“When considering what your spreadsheets and documents might look like on the always-on desktop of the future, don’t leave Adobe out of the picture,; Michael Calore reports for Wired.
“The software maker famous for Flash and Photoshop is poised to take the plunge into the lucrative world of office applications. It may sound far-fetched at first, but the stage is set for Adobe to flex its muscle in the office-app arena. The company already has a strong presence in business software with its Acrobat suite of products and interest in its new platform for web-enabled applications that run on the desktop is rising quickly,” Calore reports.
Calore reports, “According to Adobe group manager for platform evangelism, Mike Downey, it wouldn’t be outlandish to predict the company throws its hat into the ring soon. ‘Though we have not yet announced any intentions to move into the office-productivity software market,’ he says, ‘considering we have built this platform that makes it easy to build rich applications that run on both the desktop and the browser, I certainly wouldn’t rule anything like that out.'”
Calore reports, “Microsoft all but owns the space right now — its Office suite consisting of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook is the die-hard first choice of the corporate world — but Redmond has been slow to react to the growing popularity of web apps and alternatives to its stable of dinosaurs.”
Full article here.
Yet another reason why Apple should buy Adobe – beyond acquiring Photoshop et al. and eliminating Windows support, of course (as Apple did with Shake). 
There’s nothing like a nice hostile takeover to spice up the autumn season.
[UPDATE: 6:30pm EDT: Looks like CNET’s Matt Asay agrees, “The only thing better would be if Adobe, Apple, and OpenOffice could get together. Open source plus two of the most innovative makers of software in the industry…I’m salivating. (In fact, don’t you think that it makes a lot of sense for Apple to acquire Adobe, given the similar corporate mentalities/competencies? Me, too.) …Microsoft should be very concerned.” Full article via CNET News Blog here.]
The only reason I can see that Apple would buy Adobe is to rework Flash completely to be less of a system hog. Other then that I’m pretty happy with their Suite.
@ Poisoned Tang – You are right.
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@ Zune Tang – Go back to Bill Gates’ teats!
BC Kelly: “We’d have the longest ‘chair toss’ on record”
That’s funny!
I guess if Apple acquired Adobe, Apple could get Adobe Acrobat to speed up some.
Anyone ever notice the irony that Microsoft, a software company, has only two real products (Windows and Office), while most other products either don’t make money or are red headed step children?
Meanwhile Apple and Adobe have full stables of a variety of software offerings. And Apple is a hardware first company.
CUPERTINO, California—October 21, 2008—Apple® today announced Creative Suite 4 (CS4) the next release of the world standard in digital imaging.
Creative Suite 4 (CS4) is available immediately for Mac OS X and Windows through Apple Store® (http://www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. CS4 will be available for Mac OS X for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) and Windows for a suggested retail price of $9,999 (US). Existing Creative Suite 3 customers will be given the option to double the number of their existing licenses at no additional cost by migrating to Mac OS X.
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, along with revolutionizing the mobile phone market with its amazing iPhone.
I thought Adobe was opening an online music store since that’s what everyone else keeps trying.
Adobe famous for Flash?
Um, that was Macromedia that made Flash famous. Abobe bought out Macromedia and now owns Flash, but credit where credit is due.
Maybe if Apple buys Adobe they can get em off their @$$ and make a universal Shockwave player. My kids can’t use half the stuff on pbskids.org..
In my world Photoshop, Illustrator and the related products are a standard. They are very powerful and have developed over time to get where they are today.
It would be a disaster if M$ ever gained control of Adobe. They would ruin the Adobe Suite of programs. The best option would be for Adobe to stay profitable and independent. Second best would be for them to merge into Apple.
Of course, what about a joint venture with Apple?
iWork/CS3?
Adobe would be stupid to take on us and Microsoft. iWork, ,plus Filemaker plus Acrobat. Hoo boy. That would just about kill Microsoft to death.
Of course, that’s what Adobe’s doing actually. Trying to scare Microsoft away from trying to unseat Acrobat. Which wouldn’t be possible anyway. But Adobe doesn’t even want them trying.
Office has never been so vulnerable with this transfer to the new menu-less interface, new XML format and lack of web integration. Whoever controls the format controls the future. 100% interoperability between Apple/Google/Adobe would make a formidable set of products. Apple should NOT buy Adobe, but work with them to build the future.
Apple should absolutely buy Adobe! I (and others) have been saying that for YEARS. Not only must Apple prevent MS from a surprise Adobe grab, but Adobe and Apple are already very complimentary in goals and quality.
Zune Tang is so funny. Enjoying your MacPro Zune?
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I was at my neighborhood Apple Store last weekend and the demo computers all had Adobe CS3 loaded on them Not sure what that is about, but, I thought it was a good thing.
The scarry thing is that M$ has so damn much cash on had that they could simply buy Adobe, if they wanted to.
Adobe should’ve have killed Persuasion when then bought Aldus, it kicked PowerPoint into a cocked hat (to mix a metaphor).
As Microsoft move towards becoming a hardware company, Xbox and Zune, none of you read the stories last week of a Microsoft PC? It would make sense for Apple, a hardware company, to move in the other direction and produce more software.
Remember all the Pro Apps? Acquisitions? Time for Apple to buy Adobe.
one step at a time… that’s the most illogical thing I’ve heard in weeks!
“apple cant even get flash on my damn iPhone,”???
In case you’re even more clueless than your post suggests, you ought to know that ADOBE, not APPLE, writes Flash.
Soooooo…. follow me as I type really, really slowly for you…
If APPLE buys ADOBE, then APPLE can MAKE Flash work on the iPhone.
Sheesh, I swear it’s short bus day in the forums!!!
Adobe has been losing the fire in the belly of late… not able to make the really tough decisions as to company strategic policy. Too small with respect to life with Balmerized MS… A common stategy when combined could be the critical mass needed to make the jump to light speed. Singly they do not have enough, together they could dictate…. Go— pursuit of excellence, begone mediocrity…
I said it first, here in the MDN forums. 2 months ago!
Go Apple go!
M$ apologists… You would make me chuckle or laugh, but it is so, so sad. I guess i have a soft spot for truely tragic persons….
i would say pathetic, but the reality is so sad…
Adobe is just another bloatware yard dog that cakes layers and layers of feces on top of stale makeup. Apple needs to defeat Adobe, not buy them. Photoshop is an example of an abomination, a damn Frankenstein turd.
If an Adobe takeover by Apple ever came to pass, killing Photoshop on Windows would be just plain stupid. What person in their right mind would rip out half their revenue and risk antagonizing 10s of thousands of customers just because you didn’t like Windows.
Shake hardly serves as an example since the software occupies a niche.
Adobe would be an albatross around Apple’s neck…
@ Zine Tang
HUH LARRY ASS!
Apple buy Adobe? Why?
When Apple wanted Adobe to port their applications to OS X way back in 2000, they flat out refused, resulting in Apple developing the award winning iLife apps. When Adobe gave no credence to keeping PhotoShop up to date on Macs, Apple created Aperture. Adobe is a sinking ship – you don’t buy sinking ships unless you just want a few of the parts for new projects.