| The_Dude |
07-08-2003 04:30 PM |
Adobe Discontinues Encore & Premiere For Mac's
Quote:
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Apple Computer differs vastly in many ways from longtime rival Microsoft Corp. But recently, it has found itself accused of similarly elbowing out software developers whose products compete with Apple's growing stable of applications.
In the latest case of a developer abandoning the Macintosh platform, Adobe Systems announced Monday that the newest overhaul of its flagship video editing program Premiere would no longer work on Macs.
Adobe said the program would only be compatible with Microsoft Corp.'s Windows XP.
Adobe's new Encore DVD-creation program, due to ship in the summer, will not have a Macintosh version either. Both programs will be part of a Windows-only software package called Adobe Video Collection.
Intentionally or not, "Apple is pursuing a strategy that locks out their third-party software vendors," said Avi Greengart, a Jupiter Research analyst.
Apple and Adobe have long shared a customer base of "creative professionals" -- Adobe's release last year of Photoshop for the Mac OS X operating system, for instance, helped boost sales for both companies. But the Cupertino, Calif.-based company has been introducing more and more of its own software in recent years, some of which competes with Adobe's.
"If Apple does it, there's no room for a third-party developer," said David Trescot, senior director of Adobe's digital video group, questioning why a company should do it when the operating system provider could give it away.
In the video editing arena, Apple offers Final Cut Express and Final Cut Pro. It has also, in the past three years, introduced consumer-friendly digital media applications such as
iMovie and iDVD, including them for free on most Apples.
Analysts say companies like Apple that offer the operating system, the hardware and the software have the advantage of making their products work seamlessly together and bundling them so they are free or cheaper than if sold alone.
Outside software vendors have voiced similar complaints about Microsoft in the past, saying Microsoft's access to its operating systems' underlying code gave it an inside track on making its own add-on products run more smoothly than others'.
With Apple, Microsoft now finds itself on the receiving end.
Two weeks ago, Microsoft said it would stop making its Internet Explorer Web browser for Macs, citing Apple's recent introduction of its own browser, called Safari.
Apple officials issued a statement on Adobe's product announcement Monday but would not comment further: "Adobe and Apple continue to have a great relationship, as evidenced by Adobe's recent support of the new Power Mac G5 with Photoshop performance that is twice as fast as before."
Adobe's latest defection did not surprise analysts.
Making a piece of software compatible with multiple platforms takes time, effort and money. Add to that the slow economy and Apple's desktop market share of 3 percent to 5 percent, and companies are less willing to make the investment, said Paul Ritter, an analyst with research firm Yankee Group.
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i dont blame 'em for doing that. if apple is competing against their products, i dont see why they should spend all the money to make it compatible for such a small audience.
on the other hand, ms has the movie maker (however crappy it is) to compete against premiere, but they still make it for windows cuz of the large audience. |
