Adobe accidentally leaks cloud-based 'Nimbus' photo editing tool for Mac

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in Mac Software
Adobe has accidentally let an early version of "Project Nimbus" -- a primarily cloud-based photo editor -- slip out to some Creative Cloud subscribers, according to a report.




Nimbus users should have access to 1 terabyte of storage, versus the 20 gigabytes normally assigned to Creative Cloud customers, said French site MacGeneration, which obtained numerous screenshots of the Mac and Windows software before it was removed as an available download. Adobe has confirmed the leak's authenticity.

The extra storage is presumably necessary because both images and non-destructive edits are saved online, making it possible to work from anywhere. The software is said to be similar in some respects to Lightroom for the iPad, and should offer some organization features -- most notably automatic keyword tagging based on image analysis. It's not expected to replace the desktop version of Lightroom however, as it offers a simple, centralized interface, dispensing with separate modules.




Adobe first teased Nimbus as far back as Nov. 2016, and a beta is due by the end of the year.

The concept is similar in some respects to Apple's Photos apps for macOS and iOS, which can sync edits between each other automatically via iCloud. An important difference is that Photos is free to Apple device owners, barring any iCloud storage upgrades. A Creative Cloud Photography subscription -- under which Nimbus will presumably fall -- costs at least $9.99 per month, but also includes professional, multi-platform software in the form of Lightroom and Photoshop.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Accidentally leaks? Unlikely.
    SpamSandwich
  • Reply 2 of 10
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,808member
    Accidentally on purpose...
  • Reply 3 of 10
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Sounds like a cumbersome and inefficient way to edit large files.
  • Reply 4 of 10
    mr omr o Posts: 1,046member
    Could this be related to the recently launched Lightroom web?


    source: https://youtu.be/yZlGq_-Z7cw 


    >:x
  • Reply 5 of 10
    mr omr o Posts: 1,046member
    …

    A Creative Cloud Photography subscription -- under which Nimbus will presumably fall -- costs at least $9.99 per month, but also includes professional, multi-platform software in the form of
    Lightroom and Photoshop.

    You also get Creative Cloud Storage:
    • 20GB when you have a full Adobe Creative Cloud membership or a single app membership
    • 2GB when you have a Creative Cloud Photography membership

    >:x
  • Reply 6 of 10
    frank777frank777 Posts: 5,839member
    SpamSandwich said:
    Sounds like a cumbersome and inefficient way to edit large files.

    True. But it also makes Chromebooks that much more useful. With the MacBook stuck at $1299., this could get really interesting.
  • Reply 7 of 10
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    frank777 said:
    SpamSandwich said:
    Sounds like a cumbersome and inefficient way to edit large files.

    True. But it also makes Chromebooks that much more useful. With the MacBook stuck at $1299., this could get really interesting.
    Using that logic, shouldn't it also make the iPad Pro a more viable platform for photo-retouching?
  • Reply 8 of 10
    bestkeptsecretbestkeptsecret Posts: 4,265member
    frank777 said:
    Sounds like a cumbersome and inefficient way to edit large files.

    True. But it also makes Chromebooks that much more useful. With the MacBook stuck at $1299., this could get really interesting.
    Using that logic, shouldn't it also make the iPad Pro a more viable platform for photo-retouching?

    He probably is making a point about the price. The iPad Pro is probably more expensive than a Chromebook.

    A cheap way to edit photos - a Chromebook and an online photo editor. A person who makes a living based off photography or image editing is never going to think like that.

    I guess he's also missing the point of getting a MacBook if all he needs is a Chromebook. He's better off with a Fire tablet I guess, if they still make those. Just find the cheapest way to access a browser and use Nimbus!

    edited July 2017
  • Reply 9 of 10
    frank777frank777 Posts: 5,839member
    Hmmm. Sorry, I didn't get email notification of the comments.

    Yes, it helps the iPad Pro as well, but I think far less than Chromebooks, which are becoming entrenched in education - at Apple's expense.
    An iPad Pro isn't "probably" more expensive than a Chromebook, it's WAY more expensive.

    And of course someone who makes a living on Photoshop is going to stick with Creative Cloud. That's just obvious.

    But the vast majority of laptops aren't sold to professional photo editors. I seriously doubt more than 10% of MacBook sales fall into that category.

    I'm not saying we're all going to dump our Macs and run to Chromebooks. Just pointing out that if you strike "can't edit photos" off the list, a Chromebook starts to become a far more viable proposition for entry-level users.
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