Adobe unveils new version of InDesign

As we reported yesterday, Adobe has announced its creative tools will no longer be released as box sets, but as part of its continually-updated Creative Cloud subscription service. So the new version of InDesign won't be called CS7 but instead InDesign CC.

InDesign CC will ONLY be available through this service, which will mean you essentially rent it, along with Photoshop CC, Illustrator CC, Dreamweaver CC and other tools, via a monthly subscription. In other words, you won't be able to buy it as a one-off payment. InDesign CS6 will still be available to buy, of course, but won't be updated with the new features.

New features

So what will the new version of InDesign include? Here are some of the biggest updates:

• Faster performance. Adobe says the greatest speed boosts will occur when printing and when exporting PDF and INX files.
• A new interface. The updated UI has been designed to be more consistent with other Adobe tools, to make it easier to work across them.
• HiDPI and Retina display support.
• Instant font preview. Use the arrow keys to browse through fonts and see each one applied to your selected text.
• Font favourites. Mark your favourite fonts, and then decide whether to display only those or the full set.
• QR Code Creator - a new feature we reported on last month.
• Save to Cloud command. This enables to make your files, including layers, accessible on any device. Changes are tracked, so you can access previous versions.
• EPUB enhancements. Adobe promises it will be easier to produce high-quality EPUB files from InDesign. You'll have greater control over the table of contents and CSS export, and CSS editing is simpler. You can also map object styles to tags so they export appropriately.
• Adobe Exchange panel. A source for extensions, plug-ins, templates, and more. Some resources are free; others are available to buy.

In total, Adobe promises "literally hundreds" of updates and new features to its Creative Suite tools. So keep your eye on Creative Bloq over the coming weeks, and we'll bring you details of each and every one of them...

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What do you think of the Creative Cloud? Are you willing to pay a subscription for InDesign other Adobe tools? Share your views in the comments below!