Adobe Inc.: Difference between revisions

| logo = [[File:Adobe Corporate wordmark.svg|frameless|upright=1.1|class=skin-invert-image]]

| trading_name = Adobe

| products = {{hlist|[[Adobe Photoshop|Photoshop]] | [[Adobe Acrobat|Acrobat]] | [[Adobe Illustrator|Illustrator]] | [[PDF]] | [[Adobe Lightroom|Lightroom]] | [[Adobe Captivate|Captivate]] | [[Adobe ColdFusion|ColdFusion]] | [[Adobe XD|XD]] | [[Adobe Dreamweaver|Dreamweaver]] | [[Adobe InDesign|InDesign]] | [[Adobe Spark|Spark]] | [[Adobe Premiere Elements|Premiere Elements]] | [[Adobe RoboHelp|RoboHelp]] | [[Adobe FrameMaker|FrameMaker]] | [[Adobe Creative Cloud|Creative Cloud]] | ('''[[List of Adobe software|Full list]]''') }}

| revenue = {{increase}} {{US dollar|21.51 billion|link=yes}}

| revenue_year = 2024

| operating_income = {{increase}} {{US dollar|6.741 billion}}

| income_year = 2024

| net_income = {{increase}} {{US dollar|5.560 billion}}

| net_income_year = 2024

| assets = {{increase}} {{US dollar|30.23 billion}}

| assets_year = 2024

| equity = {{decrease}} {{US dollar|14.11 billion}}

| equity_year = 2024

| num_employees = 30,709 (2024)

| footnotes = Financials {{as of|2024|11|29|lc=y|df=US}}.<ref name=AR2024>{{cite web |url=https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/796343/000079634325000004/adbe-20241129.htm |title=Adobe Inc. FY 2024 Annual Report (Form 10-K) |date=January 13, 2025 |publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission |access-date=January 14, 2024}}</ref>

'''Adobe Inc.''' ({{IPAc-en|ə|ˈ|d|oʊ|b|i|audio=en-us-adobe.ogg}} {{respell|ə-DOH-bee}}), formerly '''Adobe Systems Incorporated''', is an American [[software|computer software]] company based in [[San Jose, California]]. It offers a wide range of programs from web design tools, photo manipulation and vector creation, through to video/audio editing, mobile app development, print layout and animation software.

It has historically specialized in software for the creation and publication of a wide range of content, including graphics, photography, illustration, animation, multimedia/video, motion pictures, and print. Its flagship products include [[Adobe Photoshop]] image editing software; [[Adobe Illustrator]] vector-based illustration software; Adobe [[Acrobat Reader]] and the [[Portable Document Format]] (PDF); and a host of tools primarily for audio-visual content creation, editing and publishing. Adobe offered a bundled solution of its products named [[Adobe Creative Suite]], which evolved into a subscription-based offering named [[Adobe Creative Cloud]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Adobe kills Creative Suite, goes subscription-only |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/adobe-kills-creative-suite-goes-subscription-only/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=CNET |language=en}}</ref> The company also expanded into digital marketing software and in 2021 was considered one of the top global leaders in Customer Experience Management (CXM).<ref>{{Cite web |last=FED |title=The Forrester Wave™: Digital Experience Platforms, Q3 2021 |url=https://www.forrester.com/report/The-Forrester-Wave-Digital-Experience-Platforms-Q3-2021/RES161679 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206211043/https://www.forrester.com/report/The-Forrester-Wave-Digital-Experience-Platforms-Q3-2021/RES161679 |archive-date=2021-12-06 |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=www.forrester.com |language=en}}</ref>

{{As of|2022|post=,}} Adobe had more than 26,000 employees worldwide.<ref name="fastfacts"/> Adobe also has major development operations in the United States in [[Newton, Massachusetts|Newton]],<ref>{{cite news|last1=Donnelly|first1=Julie|title=Adobe dumps gleaming Waltham digs at a $20M loss|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2013/09/17/adobe-dumps-gleaming-waltham-digs-at.html|access-date=May 17, 2017|work=Boston Business Journal|date=September 17, 2013}}</ref> New York City, [[Arden Hills, Minnesota|Arden Hills]], [[Lehi, Utah|Lehi]], [[Seattle]], [[Austin, Texas|Austin]] and [[San Francisco]]. It also has major development operations in [[Noida]] and [[Bangalore]] in India.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Khosla |first=Varuni |date=2017-07-05 |title=India's best companies to work for 2017: Here's why interns love Adobe Systems |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/indias-best-companies-to-work-for-2017-when-motivating-adobe-sytems-doesnt-believe-one-size-fits-all/articleshow/59419113.cms |access-date=2025-04-02 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}</ref> The company has long been the dominant tech firm in design and creative software,<ref>{{Cite web |title=How Adobe Became One of America's Most Valuable Tech Companies |url=https://www.wsj.com/video/series/the-economics-of/how-adobe-became-one-of-americas-most-valuable-tech-companies/47B3F8AF-94E7-4CE4-93C7-DBFBC8E97384 |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=WSJ |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-10-24 |title=The Secret of Adobe's Dominance Position in Design Software |url=https://envzone.com/how-does-adobe-dominate-in-design-software-market-for-a-long-time/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=envzone.com |language=en-US}}</ref> despite attracting criticism for its policies and practices particularly around Adobe Creative Cloud's switch to subscription only pricing and its early termination fees for its most promoted Creative Cloud plan, the latter of which attracted a joint civil lawsuit from the [[US Federal Trade Commission]] and the [[U.S. Department of Justice]] in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-19 |title=DOJ sues Adobe for 'hidden' fees that make it 'absurdly' hard to cancel Photoshop |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/doj-ftc-adobe-photoshop-lawsuit-b2564294.html |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>

=== PostScript (1982–2025) ===

The company was started in John Warnock's garage.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Computer Technology Innovators |last=Rholetter |first=Wylene |publisher=Salem Press |year=2013|isbn=9781429838054|location=Ipswich, MA |pages=104–[108]|chapter=Charles Geschke: Co-founder and co-chairman of Adobe}}</ref> The name of the company, Adobe, comes from [[Adobe Creek (Santa Clara County)|Adobe Creek]] in [[Los Altos, California|Los Altos]], California, a stream which ran behind Warnock's house.<ref name="fastfacts" /> The creek is named because of [[Adobe|the type of clay]] found there (Adobe being a Spanish word for ''Mudbrick''). Adobe's corporate logo features a stylized "A" and was designed by graphic designer Marva Warnock, John Warnock's wife.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.famouslogos.net/adobe-logo/|title=Adobe Logo: Design and History|publisher=Famouslogos.net|access-date=July 28, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022120341/http://www.famouslogos.net/adobe-logo |archive-date=October 22, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Steve Jobs]] attempted to buy the company for $5 million<ref>{{Cite book|title=In the company of giants: candid conversations with the visionaries of the digital world|last=Jager|first=Rama Dev|publisher=McGraw Hill|year=1997|location=New York|pages=105}}</ref> in 1982, but Warnock and Geschke refused. Their investors urged them to work something out with Jobs, so they agreed to sell him shares worth 19 percent of the company. Jobs paid a five-times multiple of their company's valuation at the time, plus a five-year license fee for PostScript, in advance. The purchase and advance made Adobe the first company in the history of Silicon Valley to become profitable in its first year.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Fearless genius : the digital revolution in Silicon Valley, 1985–2000 |url=https://archive.org/details/fearlessgeniusdi0000menu |url-access=registration|last=Menuez|first=Doug|publisher=Atria Books|year=2014|isbn=9781476752730|location=New York|pages=[https://archive.org/details/fearlessgeniusdi0000menu/page/45 45]}}</ref>

Warnock and Geschke considered various business options including a copy-service business and a turnkey system for office printing. Then they chose to focus on developing specialized printing software and created the Adobe PostScript page description language.<ref name="vision">{{Cite book |title=Radicals and visionaries |last=Wawro |first=Thaddeus |publisher=Entrepreneur Press |year=2000 |isbn=1891984136 |page=143 |chapter=Charles Geschke & John Warnock: the fathers of desktop publishing}}</ref>

PostScript was the first international standard for computer printing as it included algorithms describing the letter-forms of many languages. Adobe added kanji printer products in 1988.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Fearless genius : the digital revolution in Silicon Valley, 1985–2000 |url=https://archive.org/details/fearlessgeniusdi0000menu|url-access=registration|last=Menuez|first=Doug|publisher=Atria Books |year=2014 |isbn=9781476752730|location=New York|pages=[https://archive.org/details/fearlessgeniusdi0000menu/page/51 51]}}</ref> Warnock and Geschke were also able to bolster the credibility of PostScript by connecting with a typesetting manufacturer. They weren't able to work with Compugraphic, but then worked with Linotype to license the Helvetica and Times Roman fonts (through the Linotron 100).<ref>{{Cite book |title=Print unchained: fifty years of digital printing, 1950–2000 and beyond: A saga of invention and enterprise |last=Wester |first=Edward |publisher=DRA of Vermont |year=2000|isbn=01814672159|location=West Dover, VT|pages=162|chapter=Chapter 6: The Eighties: PDLs, Adobe, and John Warnock}}</ref> By 1987, PostScript had become the industry-standard printer language with more than 400 third-party software programs and licensing agreements with 19 printer companies.<ref name="vision" />

By the mid-1990s, Adobe would either develop or acquire [[Adobe Photoshop|Photoshop]] from [[John Knoll|John]] and [[Thomas Knoll]], [[Adobe FrameMaker|FrameMaker]] from Frame Technology Corporation, and [[Adobe After Effects|After Effects]] and [[Adobe PageMaker|PageMaker]] from [[Aldus Corporation|Aldus]], as well as develop [[Adobe Premiere Pro|Adobe Premiere]], later known as Premiere Pro, in-house, initially releasing it in 1991.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-27 |title=Adobe Photoshop {{!}} Definition, History, & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/technology/Adobe-Photoshop |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Adobe Premiere 1.0 (Mac) |url=https://winworldpc.com/product/adobe-premiere/10-mac |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=WinWorld |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1994-07-15 |title=COMPANY NEWS; ADOBE SYSTEMS REVISES ALDUS ACQUISITION |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/15/business/company-news-adobe-systems-revises-aldus-acquisition.html |access-date=2025-06-23 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Around the same time as the development of Illustrator, Adobe entered the [[NASDAQ Composite|NASDAQ Composite index]] in August 1986.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Adobe Inc (ADBE) Stock Price & News |url=https://www.google.com/finance/quote/ADBE:NASDAQ |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=Google Finance |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=June 3, 1996 |title=Adobe gets font technology. (Adobe Inc. acquires Ares Software Corp.) |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-18422328.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011162644/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-18422328.html |archive-date=October 11, 2013 |access-date=July 12, 2013}}</ref>

In addition to bringing in Dreamweaver, the $3.4 billion Macromedia acquisition, completed as a [[stock swap]], added [[Adobe ColdFusion|ColdFusion]], [[Adobe Contribute|Contribute]], [[Adobe Captivate|Captivate]], Breeze (rebranded as [[Adobe Connect]]), [[Adobe Director|Director]], [[Adobe Fireworks|Fireworks]], [[Adobe Flash|Flash]], [[FlashPaper]], [[Adobe Flex|Flex]], [[Adobe FreeHand|FreeHand]], [[Adobe HomeSite|HomeSite]], JRun, [[Adobe Presenter|Presenter]], and [[Adobe Authorware|Authorware]] to Adobe's product line.<ref>{{cite news|first=Jefferson|last=Graham|title=Adobe buys Macromedia in $3.4B deal|url=https://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2005-04-18-adobe-macromedia_x.htm|work=USA Today|date=April 18, 2005|access-date=March 31, 2007}}</ref>

On December 3, 2008, Adobe laid off 600 of its employees (8% of the worldwide staff) citing the [[Great Recession|weak economic environment]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bailey |first=Brandon |date=2008-12-03 |title=Adobe to cut 600 jobs, report lower fourth-quarter revenue |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2008/12/03/adobe-to-cut-600-jobs-report-lower-fourth-quarter-revenue/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=The Mercury News |language=en-US}}</ref> On September 15, 2009, Adobe Systems announced that it would acquire online marketing and web analytics company [[Omniture]] for $1.8&nbsp;billion.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=2009-09-15 |title=Firm for Analyzing Web Traffic Bought by Adobe for $1.8 Billion |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/technology/companies/16adobe.html |access-date=2025-04-02 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Swanson |first=Ana |date=2025-04-02 |title=Wokushop |url=https://wokushop.com/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |work=wokushop.com |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Adobe to buy Omniture for $1.8 billion - Sep. 15, 2009 |url=https://money.cnn.com/2009/09/15/technology/adobe_omniture/index.htm?source=motleyfool |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=money.cnn.com}}</ref> The deal was completed on October 23, 2009.<ref name=":1" /> Former Omniture products were integrated into the [[Adobe Marketing Cloud]].<ref>{{cite news |url= http://searchengineland.com/how-to-gracefully-retire-a-brand-name-125611 |title=How To Gracefully Retire A Brand Name|date=July 18, 2012|publisher=SearchEngineLand.com}}</ref> On November 10, 2009, the company laid off a further 680 employees.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Morrison |first=Scott |date=2009-11-10 |title=Adobe to Cut 680 Jobs to Reduce Costs |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704402404574528174100385780 |access-date=2025-04-02 |work=Wall Street Journal |language=en-US |issn=0099-9660}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2009-11-10 |title=Adobe lays off one in 10 workers |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8353863.stm |access-date=2025-04-02 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Adobe's 2010 was marked by continuing arguments with Apple over the latter's non-support for Adobe Flash on its [[iPhone]], [[iPad]] and other products.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/060710-tech-argument-apple-adobe.html |title=Apple vs. Adobe |publisher=networkworld.com |date=June 7, 2010 |access-date=July 28, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613123134/http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/060710-tech-argument-apple-adobe.html |archive-date=June 13, 2011 |url-status = dead }}</ref> Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs claimed that Flash was not reliable or secure enough, while Adobe executives have argued that Apple wishes to maintain control over the iOS platform. In April 2010, Steve Jobs published a post titled ''Thoughts on Flash'' where he outlined his thoughts on [[Adobe Flash|Flash]] and the rise of [[HTML5]].<ref name="Steve Jobs">{{cite web|title=Thoughts on Flash|url=https://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughts-on-flash/|access-date=November 16, 2020|publisher=[[Apple Inc.|Apple]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200430094807/https://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughts-on-flash/|archive-date=April 30, 2020}}</ref> In July 2010, Adobe bought Day Software<ref>{{Cite web |title=Web CMS: Adobe Buys Day Software for US$ 240 Million |url=https://www.cmswire.com/cms/web-cms/web-cms-adobe-buys-day-software-for-us-240-million-008168.php |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=CMSWire.com |language=en}}</ref> integrating their line of CQ Products: WCM,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.day.com/day/en/products/web_content_management.html|title=Adobe CQ WEM|date=February 22, 2011|access-date=January 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120110105728/http://www.day.com/day/en/products/web_content_management.html|archive-date=January 10, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> DAM,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.day.com/day/en/products/digital_asset_management.html|title=Adobe CQ DAM|date=February 22, 2011|access-date=January 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207131021/http://www.day.com/day/en/products/digital_asset_management.html|archive-date=February 7, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> SOCO,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.day.com/day/en/products/social_collaboration.html|title=Adobe CQ Social Collaboration CQ SOCO|date=February 22, 2011|access-date=January 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111231173533/http://www.day.com/day/en/products/social_collaboration.html|archive-date=December 31, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> and Mobile<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.day.com/day/en/products/mobile.html|title=Adobe CQ Mobile|date=February 22, 2011|access-date=January 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111171807/http://www.day.com/day/en/products/mobile.html|archive-date=January 11, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In January 2011, Adobe acquired DemDex, Inc. with the intent of adding DemDex's audience-optimization software to its online marketing suite.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/01/18/adobe-buys-behavioral-data-management-platform-demdex/| title=Adobe Buys Behavioral Data Management Platform DemDex| author=Leena Rao| date=January 18, 2011| work=TechCrunch| access-date=April 20, 2015}}</ref> At Photoshop World 2011, Adobe unveiled a new mobile photo service.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Etherington |first=Darrell |date=2011-09-07 |title=Adobe tries mobile photos as a service with Carousel |url=http://gigaom.com/apple/adobe-tries-mobile-photos-as-a-service-with-carousel/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105172422/http://gigaom.com/apple/adobe-tries-mobile-photos-as-a-service-with-carousel/ |archive-date=2012-01-05 |access-date=2025-06-18 |website=GigaOM |language=en}}</ref> Carousel was a new application for iPhone, iPad, and [[Mac (computer)|Mac]] that used Photoshop Lightroom technology to allow users to adjust and fine-tune images on all platforms.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Etherington |first=Darrell |date=2011-09-07 |title=Adobe tries mobile photos as a service with Carousel |url=http://gigaom.com/apple/adobe-tries-mobile-photos-as-a-service-with-carousel/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015122352/http://gigaom.com/apple/adobe-tries-mobile-photos-as-a-service-with-carousel/ |archive-date=October 15, 2012 |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=GigaOM |url-status=dead }}</ref> Carousel also allowed users to automatically sync, share and browse photos.<ref name="Carousel">Darrell Etherington, GigaOm. "[http://gigaom.com/apple/adobe-tries-mobile-photos-as-a-service-with-carousel/ Adobe tries mobile photos as a service with Carousel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105172422/http://gigaom.com/apple/adobe-tries-mobile-photos-as-a-service-with-carousel/|date=January 5, 2012}}." September 7, 2011. Retrieved September 12, 2011.</ref> The service was later renamed "Adobe Revel".<ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-01-11 |title=Adobe Carousel renamed "Adobe Revel" |url=https://blogs.adobe.com/jnack/2012/01/adobe-carousel-renamed-adobe-revel.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124034522/https://blogs.adobe.com/jnack/2012/01/adobe-carousel-renamed-adobe-revel.html |archive-date=November 24, 2020 |access-date=2025-06-23 |work=John Nack on Adobe |language=en-US |url-status=live }}</ref> Later that same year in October, Adobe acquired Nitobi Software, the maker of the [[mobile application]] development framework ''PhoneGap''. As part of the acquisition, the source code of PhoneGap was submitted to the [[Apache Foundation]], where it became [[Apache Cordova]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/adobe-acquires-canadian-makers-of-phonegap-nitobi/44606| title= Adobe acquires Canadian makers of PhoneGap, Nitobi | date=October 11, 2011| publisher=IT World Canada| access-date=May 12, 2017}}</ref>

In November 2011, Adobe announced that they would cease development of Flash for mobile devices following version 11.1. Instead, it would focus on HTML5 for mobile devices.<ref>{{cite web|last=Winokur |first=Danny |url=http://blogs.adobe.com/conversations/2011/11/flash-focus.html |title=Flash to Focus on PC Browsing and Mobile Apps; Adobe to More Aggressively Contribute to HTML5 (Adobe Featured Blogs) |publisher=Blogs.adobe.com |date=November 9, 2011 |access-date=December 24, 2011}}</ref> In December 2011, Adobe announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Efficient Frontier.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Adobe Buys Efficient Frontier to Boost Its Online Advertising Capabilities |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/472446/adobe_buys_efficient_frontier_to_boost_its_online_advertising_capabilities.html |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=PCWorld |language=en}}</ref> In December 2012, Adobe opened a new {{convert|280000|sqft|adj=on}} corporate campus in [[Lehi, Utah]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Lee |first=Jasen |title=A look inside Adobe's new state-of-the-art Utah home |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865568252/A-look-inside-Adobes-new-state-of-the-art-Utah-home.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121208011023/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865568252/A-look-inside-Adobes-new-state-of-the-art-Utah-home.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 8, 2012 |newspaper=Deseret News |date=December 6, 2012}}</ref>

In 2013, Adobe endured a major security breach. Vast portions of the source code for the company's software were stolen and posted online<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kastrenakes |first=Jacob |date=2013-10-29 |title=Adobe hack much worse than reported, hits 38 million passwords and Photoshop source code |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/10/29/5042434/adobe-cyberattack-takes-38-million-passwords-photoshop-source-code |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref> and over 150 million records of Adobe's customers were made readily available for download.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/11/7/5078560/over-150-million-breached-records-from-adobe-hack-surface-online|title=Over 150 million breached records from Adobe hack have surfaced online.|website=The Verge|date=November 7, 2013|access-date=March 7, 2017}}</ref> In 2012, about 40 million sets of payment card information were compromised by a hack at Adobe.<ref name="Top 2014">Skimming Off the Top; Why America has such a high rate of payment-card fraud, February 15, 2014, The Economist</ref>

Adobe announced a $20 billion acquisition of [[Figma]], an [[Adobe XD]] competitor, in September 2022,<ref>{{cite press release | author=<!--Not stated--> | title=Adobe to Acquire Figma | url=https://news.adobe.com/news/news-details/2022/Adobe-to-Acquire-Figma/default.aspx | location=San Jose, California | publisher=Adobe | date=September 15, 2022 | access-date=August 19, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915121046/https://news.adobe.com/news/news-details/2022/Adobe-to-Acquire-Figma/default.aspx | archive-date = September 15, 2022}}</ref> its largest to date.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ford |first1=Brody |date=7 November 2022 |title=Adobe Is Trying to Spend $20 Billion to Buy Back Its Swagger |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-07/adobe-adbe-figma-acquisition-could-overhaul-its-business?srnd=premium&sref=CIpmV6x8 |access-date=7 November 2022 |work=Bloomberg}}</ref> Regulatory scrutiny from the US and European Union began shortly after due to concerns that Adobe, already a major player in the design software market with XD, would have too much control if it also owned Figma. At the time of the announcement to acquire Figma, Adobe's share over the creative software market and design-software market was almost a monopoly.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weatherbed |first=Jess |date=2023-12-18 |title=Adobe abandons $20 billion acquisition of Figma |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/18/24005996/adobe-figma-acquisition-abandoned-termination-fee |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref> In December 2023, the two companies called off their merger, citing the regulatory challenges as a sign to both that the deal was not likely to be approved. Adobe paid Figma a $1 billion termination fee per their merger agreement.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-16 |title=EU regulators to assess Adobe's $20bn acquisition of Figma |url=https://www.ns-businesshub.com/technology/eu-regulators-to-assess-adobe-20bn-acquisition-figma/ |access-date=2023-02-16 |website=NS Business |language=en-US |archive-date=February 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216134126/https://www.ns-businesshub.com/technology/eu-regulators-to-assess-adobe-20bn-acquisition-figma/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Goswami |first=Hayden Field, Rohan |date=2023-12-18 |title=Adobe and Figma call off $20 billion merger |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/18/adobe-and-figma-call-off-20-billion-merger.html |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Novet |first=Jordan |date=2022-08-25 |title=Microsoft employees love Figma, and it's testing the company's cozy relationship with Adobe |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/25/figma-growing-inside-microsoft-testing-longtime-deal-with-adobe.html |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dotan |first=Dean Seal and Tom |title=Adobe Scraps $20 Billion Acquisition of Figma |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/adobe-figma-scrap-20-billion-acquisition-3488d5a1 |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=WSJ |language=en-US}}</ref>

===FTC lawsuit and terms of service update (2024–present)===

On June 17, 2024, the [[US Federal Trade Commission]] together with the [[US Department of Justice]] filed a lawsuit against Adobe for its subscription business model practice, citing hidden termination fees and the company pushing customers towards more expensive plans.<ref>{{cite news |title=Adobe steered consumers to pricey services and made it hard to cancel, feds say - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/adobe-ftc-federal-lawsuit-cancel-subscription/ |access-date=18 June 2024 |work=CBS News |date=17 June 2024}}</ref>

| [[Adobe Photoshop|Photoshop]] || [[File:Adobe Photoshop CC icon.svg|x40px]] || [[Raster graphics editor]]

| [[Adobe InDesign|InDesign]] || [[File:Adobe InDesign CC icon.svg|x40px]] || [[Desktop publishing]] design and typesetting tool

| [[Adobe InCopy|InCopy]] || [[File:Adobe InCopy CC icon (2020).svg|x40px]] || [[Word processor]] to edit the textual parts in InDesign layouts.

| [[Adobe Lightroom|Lightroom]] || [[File:Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC logo.svg|x40px]] || Raw image processor

|[[File:Adobe Express logo CMYK 256px.svg|x40px]]

| [[Adobe Premiere Pro|Premiere Pro]] || [[File:Adobe Premiere Pro CC icon.svg|x40px]] || [[Non-linear editing|Non-linear video editor]]

| [[Adobe Audition|Audition]] || [[File:Adobe Audition CC icon (2020).svg|x40px]] || Audio editor

| [[Adobe After Effects|After Effects]] || [[File:Adobe After Effects CC icon.svg|x40px]] || [[visual effects|Digital visual effects]], [[motion graphics]], and [[Digital compositing|compositing]] application

| [[Adobe Dimension|Dimension]] || [[File:Adobe Dimension Logo.svg|x40px]] || [[3D rendering]] and rudimentary [[3D modeling|design]] tool

[[Portable Document Format]] (PDF), PDF's predecessor [[PostScript]], [[ActionScript]], Shockwave Flash ([[SWF]]), [[Flash Video]] (FLV), and ''Filmstrip'' (.flm)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.compuphase.com/filmstrp.htm|title=The Filmstrip file format|date=July 2, 2012|author=Thiadmer Riemersma|access-date=January 27, 2015|publisher=CompuPhase}}</ref>

Adobe's [[Adobe Reader|Reader]] and [[Adobe Flash|Flash]] programs were listed on "The 10 most hated programs of all time" article by ''[[TechRadar]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/the-10-most-hated-programs-of-all-time-1060129 |title=The 10 most hated programs of all time: Terrible software that made everybody see red|work=TechRadar|author=Gary Marshall|date=February 3, 2012|access-date=October 5, 2017}}</ref>

Hackers have exploited vulnerabilities in Adobe programs, such as Adobe Reader, to gain unauthorized access to computers.<ref>{{cite news|last=Pagliery |first=Jose |url=https://money.cnn.com/2013/10/08/technology/security/adobe-security/ |title=Adobe has an espically abysmal security record – CNNMoney |publisher=Money.cnn.com |date=October 8, 2013 |access-date=May 23, 2014}}</ref> [[Flash player#Criticism|Adobe's Flash Player has also been criticized]] for, among other things, suffering from performance, memory usage and security problems. A report by security researchers from [[Kaspersky Lab]] criticized Adobe for producing the products having top 10 security vulnerabilities.<ref>{{cite web |author=Jeff James in Security Blog |url=http://windowsitpro.com/blog/adobe-fares-poorly-kaspersky-lab-security-report |title=Adobe Fares Poorly in Kaspersky Lab Security Report |publisher=WindowsITPro |date=August 1, 2011|access-date=May 23, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140703214840/http://windowsitpro.com/blog/adobe-fares-poorly-kaspersky-lab-security-report |archive-date=July 3, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Observers noted that Adobe was spying on its customers by including [[spyware]] in the Creative Suite 3 software and quietly sending user data to a firm named [[Omniture]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20071228/020818.shtml |title=Adobe Spying On Its Customers |publisher=Techdirt |date=December 2, 2007|access-date=May 23, 2014}}</ref> When users became aware, Adobe explained what the suspicious software did and admitted that they: "could and should do a better job taking security concerns into account".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.adobe.com/jnack/2007/12/adobe_ate_me_baby.html |title=John Nack on Adobe: Adobe ate me baby!! |publisher=Blogs.adobe.com |date=December 2, 2007|access-date=May 23, 2014}}</ref> When a security flaw was later discovered in Photoshop CS5, Adobe sparked outrage by saying it would leave the flaw unpatched, so anyone who wanted to use the software securely would have to pay for an upgrade.<ref>{{cite web|last=Brewster|first=Thomas |url=https://www.silicon.co.uk/workspace/adobe-creative-suite-patch-backtrac-77760|title=Adobe Backtracks On Patching 'PR Disaster' |publisher=TechWeekEurope |date=May 1, 2012|access-date=May 23, 2014}}</ref> Following a fierce backlash Adobe decided to provide the software patch.<ref>{{cite web|last=Brenner |first=Bill |url=http://blogs.csoonline.com/data-protection/2178/was-stupid-adobe |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120630154428/http://blogs.csoonline.com/data-protection/2178/was-stupid-adobe |url-status = dead|archive-date=June 30, 2012 |title=That was stupid, Adobe &#124; CSO Blogs |publisher=Blogs.csoonline.com |date=May 1, 2012|access-date=May 23, 2014}}</ref>

On October 3, 2013, the company initially revealed that 2.9&nbsp;million customers' sensitive and personal data was stolen in a security breach which included encrypted credit card information.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24392819 |title=Adobe in source code and customer data security breach|publisher=BBC |date=October 4, 2013 |access-date=May 23, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Adobe accounts hacked, data exposed for 2.9 million customers |url=https://www.dpreview.com/articles/2109059323/adobe-accounts-hacked-data-exposed-for-2-9-million-customers |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=DPReview}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=CNET: Product reviews, advice, how-tos and the latest news |url=https://www.cnet.com/ |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=CNET |language=en}}</ref> Adobe later admitted that 38 million active users have been affected and the attackers obtained access to their IDs and encrypted passwords, as well as to many inactive Adobe accounts.<ref>{{cite web |title=Adobe hack attack affected 38 million accounts &#124; Security & Privacy |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57609753-83/adobe-hack-attack-affected-38-million-accounts/ |access-date=May 23, 2014 |publisher=News.cnet.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/adobe-security-breach-actually-affected-closer-to-38-million-users/ |title=Adobe security breach actually affected closer to 38 million users|work=ZDNet}}</ref> The company did not make it clear if all the personal information was encrypted, such as email addresses and physical addresses, though [[data privacy|data]] [[privacy law]]s in 44 states require this information to be encrypted.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.kioskea.net/news/24146-adobe-cyber-attack-was-a-lesson-for-corporations|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022214739/http://en.kioskea.net/news/24146-adobe-cyber-attack-was-a-lesson-for-corporations|url-status = dead|archive-date=October 22, 2013|title=Adobe Cyber Attack was a Lesson for Corporations - Kioskea.net|date=October 2, 2013|access-date=May 23, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2013/10/09/how-safe-is-encrypted-card-data-adobe/ |title=After Security Breach Exposes 2.9 Million Adobe Users, How Safe Is Encrypted Credit Card Data? |magazine=Forbes |access-date=May 23, 2014 |first=Alex |last=Konrad}}</ref>

In late 2013 a 3.8 GB file stolen from Adobe and containing 152 million usernames, reversibly encrypted passwords and unencrypted password hints was posted on AnonNews.org.<ref>{{cite web |last=Goodin |first=Dan |date=November 1, 2013 |title=How an epic blunder by Adobe could strengthen hand of password crackers |url=https://arstechnica.com/security/2013/11/how-an-epic-blunder-by-adobe-could-strengthen-hand-of-password-crackers/ |access-date=May 23, 2014 |publisher=Arstechnica.com}}</ref> [[LastPass]], a password security firm, said that Adobe failed to use best practices for securing the passwords and has not [[Salt (cryptography)|salted]] them.<ref>{{cite news|last=Finkle |first=Jim |url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-adobe-cyberattack-idUKBRE9A61D220131107 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415102333/http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-adobe-cyberattack-idUKBRE9A61D220131107 |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 15, 2016 |title=Trove of Adobe user data found on Web after breach: security firm |publisher=Uk.reuters.com |date=November 7, 2013 |access-date=May 23, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.csoonline.com/article/742570/adobe-confirms-stolen-passwords-were-encrypted-not-hashed|title=Adobe confirms stolen passwords were encrypted, not hashed – CSO Online|date=November 4, 2013|access-date=November 28, 2013|archive-date=December 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203001625/http://www.csoonline.com/article/742570/adobe-confirms-stolen-passwords-were-encrypted-not-hashed|url-status=dead}}</ref> Another security firm, [[Sophos]], showed that Adobe used a [[weak encryption]] method permitting the recovery of a lot of information with very little effort.<ref>{{cite web|author=Published on |url=http://www.bit-tech.net/news/bits/2013/11/05/adobe-breach-2/1 |title=Adobe data breach far worse than first claimed |publisher=bit-tech.net |date=November 5, 2013 |access-date=May 23, 2014}}</ref> According to [[Information technology|IT]] expert Simon Bain, Adobe has failed its customers and 'should hang their heads in shame'.<ref>{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Matt |url=http://business-technology.co.uk/2013/11/adobe-should-hang-their-heads-in-shame-following-cyber-attack/ |title=Adobe 'should hang their heads in shame' following cyber attack |publisher=Business Technology |date=November 5, 2013 |access-date=May 23, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203054029/http://business-technology.co.uk/2013/11/adobe-should-hang-their-heads-in-shame-following-cyber-attack/ |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Many of the credit cards were tied to the [[Creative Cloud]] software-by-subscription service.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9243010/Adobe_hack_shows_subscription_software_vendors_lucrative_targets?pageNumber=1|title=Adobe hack shows subscription software vendors lucrative targets {{!}} Computerworld|date=October 7, 2013|access-date=October 8, 2013|archive-date=October 7, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007134314/http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9243010/Adobe_hack_shows_subscription_software_vendors_lucrative_targets?pageNumber=1|url-status=dead}}</ref> Adobe offered its affected US customers a free membership in a credit monitoring service, but no similar arrangements have been made for non-US customers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2013/10/massive-adobe-security-breach-change-your-passwords-now/ | title=Massive Adobe Security Breach: Change Your Passwords Now {{!}} Lifehacker Australia| date=October 4, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2013/10/adobe-treating-australians-as-lesser-beings-even-after-details-of-2-9-million-accounts-were-stolen/| title=Adobe Treating Australians As Lesser Beings Even After Details Of 2.9 Million Accounts Were Stolen {{!}} Gizmodo Australia| date=October 4, 2013| access-date=October 7, 2013| archive-date=October 7, 2013| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007012329/http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2013/10/adobe-treating-australians-as-lesser-beings-even-after-details-of-2-9-million-accounts-were-stolen/| url-status=dead}}</ref> When a [[data breach]] occurs in the US, penalties depend on the state where the victim resides, not where the company is based.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-adobe-cyberattack-idUKBRE9AO10R20131125|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415102019/http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-adobe-cyberattack-idUKBRE9AO10R20131125|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 15, 2016|title=Adobe says breach notification taking longer than anticipated | date=November 25, 2013}}</ref>

After stealing the customers' data, cyber-thieves also accessed Adobe's [[source code]] repository, likely in mid-August 2013.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.infoworld.com/t/application-security/adobe-fesses-hack-fudges-details-228189|title=Adobe fesses up to hack but fudges on details {{!}} Application security – InfoWorld|date=October 4, 2013}}</ref> Because [[Hacker (computer security)|hackers]] acquired copies of the source code of Adobe [[proprietary software|proprietary]] products,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/04/adobe-hacked_n_4042351.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004112712/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/04/adobe-hacked_n_4042351.html|url-status = dead|archive-date=October 4, 2013|title=BBC Adobe Hacked: Cyber-Thieves Accessed Credit Card Information Of Nearly 3 Million Customers | work=Huffington Post | date=October 4, 2013}}</ref> they could find and exploit any potential weaknesses in its security, computer experts warned.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/04/technology/adobe-announces-security-breach.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220101/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/04/technology/adobe-announces-security-breach.html |archive-date=2022-01-01 |url-access=limited|title=Adobe Announces Security Breach {{!}} The New York Times | first=David | last=Kocieniewski|work=The New York Times |date=October 3, 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Security researcher [[Alex Holden]], chief information security officer of Hold Security, characterized this Adobe breach, which affected [[Adobe Acrobat|Acrobat]], [[ColdFusion]] and numerous other applications, as "one of the worst in US history".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gigaom.com/2013/10/07/ruh-roh-adobe-breach-is-just-the-beginning-researcher-says/ |title=Ruh-roh: Adobe breach is just the beginning, researcher says |publisher=Gigaom.com |date=October 7, 2013 |access-date=May 23, 2014 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624192534/https://gigaom.com/2013/10/07/ruh-roh-adobe-breach-is-just-the-beginning-researcher-says/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Adobe also announced that hackers stole parts of the source code of [[Photoshop]], which according to commentators could allow programmers to copy its engineering techniques<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24740873 |title=BBC News – Adobe hack: At least 38 million accounts breached |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=October 3, 2013|access-date=May 23, 2014}}</ref> and would make it easier to pirate Adobe's expensive products.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-levin/why-the-adobe-hack-scares_b_4277064.html |title=Why the Adobe Hack Scares Me – And Why It Should Scare You &#124; Adam Levin |publisher=Huffingtonpost.com |date=November 1, 2013|access-date=May 23, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Adobe source code breach – is it a gateway for new malware and exploits? |url=https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2013/10/05/adobe-source-code-breach-is-it-a-gateway-for-new-malware-and-exploits/ |website=Naked Security |date=October 5, 2013 |access-date=October 24, 2020 |archive-date=August 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812095613/https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2013/10/05/adobe-source-code-breach-is-it-a-gateway-for-new-malware-and-exploits/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Published on a server of a Russian-speaking [[hacker group]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2054160/adobes-source-code-was-parked-on-hackers-unprotected-server.html| title=Adobe's source code was parked on hackers' unprotected server {{!}} PCWorld| date=October 11, 2013}}</ref> the "disclosure of encryption algorithms, other security schemes, and software vulnerabilities can be used to bypass protections for individual and corporate data" and may have opened the gateway to new generation [[zero-day attack]]s. Hackers already used ColdFusion exploits to make off with usernames and encrypted passwords of [[PR Newswire]]'s customers, which has been tied to the Adobe security breach.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2013/10/18/breach-at-pr-newswire-linked-to-adobe-exploit/|website=nakedsecurity.sophos.com|title=Breach at PR Newswire linked to Adobe exploit|date=October 18, 2013|access-date=May 4, 2020|archive-date=July 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724234148/https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2013/10/18/breach-at-pr-newswire-linked-to-adobe-exploit/|url-status=dead}}</ref> They also used a ColdFusion exploit to breach Washington state court and expose up to 200,000 Social Security numbers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hackers breached Washington state court with Adobe ColdFusion flaw |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/hackers-breached-washington-state-court-with-adobe-coldfusion-flaw/ |access-date=2025-06-18 |website=ZDNET |language=en}}</ref>

{{See also|Adobe Creative Cloud#Criticism}}

In 1994, Adobe acquired Aldus Corp., a software vendor that sold FreeHand, a competing product.<ref name="law360"/><ref name="twff"/> [[Adobe FreeHand|FreeHand]] was direct competition to [[Adobe Illustrator]], Adobe's flagship vector-graphics editor.<ref name="law360">{{cite web|url=http://www.law360.com/articles/243049/adobe-hit-with-class-action-over-freehand-app|title=Adobe Hit With Class Action Over FreeHand App|first=Dan|last=Rivoli|date=May 3, 2011|publisher=Law360}}</ref><ref name="twff"/> The [[Federal Trade Commission]] (FTC) intervened and forced Adobe to sell FreeHand back to Altsys, and also banned Adobe from buying back FreeHand or any similar program for the next 10 years (1994–2004).<ref name="law360"/><ref name="twff"/> Altsys was then bought by [[Macromedia]], which released versions 5 to 11.<ref name="twff"/> When Adobe acquired Macromedia in December 2005, it stalled development of [[Adobe FreeHand|FreeHand]] in 2007, effectively rendering it obsolete.<ref name="law360"/><ref name="cwff">{{cite web|url=http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/it-vendors/adobe-sued-by-freehand-user-group-3280625/|title=Adobe sued by FreeHand user group|date=May 1, 2011|publisher=[[Computerworld]] UK}}</ref> With FreeHand and Illustrator, Adobe controlled the only two products that compete in the professional illustration program market for Macintosh operating systems.<ref name="law360"/>

On June 5, 2024, Adobe updated their [[terms of service]] (TOS) for Photoshop stating "we may access your content through both manual and automated methods, such as for content review." This sparked outrage with Adobe users, as the new terms implied that the users' work would be used to train Adobe's generative AI, even if the work was under a [[non-disclosure agreement]] (NDA).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nover |first=Scott |date=2024-06-07 |title=Adobe Swears It's Not Training Its A.I. on Your Photoshops |url=https://slate.com/technology/2024/06/adobe-terms-use-backlash-licensing-royalty-generative-ai-creative-cloud.html |access-date=2024-06-10 |work=Slate |language=en-US |issn=1091-2339}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Weatherbed |first=Jess |date=2024-06-07 |title=Adobe's TOS "update" isn't the problem — it's trust |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/7/24173838/adobe-tos-update-firefly-generative-ai-trust |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref>

Adobe responded the following day clarifying that they will not use user data to train generative AI or take users work as their own; however, they neglected to respond to the part in the TOS that gives Adobe the ability to view or use work that is contracted under an NDA.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Team |first=Adobe Communications |title=A clarification on Adobe Terms of Use {{!}} Adobe Blog |url=https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2024/06/06/clarification-adobe-terms-of-use |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=blog.adobe.com}}</ref>

* {{cite web|title=Patents owned by Adobe Inc.|work=US Patent & Trademark Office|url=http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2Fsearch-adv.htm&r=0&p=1&f=S&l=50&Query=an%2F%22Adobe+Inc%22&d=ptxt|access-date=December 8, 2005}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

 

[[Category:1982 establishments in California]]