Adobe plans to end boxed sales of its Creative Suite and Acrobat family software, according to a report by Software Media Blog. Adobe told the blog that its discontinuation of box-based sales for CS and Acrobat will be effective as soon as April 30, 2013.
"As Adobe continues to focus on delivering world-class innovation through Adobe Creative Cloud and digital fulfillment, we will no longer offer shrink-wrapped, boxed versions of Creative Suite family or Acrobat family...[the] last order date through distribution is April 30." Adobe's Global Channel Enablement Team told Software Media Blog.
Use of the word "family" suggests stand-alone products found in CS, like Photoshop, will also disappear from store shelves.
Adobe's move away from shrink-wrapped boxes is likely part of its grander plans to transition to an entirely subscription-based model -- a push which aims to create continuous revenue streams while simultaneously stamping out piracy. Photoshop has long been amongst the top-most pirated applications.
Subscriptions may also be particularly attractive users who can't afford to dump thousands of dollars in a single purchase for the full product.
In the meantime, the elimination of physical boxes should assist Adobe in streamlining its production and distribution thereby reducing overhead costs. The move encourages users to buy the software online, possibly checking out its cloud-based offerings as well. Its eventual reliance on entirely digital methods of distribution – and even more so with subscriptions – should better position Adobe to bolster anti-piracy efforts.
Despite the imminent demise of boxes, Adobe's full, downloadable retail-box equivalents remain available for purchase through its website. It's unclear when – or if – Adobe will stop offering such one-time purchase software; however, the death of boxes brings us one step closer to a future where monthly (or yearly) subscriptions may replace one-time purchase licenses entirely.