Lightroom Mobile for Android Users?

Report · Apr 08, 2014

Hey there,

I'm curious as to whether or not the app will be ported to Android. Adobe say that the iPhone app is coming soon but never mentions Android.

Report · Apr 08, 2014

I am also curious about this. Android tablets far outsell iPads. I realize that a majority of creative types stick to their pretty Apple devices, but that shouldn't be a reason to ignore a great many people. I notice that nobody from Adobe has replied to your questions. I asked the same question on the Lightroom Journal and nobody had the courtest to reply there either. Oh, well.

In Response To BobZ30 · Apr 08, 2014

This is v1.0 and it is easiest to work with one platform, others will be added as soon as possible.

In Response To Geoff the kiwi · Apr 08, 2014

There are sound business reasons to target iOS for the first incarnations of any product

See http://www.slate.com/blogs/business_insider/2014/04/04/apple_vs_android_developers_see_a_socioeconom...

In Response To Dave Merchant · Apr 08, 2014

What are the business reasons? Why not target Android as the launch OS since the Android market share is much higher than Apples.

In Response To BobZ30 · Apr 08, 2014

Everyone, Adobe made its decision and has launched new technology. No one here has any answers to these kinds of questions. Just wait and see. Eventually it will all even out.

In Response To JP Hess · Apr 08, 2014

Just like the first beta for Lightroom 1 was mac only as well.

In Response To JP Hess · Dec 01, 2014

Wow, a lot of arrogance here. Fair enough question so why all the hostility. Why does JimHess assume he knows what everyone on the forums is thinking?? Obviously Adobe was pretty specific on their answer. But to say shut up and wait? Why even respond like that?

e that?

In Response To lcprice · Dec 01, 2014

The only arrogance I can see here is from the Android users who think they've got a God-given RIGHT to the same deal currently only available to Apple users.

We don't.

In Response To Keith Reeder · Dec 01, 2014

Hey, I am an android user and I do not think any such thing. I am not even

sure I want it on any mobile platform for my workflow.

Tim

In Response To Timothy.Spear · Dec 01, 2014

Me neither. It's pretty horrible. Hopefully by the time Android gets it, it'll actually be useful.

In Response To BobZ30 · Oct 17, 2014

The reason why iOS is the preferred OS for an initial roll-out is pure technical, not market driven. The Apple devices are a much more controlled environment than Android devices. There are only so many Apple versions so its much easier to get your applicaton stable on a small set of devices with minimal hardware differences. Once you go Android you have to cater for an almost unlimited number of hardware configurations of various producers. If you have a stable release on iOS you can safely assume that any issues on Android are hardware related, not application code related. Even when they started simultaniously on both platforms it would be logical to have a stable release ready for iOS first.

Nevertheless I'm also eagerly awaiting the Android release. Even though its a free feature I have the feeling that I have less value for money than iOS users. Would be nice if they could state a target date.

In Response To esmse · Oct 17, 2014

Why do you say it is a purely technical reason?

I have done some development for both iOS and Android. Android for normal business apps (which is what I was developing) is significantly easier. iOS has many funky quirks, and the code library is not as well organized to my mind. (I could be biased here, I am a Java developer and Android development is basically Java).

Tim

In Response To Timothy.Spear · Oct 18, 2014

Android support is coming - Adobe has been clear about it - and I doubt it's a technical issue as much as a business decision based on an assumption that most serious "creatives" (nauseating Adobe-speak there) will be in the Apple ecosystem.

I don't agree with the logic either, but I'll bet all my hair that's the story.

Rikk's right though. And here's a thing: this is new functionality - none of us Android users are currently using it - and the lack of it can't be stopping us from doing what we're doing right now. So what - exactly - is the panic? Sorry and all, but if anybody says that their career/livelihood/ability to use their camera is critically dependent on an Android port of Lr Mobile, I'm going to call them a liar: if it were that urgent, you'd have bought Apple and be done with it.

Seems to me that most of the noise on this thread is based on "they've got it - so I want it too..!" rather than need.

In Response To Keith Reeder · Oct 18, 2014

Well, yes... That's exactly what it is.

We didn't care for it when it didn't exist. Which is fair.

Now that it does exist it's annoying to know that there isn't a clear timeline on when it will be available on Android... Which is also fair.

We KNOW we don't need it and we KNOW that we aren't paying extra and that it's a freebie with our subscription, but we are allowed to be justifiably annoyed that we don't get something because we decided not to use Apple.

In Response To TysonB · Oct 18, 2014

TysonB wrote:

Now that it does exist it's annoying to know that there isn't a clear timeline on when it will be available on Android...

It's only annoying if you let it annoy you - that's my point here.

In Response To Keith Reeder · Oct 18, 2014

So you're saying that it's not justifiable to feel annoyed that there is a functionality that you could be using but are restricted from doing so?

In Response To TysonB · Oct 18, 2014

TysonB wrote:

Now that it does exist it's annoying to know that there isn't a clear timeline on when it will be available on Android... Which is also fair.

You don't know there isn't a clear timeline. The timeline may be crystal-clear. It may also be not-public.

On a side note: If anyone watched Scott Kelby's "The Grid" this week, you will have seen a great demo on using the newly announced features of Lightroom mobile/Lightroom web. Interestingly, much of Scott's demo's functionality is available to Android users - TODAY.

In Response To esmse · Oct 18, 2014

esmse wrote:

The reason why iOS is the preferred OS for an initial roll-out is pure technical, not market driven. The Apple devices are a much more controlled environment than Android devices. There are only so many Apple versions so its much easier to get your applicaton stable on a small set of devices with minimal hardware differences. Once you go Android you have to cater for an almost unlimited number of hardware configurations of various producers. If you have a stable release on iOS you can safely assume that any issues on Android are hardware related, not application code related. Even when they started simultaniously on both platforms it would be logical to have a stable release ready for iOS first.

Nevertheless I'm also eagerly awaiting the Android release. Even though its a free feature I have the feeling that I have less value for money than iOS users. Would be nice if they could state a target date.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, I have very little experience developing with android, but, I was under the impression you developed for a platform version not specific device? if that is the case then your comment is completely invalid esmse.

In Response To Lee Morgan · Oct 18, 2014

Correct, you develop for a specific release and screen size.

With newer releases, Android has gotten progressively better with what is called responsive development (automatic adjustment of the application to the screen size).

Otherwise, the vast majority of the hardware differences between platforms have now been abstracted away. The question will be if Adobe wants to drop down to hardware level special accelerations for performance reasons. This will cause them extensive development for the many variations of hardware available.

Tim

In Response To Dave Merchant · Apr 08, 2014

I was unaware that Adobe was a biased company. I expect to recieve the same products across the board whether I'm an iOS or Android user. There is no reason for someone like myself, who pays for Adobe's products, to not receive the same products as another. If I'm paying the same ammount as an iOS user, I should be able to have the same perks on an Android device. There should be no divide.

In Response To bnalley · Apr 08, 2014

Adobe is a very Apple b iased company. I presume it has much to do with the incestuous realations among Silicon Valley, pre-Google. I understand that it is easier to develop a procduct for one OS first, but I still wonder why that it is always Apple products. I know that eventually it will be shared with othe OS, but why do we have to wait all the time. I know I.m whining, and it feels good!

In Response To BobZ30 · Apr 08, 2014

Well there are a lot of companies that provide Windows only apps... maybe you could try those.

In Response To Geoff the kiwi · Apr 08, 2014

@Geoff the Kiwi. That kind of answer doesn't help anybody.

In Response To Dave Merchant · Jun 20, 2014

Dave, that analysis is seriously misleading. Any developer that prioritizes iOS development based on that is naive. There are a lot of things that must be looked at. Many developers, for whatever reason, have a lower price for their Android app than their iOS app; and budget Android devices help skew the overall percentages for spending. It'd be interesting to see what the top million most spendy users spend on each platform within the U.S., for instance. Also, Android targets all income levels relatively evenly, but even for various industries or companies that specifically target lower-income people, there can be massive profits to be had. (Wal-Mart, anybody?)

In any case, hopefully Adobe comes out with Lightroom for Android soon...The perception that Android is in any way inferior to iOS is just flat-out wrong. It's more capable and there are a large number of people with a plenty of money that specifically prefer Android.