Adobe Systems has just made an announcement that upgrades for its flagship software packages, which comprises of Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign among others, will no longer be made available via a physical box, as you will now need to jump aboard the cloud bandwagon and ride through online subscriptions instead. This would place Adobe as yet another traditional software company to place their bets on the cloud-based subscription mechanism that was first pioneered by companies such as Salesforce.com and NetSuite, and has become extremely common where the anti-virus and office software markets are concerned.
Sure, subscription models are not that lucrative since there is less money upfront considering how payment is spread over the entire period of use, but on the other hand, it ensures a more predictable recurring revenue. This would pave the way for product upgrades as well as new features to be delivered on time and within a shorter cycle, as and when required. Which model do you prefer as the end user? Some folks still like to have a physical box to hold in their hands…