe first switched to this model, many were skeptical, believing it was risky for the company. However, today, there is little doubt about the effectiveness of the Adobe Creative Cloud model, which generates billions of dollars in revenue for Adobe each year. Currently, Creative Cloud is Adobe’s core product, accounting for more than 50% of the company's profits.

Adobe’s successful business model transformation is due to the company's continuous improvements to its cloud products: adding more features, allowing users to work on mobile devices, and more. Compared to the traditional software sales model, the subscription service offers several advantages for users:

• Fixed Monthly Fee: For a fixed monthly fee, you can use any software that Adobe offers on the Creative Cloud platform for your studies, graphic design work, web development, and video editing.
• Always Updated: Since the software is always updated with new features, users can always have access to the latest versions.
• Cost-Effective for Power Users: For users who need to use multiple Adobe software programs, this is an optimal solution. Initially, you don’t need to spend a lot to own multiple software titles; you only pay a fixed monthly fee. Given the value that these software programs provide, the fee is quite reasonable.