Past the Alphabet
Past the Alphabet is a weekly column that focuses on the tech world each inside and outside of the confines of Mountain View.
Relating to in depth photograph enhancing and picture creation, there are few that may match as much as what Adobe can supply. It is one of the recognizable manufacturers on the market, and is value greater than Qualcomm, Sony, Spotify, and even Nintendo. But in 2025, it nonetheless cannot work out how you can construct an software that is truly good.
Earlier this week, the Photoshop app for Android was lastly launched, after it was initially launched for iOS again in February. In actuality, the corporate has been attempting to determine cellular gadgets since 2009, earlier than pivoting to apps that solely provided particular enhancing options.
Utilizing Photoshop and Lightroom has develop into a necessary a part of my workflow, so evidently, I used to be ecstatic to see it arrive on the Play Retailer. However then I downloaded it on the OnePlus Pad 3, and instantly needed to bang my head in opposition to the desk.
After I launched the app, it solely appeared in portrait view, which I assumed was solely as a result of I wanted to sign up first. After signing into my Adobe account, the app remained in portrait mode. Okay, I mentioned to myself, possibly I have to open a picture, after which it will swap over into panorama mode.
Nope.
It doesn’t matter what I do, the app is locked to portrait mode, and I simply do not get it. Possibly it was one thing to do with the OnePlus Pad 3, however that is not the case both. After putting in the app on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Pixel 9 Professional Fold, it is extra of the identical.
This is not as a lot of a problem on foldable telephones, due to the square-ish facet ratio in comparison with many Android tablets. I knew the app was already out there on the iPhone and iPad, however hadn’t truly used it on both of these gadgets.
So after putting in it on my iPad Professional, would not ya know — it fired up in panorama orientation. Downloading an image took perpetually, however I will chalk that as much as my web connection, which appears to fluctuate and reduce out randomly.
Lastly, however actually not least, I needed to substantiate that the portrait mode lock isn’t unique to the OnePlus Pad 3. I grabbed the Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely, opened the Play Retailer, looked for the app, and could not even discover it. Then I went to Adobe’s Play Retailer itemizing web page, and naturally, the Photoshop app was proper there.
Think about my shock once I opened the Photoshop itemizing to obtain it, solely to be met with a “This app isn’t suitable” message. How is it that one of many largest and hottest digital media firms releases one of the extremely anticipated apps, just for it to not be “suitable” with arguably the most well-liked Android pill maker?
The rationale why all of that is so irritating is that I clearly want enhancing photos in panorama mode. I haven’t got the metrics, however I’d assume that that is the case for a lot of, if not the bulk. And no, I do not care that the app continues to be listed as “Beta,” as a result of the identical app has been on the iPad for nearly 4 months, and it really works as I would anticipate.
All of it simply harkens again to a chunk I wrote in April about Android customers being handled as second-class residents. Throw in the truth that Photoshop is not even out there on Samsung’s newest pill, and it feels even worse.
In some cases, I can forgive an app not scaling or working correctly on tablets, particularly if mentioned app is made by a small staff or an indie developer. However that is Adobe we’re speaking about, and admittedly, there isn’t any excuse.
It is reached the purpose that I am truly leaning in direction of cancelling my Artistic Cloud subscription, one thing I’ve had for no less than 5 years. The issue is that I am conversant in what Adobe’s suite of apps is able to, and I am probably not fairly positive if something on the market can actually match that.
However, it positive looks like it is time for me to seek out out.
