Adobe acquires Aviary, adds mobile photo editor’s SDK to its cloud platform

By Joshua Sherman September 23, 2014

adobe acquires aviary aims add cloud sdk capabilities 650 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Aviary, the company known for its mobile photo-editing app with the same name, has been acquired by software giant Adobe. In its announcement, Adobe highlighted the acquisition as an opportunity and intention to bring more developer-friendly software development kits (SDK) and technology so that developers can power more apps through Adobe’s Creative SDK.

In a press release, Aviary’s co-founder, Avi Muchnick, noted that, “We’re excited to join Adobe and tap into their incredible wealth of creative technology and supercharge our collective SDK offering.” The deal for an undisclosed amount will, for now, keep Aviary’s app on the Android Play Store and iOS App Store, but also arrange for the integration of Aviary’s SDK technology and capabilities into Adobe’s own Creative SDK for the Creative Cloud. Adobe noted that the deal intends to “accelerate Adobe’s strategy to make Creative Cloud a vibrant platform for third-party apps.” Aviary’s application, for example, allows developers to add tools and functions as part of an in-app purchase. It seems that Adobe, which itself already has a roster of mobile photo and design apps, is planning to use Aviary’s model and technology to help it attract developers to build applications, plugins, and other offerings for its own Creative Cloud suite of products for both mobile and desktop devices.

While Adobe plans to build off of Aviary’s SDK functionality, Aviary meanwhile is integrating Adobe technology into its mobile applications. The Aviary app will soon feature support for Photoshop files inside a user’s creative cloud folder, allowing for easier access and editing while away from the desktop computer. Ultimately, both companies on their respective blogs emphasize the symbiotic nature of the acquisition, and that it will bring more functionality to end-users, especially those who pay for Adobe’s Creative Cloud.

The acquisition of Aviary comes 18 months after it purchased the social portfolio company Behance, which Aviary’s CEO Tobias Peggs says was influential in the company’s decision to be acquired.

Related: 25 apps to supercharge your iPhone camera

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Joshua Sherman is a contributor for Digital Trends who writes about all things mobile from Apple to Zynga. Josh pulls his…

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