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Adobe Photoshop for iPad gets AI-powered Select Subject feature

Adobe Photoshop for iPad lets you work with .psd files and syncs your work to the Adobe Creative Cloud, allowing for cross-platform editing. However, when the app was first released, the initial reception wasn't too positive as compared to Photoshop for Mac or PC the iPad version lacked many features.

At launch, Adobe said more powerful features would be added over time and back in November the company Adobe provided more detail on timelines and features that are to come.

As promised, the AI-powered Select Subject feature which lets you isolate objects in the scene from the background has now been made available. In most cases, a selection can be made just with one tap, even if the subject has a complex outline. In a second step filters or other edits can be applied to either the isolated subject or the background.

Adobe says the function works and performs on the same level as for the desktop version, despite the iPad's processing limitations. Machine learning was used to train the tool's algorithms using a wide range of objects and scenes but the company says it is still working on optimization for difficult subjects like hair or fur.

Additionally, the app has been updated with faster cloud upload and download some user interface tweaks. More information is available on the Adobe website.

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Marsipulami

Instead of integrating mediocre AI-technology that delivers results far away from acceptable/professional they should do the basics first. This new function is btw useless for people who only use the tablet with the pen/finger, because to activate the Quick mask mode for correcting the selection you need a keyboard.

Dec 18, 2019
worldaccordingtojim
worldaccordingtojim

Glad to see the R&D that the subscription service is providing. Affinity Photo is miles ahead with a small team and no subscription model. This was an absolutely embarrassing release for the size adobe is and the years this has been in development. As soon as someone creates a 1 for 1 replacement for lightroom, see you later.

Dec 17, 2019*
nicolas guilbert

For me the new select object crashes the app on any of my photos, unless I use it on some low res internet photo with a very simple nearly monochrome background.
Sometimes it even crashes the whole OS and I have to restart.
Previously I had no crashes on my 30Mpix res images in 16bit on multiple layers.
I am on iPad pro 9.7’’ 256GB and latest iOS 13.3

Why this tool and not curves in this update. I find the priority a bit strange. And am I the only one with these problems?

Dec 16, 2019
tlinn
tlinn

LOL I'm not sure selecting dogs on a white background is really the acid test of this feature's capabilities...

Dec 16, 2019
nicolas guilbert

Agree. I would have preferred having the magic wand tool.

Dec 16, 2019
Nukunukoo
Nukunukoo

On my 2018 iPad Pro the selection even on my biggest and complex files were almost instantaneous. Compared to my Macbook Pro, the same file took almost three seconds. Did Adobe use the ML engine on the A12X?

Dec 16, 2019
nicolas guilbert

On my iPad Pro 9.7’’ it crashes on any of my files.

Dec 16, 2019
Gannon Burgett

@nicolas guilbert: What version of iOS/iPadOS are you using?

Dec 17, 2019
nicolas guilbert

iOS 13.3 maybe it is storage related. I have 24GB left out of 256

Dec 17, 2019
aris14
aris14

Oh really..? Is that so..?

Dec 16, 2019
Gannon Burgett

@aris14: It is so.

Dec 17, 2019
aris14
aris14

Οh my..! The world isn't the same anymore...

Dec 17, 2019
fpessolano
fpessolano

I need curves, and curves …. the fancy staff can come later

Dec 16, 2019
tlinn
tlinn

Exactly.

Dec 16, 2019*
entoman
entoman

The rise and fall of Photography.

Dec 16, 2019
Greybeard2017
Greybeard2017

This is quite clever - but it strikes me more as a proof of concept - not quite ready for prime time

Dec 16, 2019
BWfoto
BWfoto

Coming along great. This is my travel set up iPad Pro 12.9 and Lightroom plus Photoshop. A powerful and low weight set up combined with my Olympus MFT gear. .

Dec 16, 2019
AnOpticalView
AnOpticalView

I hope the subject selection is better on the Ipad than on the PC?

Dec 16, 2019
sirhawkeye64

From the looks of the other comments, I don't think so (at least a few are reporting crashes, most likely related to iOS versions or hardware configuration of their iPads).

Dec 17, 2019
Ergo607
Ergo607

No thanks.

Dec 16, 2019
panther fan

Calling it Photoshop for iPad is a little far fetched. If anybody else would have released a "photoshop clone" with that feature-set people would mock it for being unusable

Dec 16, 2019