iPhone gets Photoshop for the first time.

The Photoshop app is available on iPhone with many of the same tools as the desktop version, and an interface optimized for touch screens.

Photoshop's welcome screen on iPhone. Photo: The Shortcut .

Adobe has just launched a new Photoshop app for iPhone, integrating many AI-powered design, editing, and image creation tools similar to the PC version.

The app also integrates the web-based Photoshop platform to synchronize projects across multiple devices. According to Adobe, the new version of Photoshop has been released globally for iPhone, while the Android version will launch later this year.

This is considered the first true Photoshop app for smartphones. In fact, a simplified version of the photo editing software has been available on mobile devices since 2010, called Photoshop Express. However, Adobe says the new version of Photoshop supports many familiar features.

The two apps share some similar features such as resizing tools, masking, contrast/saturation adjustment, and object removal. While Photoshop Express offers an experience similar to some mobile photo editing apps like Picsart or Facetune, the new Photoshop app will be closer to the desktop version.

The free version of Photoshop supports many tools such as object removal (Spot Healing Brush), tap-to-select (Tap Select), layer editing, and several image merging and blending features.

The application also supports Adobe Stock photo libraries and synchronizes with the Creative Cloud ecosystem, including Adobe Express, Lightroom, and Fresco. Several AI features are also included, such as creating/removing content in images (Generative Fill) and expanding images (Generative Expand) based on the Adobe Firefly model.

Other features such as Object Select, Magic Wand, Content Aware Fill, and Clone Stamp are only available with a subscription plan of $ 7 USD /month (or $70 USD /year).

Some features are only available for paid users, such as brightness/darkness adjustment modes, color effects, and a web-based version of Photoshop, in addition to AI-powered image generation (Generate Similar) and reference image features on the web.

According to The Verge , all paying Photoshop users will be able to access advanced features on mobile. Currently, Photoshop Express still offers a $5 /month subscription, although Adobe has not specified its next steps for the app.

The Photoshop editing interface on iPhone. Photo: The Shortcut .

Releasing Photoshop on mobile is seen as a positive move by Adobe. While useful for editing photos for social media, Photoshop Express cannot offer the same experience as the desktop version.

Of course, the mobile app still has many interface changes, optimized for touch screens with drag-and-drop functionality. According to Adobe, Photoshop for smartphones is for the "next generation of creatives," prioritizing work on phones.

Some studies show that younger generations (Gen Z or Alpha) tend to use mobile devices more, but professionals (who make up the majority of Photoshop users) may not like the mobile version because the interface is too different.

On the positive side, mobile apps can make Photoshop more accessible to beginners, preventing them from being overwhelmed by the full desktop interface.