Adobe has released a beta version of its popular Photoshop application for Android devices, integrating its powerful Firefly generative AI technology. This launch makes sophisticated image editing and AI-assisted content creation tools, including the notable Generative Fill feature, accessible to a wider audience of mobile creators. The move follows a similar introduction of Photoshop for iPhone app a few months prior, signaling Adobe’s commitment to expanding its flagship software’s reach.
For Android users, this development means the ability to perform complex edits, utilize AI for generating or modifying image elements, and manage layers and masks directly on their smartphones. According to the Photoshop on Android announcement, the app is designed to be intuitive for creators who prefer working on their phones.
During the beta period, all features within the Android app are available for free, though a subscription model for premium functionalities is anticipated, mirroring the structure on iOS.
The Photoshop for Android beta is available for download from the Google Play Store. It requires devices running Android 11 or later with at least 6GB of RAM, though Adobe recommends 8GB for optimal performance, particularly when using the integrated Firefly AI features, according to BGR.com.
Key Features and AI Capabilities On The Go
The Android beta of Photoshop brings many of the software’s iconic image editing and design tools to mobile. Users can combine and blend images using core Photoshop functionalities like selections, layers, and masks. The app also includes intuitive tools such as Tap Select for quick image part removal or replacement, and the Spot Healing Brush for rapidly eliminating distractions, as detailed on the Adobe Blog.
Central to this release is the integration of Adobe’s Firefly AI. The popular Generative Fill feature allows users to effortlessly add, remove, or transform elements within their visual designs using text prompts.
The app also provides access to a growing library of free Adobe Stock assets to enhance creative work. Adobe has emphasized that the app is intended to be “intuitive and accessible” and will support “Photoshop’s iconic image editing and design capabilities,” including these new AI-powered tools.
Additional features listed by Adobe include Object Select, Magic Wand, and advanced tools like Remove and Clone Stamp, alongside adjustment layers and advanced blend modes. To help users get started, the app also incorporates tutorials.
Beta Access, Future Pricing, and Firefly’s Evolution
Currently, Android users can access all features of the Photoshop mobile app for free during this initial beta phase. However, Adobe will likely introduce in-app purchases for premium features later, similar to the Photoshop for iPhone model.
The iOS version offers a free tier with unlimited layers and masks, Tap Select, and Firefly Generative Fill and Expand, while a $7.99 per month subscription unlocks advanced tools like Object Select, Magic Wand, Content Aware Fill, and more extensive AI capabilities. Adobe has confirmed that existing Photoshop desktop subscribers will receive premium mobile access at no additional cost.
This mobile expansion is part of Adobe’s broader strategy to embed its Firefly AI across its product suite. Firefly general availability in desktop versions of Photoshop and Illustrator occurred in September 2023, alongside the introduction of a credit-based system for Adobe’s Firefly AI model.
Adobe has continued to evolve its AI, with a Firefly AI image creation update enhancing realism and the more recent Adobe Firefly overhaul aiming for even better prompt adherence.
This ongoing development is part of Adobe’s vision for a single, cohesive platform, which will also see a dedicated Firefly mobile app launched later this year, as reported by Winbuzzer.
Ethical AI Commitments and Market Context
Adobe emphasizes its commitment to responsible AI development. Adobe trains its Firefly models on licensed datasets, including Adobe Stock and public domain content, aligning with its AI ethics principles.
“Our commitment ensures that every Firefly output is not only visually stunning but also IP-friendly and commercially safe for professional use.” Furthermore, generated content typically includes Content Credentials, a metadata tag indicating AI usage detailed last October.
This focus on ethical AI comes as Adobe, like other tech companies, navigates user concerns, having previously revised its terms of service regarding the use of customer content for AI training after a user backlash.
The launch of Photoshop for Android with Firefly AI places Adobe in an increasingly competitive market where AI-driven image generation and editing tools from companies like OpenAI (ChatGPT) and Google (Gemini) are gaining traction.
However, Adobe’s integration of these powerful features into its established professional-grade software, coupled with its focus on commercially safe AI, aims to keep Photoshop a central tool for creators across all platforms. Deepa Subramaniam, Adobe’s Vice President of Product Marketing for Creative Cloud, previously stated that generative AI is a tool to “enhance, not replace, human creativity and expression”
