Adobe plans to launch a version of Illustrator for Apple’s tablets next year. But this won‘t be a straight port — the user interface will be changed substantially to run on a touchscreen with a stylus.
The company also just introduced Photoshop for iPad (and revealed plans to launch Adobe Photoshop Camera, a camera app that adds lenses and filters).
Adobe Illustrator for iPad is for mobile designers
“We’re reimagining the Illustrator experience from the ground up to take advantage of the unique capabilities a tablet offers in terms of touch and Apple pencil,” said Scott Belsky, who oversees Adobe’s design team. “We’ve connected with thousands of designers to understand how they could use a tablet in their creative process.”
The drawing application won‘t just use an iPad running Illustrator as an accessory for a Mac. “For many designs you create today, you’ll be able to start on your iPad and finish on your iPad,” promised Belsky. And there’ll be no loss of detail or precision.
Beyond Apple Pencil support, this upcoming software will take advantage of other tablet features. It will let users take a picture of a hand-drawn sketch and import it into vector shapes, for example.
Illustrator for iPad is scheduled for release in 2020. In the mean time, Adobe is running a private beta — head to the company’s website to sign up.
Photoshop for iPad too
This comes shortly after the debut of Photoshop for iPad. Clearly, Adobe is serious about transitioning its professional-grade applications to Apple tablets. Plus, there’s the recently released Adobe Fresco painting application for iPad.
