After more than a three year absence Adobe will announce on Thursday that it release a Mac version of Premiere, the software maker’s video editoring software. The new Mac version will only run on Intel-based Macs and will be part of a larger Adobe Production Studio suite that will include Adobe Encore DVD and Adobe Soundbooth. Times have changed, the growth of the Mac platform and Apple’s decision to switch to Intel processors. When Adobe dropped Mac support for Premiere in July 2003, they cited Apple’s increased efforts in the digital-video market, with Apple’s Final Cut editing application. Adobe continued to develop After Effects, its motion-graphics application for Mac video pros, however.

“If you look at the industry as a whole, Mac customers are very important to us,” said Simon Hayhurst, director of product management for dynamic media at Adobe. “Pulling Premiere from the Mac was probably the hardest decision we ever made. It was always our intention to bring that back, and Apple’s move to Intel made it easier. I believe we can help Apple sell a lot of Intel Macs.”

Adobe Production Studio that will include Premiere will be released in mid-2007. Adobe has had no word on whether a public beta would be released. Attendees of Macworld Conference and Expo next week will be the first to see Premiere demo in the Adobe booth. Pricing for the Adobe Production Studio suite has not been set. Adobe will be counting heavily on integration it can bring to the market to attract Mac users. Competition is a great thing, that will surely keep Apple on its toes with Final Cut Studio. It will be an interesting NAB this April!

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