Anubhav,
Thank you for your response. Unfortunately, the issues I’ve encountered with Adobe’s products are far too many to articulate. It’s disheartening to see how Adobe seems to have lost its way, and I know I’m not alone in feeling this. Many design professionals with decades of experience in the industry share similar frustrations. Virtually all of those with whom I speak are award-winning, industry-leading illustrators and designers who, like me, have relied on Adobe products as critical tools throughout their careers.
The irony is that while the cost of using Adobe’s products has skyrocketed compared to what we used to pay, the quality and reliability that once made these applications industry-leading have significantly declined. For instance, users frequently report that Illustrator and Photoshop have become almost unusable due to extreme lag and performance issues, even on high-spec machines. I’ve experienced these issues myself, even with regular updates, and only recently saw improvement after upgrading to an M4 high-spec MacBook Pro—a solution that most professionals shouldn’t have to rely on to use software effectively.
Illustrator and Photoshop used to be my go-to applications for virtually everything, from graphic design to early wireframe work. Today, they are plagued with bugs. Everything from how Illustrator magnifies a selection to how selections are made feels clunky and unreliable. Photoshop, unfortunately, is just as problematic. Features like cropping, perspective warp, and even basic adjustments frequently malfunction, turning formerly seamless workflows into frustrating exercises in troubleshooting.
My peers and I generally agree on one thing: we don’t need continuous product redesigns—we need the features Adobe has already created to simply work. In fact, I would argue that I don’t need more features at all. Having worked in Fortune 5 companies as a designer, I understand that adding new features is often a strategy to drive sales and sustain market share. But with subscription models now firmly in place, is this approach even necessary? We’re already paying on a monthly cadence, as opposed to upgrading every two or three years like we used to. The focus should shift from overloading the software with new, often unnecessary features, to ensuring that the core functionality is stable, reliable, and performant.
And don’t even get me started on the subscription model—a system Adobe helped pioneer and one that nobody I know wants or needs. For those of us who have been loyal customers for decades, the subscription model feels more like a punishment than a service. It locks users into perpetual payments without delivering the reliability, innovation, or value to justify the expense. Gone are the days when we could make a one-time purchase, own the software outright, and decide when or if we wanted to upgrade. Now, we’re compelled to keep paying indefinitely, regardless of whether the tools meet our expectations.
Frankly, I—and virtually every designer I know—was happier with Adobe applications from ten years ago than with the more “robust” products we are forced to use today, which supposedly leverage AI. So far, these AI features have been unimpressive at best, adding unnecessary complexity while ignoring the foundational functionality designers rely on daily. Adobe’s modern approach seems to prioritize chasing trends, such as AI integration, over delivering a reliable and effective experience for the professionals who have depended on these tools for years.
Adobe’s legacy is built on empowering creative professionals with the most reliable, innovative tools in the industry. I hope the company will take these concerns seriously and refocus on restoring the quality and reliability that once defined its products.
Sincerely,
Michael G. Wiekrykas
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