netrashetty
Netra Shetty
Adobe Systems Inc. has a franchise position in graphics, printing and publishing technology, and applications. The company built its franchise on the PostScript printing language and utilizes that success to dominate market shares for illustration, image editing, and document publishing applications. In 1994 Adobe purchased Aldus Corporation, acquiring PageMaker, a page layout and document publishing tool, for approximately $440 million. In addition, they purchased rival Frame Technology Corporation in 1995 for $460 million and obtained ownership of FrameMaker, a high-end publishing application. Succeeded by Microsoft and Novell, Adobe continues to market a wide variety of computer software.
Adobe's selected products include: Acrobat (electronic document management software), Adobe Acrobat (document formatting software), Adobe ArtExplorer (painting and drawing software for children), Adobe Fetch (cataloging software), Adobe Gallery Effects (special-effects software), Adobe Illustrator (graphics software), Adobe PageMill (Web-page creation software), Adobe Persuasion (presentation software), Adobe PhotoDeluxe (personalized photo software), Adobe Photoshop (photographic image software), Adobe Premiere (film and video editing software), Adobe SiteMill (Internet link repair software), FrameMaker (document authoring software), PageMaker (page layout software), and PostScript (page description language interpreter). Adobe maintains a 40-percent market share in desktop publishing, which translates into about a 1.7 million user base.
DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY:
Adobe has a comprehensive Internet/Intranet strategy that focuses on web site development tools, information distribution and printing, and graphics. With products like PageMill and SiteMill, and its Acrobat electronic document technology, Adobe is well positioned for growth in that market. By simultaneously releasing Windows and Mac versions of its software, the company is making important progress. Adobe also focuses on marketing new and upgraded products to meet new technological demands (e.g., the release of Adobe PostScript 3 to meet the needs of Internet-based printing environments).
In reference to PostScript, "People don't realize it," John Warnock explained, "but the technology that we developed in the early 80's and the desktop publishing revolution have really taken over printing and publishing. So every newspaper today, every magazine uses a piece of our technology, and uses our type library, and uses the graphic arts interface. Every cereal box on the shelf, the titling on a lot of television channels—they all use it."
Adobe began distributing its products to Europe and the Pacific Rim in 1987. A weaker European market (due primarily to weak FrameMaker and PageMaker sales) was offset by stronger sales growth in Japan, from which Adobe derives 20 percent or more of its revenue. By mid-1997 a new Japanese version of FrameMaker was released.
Adobe Systems introduced InMarket, a centralized application distribution portal enabling developers to market their Flash-based software across different device types via app stores from Acer, Intel and other retail partners. According to Adobe, InMarket operates seamlessly in the device background, enabling consumers to download applications directly from a given storefront--developers will receive 70 percent of sales revenues, with Adobe and its partners handling all credit card processing, hosting and marketing responsibilities.
To get started, developers must first register and create a publisher profile at the InMarket portal--upon receiving a code-signing certificate (available free on request), programmers may begin building and testing apps using the InMarket SDK. Adobe and its store partners promise to validate all app submissions within 10 days, adding that once an InMarket app is approved, developers can change its description, modify pricing or update the software at any time.
The InMarket launch coincides with expanded support for the Adobe AIR 2.5 runtime, which now spans smartphones and tablets running the iOS, Android and BlackBerry Tablet OS platforms. AIR enables developers to leverage tools like Adobe Flash Professional CS5, Adobe Flash Builder and Flex to create and distribute standalone applications across a host of devices and platforms; Adobe AIR 2.5 boasts new features including support for accelerometer, camera, video, microphone, multi-touch and gestures--in addition, new geo-location tools support the development of location-based applications and services. AIR 2.5 also displays native-browser controls within an app, allowing developers to integrate HTML and .SWF content.
Beyond smartphones, tablets and desktops, Adobe states that Samsung will incorporate Adobe AIR 2.5 support into Samsung SmartTVs. The software provider adds that Acer, HTC, Motorola, Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) and others are expected to ship the runtime pre-installed on a variety of devices in the months ahead.
Adobe's selected products include: Acrobat (electronic document management software), Adobe Acrobat (document formatting software), Adobe ArtExplorer (painting and drawing software for children), Adobe Fetch (cataloging software), Adobe Gallery Effects (special-effects software), Adobe Illustrator (graphics software), Adobe PageMill (Web-page creation software), Adobe Persuasion (presentation software), Adobe PhotoDeluxe (personalized photo software), Adobe Photoshop (photographic image software), Adobe Premiere (film and video editing software), Adobe SiteMill (Internet link repair software), FrameMaker (document authoring software), PageMaker (page layout software), and PostScript (page description language interpreter). Adobe maintains a 40-percent market share in desktop publishing, which translates into about a 1.7 million user base.
DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY:
Adobe has a comprehensive Internet/Intranet strategy that focuses on web site development tools, information distribution and printing, and graphics. With products like PageMill and SiteMill, and its Acrobat electronic document technology, Adobe is well positioned for growth in that market. By simultaneously releasing Windows and Mac versions of its software, the company is making important progress. Adobe also focuses on marketing new and upgraded products to meet new technological demands (e.g., the release of Adobe PostScript 3 to meet the needs of Internet-based printing environments).
In reference to PostScript, "People don't realize it," John Warnock explained, "but the technology that we developed in the early 80's and the desktop publishing revolution have really taken over printing and publishing. So every newspaper today, every magazine uses a piece of our technology, and uses our type library, and uses the graphic arts interface. Every cereal box on the shelf, the titling on a lot of television channels—they all use it."
Adobe began distributing its products to Europe and the Pacific Rim in 1987. A weaker European market (due primarily to weak FrameMaker and PageMaker sales) was offset by stronger sales growth in Japan, from which Adobe derives 20 percent or more of its revenue. By mid-1997 a new Japanese version of FrameMaker was released.
Adobe Systems introduced InMarket, a centralized application distribution portal enabling developers to market their Flash-based software across different device types via app stores from Acer, Intel and other retail partners. According to Adobe, InMarket operates seamlessly in the device background, enabling consumers to download applications directly from a given storefront--developers will receive 70 percent of sales revenues, with Adobe and its partners handling all credit card processing, hosting and marketing responsibilities.
To get started, developers must first register and create a publisher profile at the InMarket portal--upon receiving a code-signing certificate (available free on request), programmers may begin building and testing apps using the InMarket SDK. Adobe and its store partners promise to validate all app submissions within 10 days, adding that once an InMarket app is approved, developers can change its description, modify pricing or update the software at any time.
The InMarket launch coincides with expanded support for the Adobe AIR 2.5 runtime, which now spans smartphones and tablets running the iOS, Android and BlackBerry Tablet OS platforms. AIR enables developers to leverage tools like Adobe Flash Professional CS5, Adobe Flash Builder and Flex to create and distribute standalone applications across a host of devices and platforms; Adobe AIR 2.5 boasts new features including support for accelerometer, camera, video, microphone, multi-touch and gestures--in addition, new geo-location tools support the development of location-based applications and services. AIR 2.5 also displays native-browser controls within an app, allowing developers to integrate HTML and .SWF content.
Beyond smartphones, tablets and desktops, Adobe states that Samsung will incorporate Adobe AIR 2.5 support into Samsung SmartTVs. The software provider adds that Acer, HTC, Motorola, Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) and others are expected to ship the runtime pre-installed on a variety of devices in the months ahead.