Canva Revives Affinity with a Fresh Coat of Paint
The future of creative software had been hanging in the balance after Canva acquired Serif and its popular suite of illustration, photo editing, and layout apps, including Affinity Designer, Photo, and Publisher. Over a year on from the acquisition, it's clear that Canva has breathed new life into Affinity as it merges all three apps into one streamlined piece of software. The twist? It's now free to use, with users required only to create a Canva account.
The revamped Affinity retains the core functionality of its predecessors but has been reorganized with separate Vector, Pixel, and Layout tabs that allow users to switch between tools at will. What's more, Canva is touting an innovative feature that enables users to mix and match tools to suit their specific needs, as well as save custom toolbars for different projects.
However, while the changes may seem welcome, some long-time Affinity users are likely to be dismayed by the shift towards a freemium model. Gone are the days of purchasing individual licenses or enjoying peace of mind that comes with owning proprietary software; now, users must create an account and navigate potential upselling on Canva's AI-powered features.
Despite these reservations, the introduction of Canva AI Studio tools within Affinity is undoubtedly an exciting development. Users can now automate tasks such as background removal and generative fill editing, making it easier to achieve professional-grade results without the need for extensive training or expertise.
While the future of veteran users remains uncertain, one thing is clear: Canva's decision to keep Affinity free will undoubtedly attract new talent to the platform. Whether this change will prove beneficial in the long run remains to be seen, but for now, creators can look forward to a more accessible and versatile creative suite that's available at no cost – provided they're willing to dip into their wallets for AI-powered features down the line.
The future of creative software had been hanging in the balance after Canva acquired Serif and its popular suite of illustration, photo editing, and layout apps, including Affinity Designer, Photo, and Publisher. Over a year on from the acquisition, it's clear that Canva has breathed new life into Affinity as it merges all three apps into one streamlined piece of software. The twist? It's now free to use, with users required only to create a Canva account.
The revamped Affinity retains the core functionality of its predecessors but has been reorganized with separate Vector, Pixel, and Layout tabs that allow users to switch between tools at will. What's more, Canva is touting an innovative feature that enables users to mix and match tools to suit their specific needs, as well as save custom toolbars for different projects.
However, while the changes may seem welcome, some long-time Affinity users are likely to be dismayed by the shift towards a freemium model. Gone are the days of purchasing individual licenses or enjoying peace of mind that comes with owning proprietary software; now, users must create an account and navigate potential upselling on Canva's AI-powered features.
Despite these reservations, the introduction of Canva AI Studio tools within Affinity is undoubtedly an exciting development. Users can now automate tasks such as background removal and generative fill editing, making it easier to achieve professional-grade results without the need for extensive training or expertise.
While the future of veteran users remains uncertain, one thing is clear: Canva's decision to keep Affinity free will undoubtedly attract new talent to the platform. Whether this change will prove beneficial in the long run remains to be seen, but for now, creators can look forward to a more accessible and versatile creative suite that's available at no cost – provided they're willing to dip into their wallets for AI-powered features down the line.
but honestly who needs that many bells & whistles when u gotta deal w/ ads all over the place? and what's up w/ the new account requirement tho? feelin like they're tryna upsell us w/ those AI tools... anyway, i guess it's a win for newbies w/ their wallets bein' open 
. what about the ppl who already own affinity and don't wanna give up their proprietary licenses? and also, is Canva's freemium model just a clever way of getting users hooked so they'll buy more stuff down the line? 
. It's just gonna be weird switching from buying individual licenses to having to create an account every time 
. Guess only time'll tell if this change is for the best 
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. But sometimes, I wonder if we're sacrificing too much of what made those original tools special 
. affinitty just went from being super niche to having a much wider audience, which is probs gonna bring in more $$$ for canva 
and it's awesome that canva is ahead of the curve 
I'm super stoked about Canva revamping Affinity! Free is always a win in my book, especially when it comes to software 
. I mean, who doesn't love having more options? And let's be real, Canva AI Studio tools are straight fire 
. And hey, even if Canva does start upselling AI-powered features, at least they're making it accessible in the first place 
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