Adobe focuses on a connected experience with the new Acrobat DC

The humble PDF file has been around for 25 years, and in that time, not much has changed. Making edits on a PDF can still be a pain, and most popular apps offer few solutions. But that could soon change for the better.

Today, Adobe is unveiling an all-new version of Acrobat DC that makes it easier for people to create, share, and interact with PDFs across devices. The update is built around a central document hub that includes files saved to the Adobe Cloud across several different apps.

As part of the big update, Acrobat Pro is also coming to Android and iOS for the first time. The experience is nearly identical to the desktop version of the app, with support for swapping images, updating text, and formatting the document.

Adobe Scan is also getting a small update for scanning and analyzing business cards. Now, users can translate the cards into new languages and export the translation to their contacts (as a virtual contact file, or vCard). They’ll still have to scan in one card at a time, but batch exporting should come as a welcome relief to anyone dealing with digitizing business cards in large swaths.

The new document hub in Acrobat DC will make it easy to create a PDF, then send it out for review or signatures via email. Because the shared file uses HTML5, it means all major platforms and devices will be able to review the document. Say bye-bye to compatibility issues!

In our short time testing the new software, it reminded us of Google Drive in the way it allows for suggestions, comments, and reviewing among various users. But the real breakthrough here is how the update enables digital signing using Adobe Sign. Now, finalizing contracts and other important documents can be done from any phone or tablet. 

And last but not least, Adobe Sensei is now available in Adobe Reader. This AI technology is capable of scanning a document to see what needs to be filled in, and then it will prompt the user will suggestions to fill in content. Adobe Sensei makes filling in an address as simple as tapping the screen. That’s it.

Subscribers to Acrobat DC or Creative Cloud All Apps will get it today. There is no price increase for the services either. Acrobat DC starts at $12.99 a month and Creative Cloud All Apps starts at $52.99 a month. Not a bad price to pay, considering it will probably be a long time before free apps offer this kind of functionality.