Photoshop for iPad has been given some useful new editing tools, including the "Magic Wand," which brings it a bit closer to the desktop version of the editing app. In its August update (version 2.7), Photoshop for iPad gives you the ability to quickly pick parts of your image using the "Magic Wand" tool, which is a staple of the desktop app. Adobe admits that the "magic wand" has been a "highly requested" feature for the iPad version of Photoshop, which first arrived in November 2019, so it's good to see it finally added. The tool is especially useful if you want to change part of an image to a different color or quickly remove an object from a background. The 'Magic Wand' tool also joins an improved version of the 'Healing Brush' in Photoshop for iPad, which arrived in June (update to version 2.6). This update allows you to use the "healing brush" to paint over areas using sample pixels, in other words, existing parts of an image that you're looking to replicate when painting over a blemish. Another addition to Photoshop for iPad in the August update (version 2.7) is the ability to "project your canvas." Connect your iPad to an external display like a monitor or TV via HDMI or USB-C and it will display your real-time operation in the app (minus the Photoshop UI) on the bigger screen. This feature could be useful to anyone teaching Photoshop for the iPad, and it's something we've seen before in rival apps like Procreate. It's not just Photoshop for iPad that got some tweaks back in August. The desktop version of the app (version 22.5) has received an improved 'sneaky replace' feature, which allows you to automatically replace a dull sky in your photo with a more exciting one. The new version now offers more sky presets, thanks to integration with the Adobe Discover community of photographers and artists.
Review: Photoshop for iPad is making slow progress
(Image credit: Adobe) These August updates to Photoshop for iPad are in line with Adobe's approach to the app: small incremental tweaks that collectively bring the tablet version a few inches closer to the desktop equivalent. But there's still a long way to go, and competitors like Affinity Photo and Procreate arguably still offer better value for money. The addition of the Magic Wand and Project Your Canvas tools aren't revolutionary in themselves, but they do represent the sixth incremental update Adobe has made to Photoshop for iPad this year. In June, we got improvements to the "healing brush" and the long-awaited ability to integrate custom brushes into the app, while earlier in the year the focus was on refining the healing brush cloud experience. But Adobe's decision to create a "full" version of Photoshop for the iPad, based on the same code base as the desktop equivalent, was a double-edged sword. They are experienced users who are comfortably familiar with those who are a veteran of Photoshop, but the technique of porting an application is also weak on the iPad to enclose a déploiement assez des fonctionnalités - c'est pourquoi il vient tout juste de recevoir la " Magic wand ". The appeal of alternatives like Procreate (which is stronger in illustration) and Affinity Photo (currently at the top of our guide to the best photo editing apps) is that they feel more comfortable on the iPad and are also available as unique purchases. instead of requiring a Creative Cloud membership. Regular Photoshop users will naturally be more comfortable with the Photoshop for iPad interface, and it's slowly becoming a powerful standalone tool for professionals. But if you're looking for a desktop-powered image-editing tool and aren't fully immersed in the world of Adobe, you might see Affinity Photo (US$19,99 / £19,99 / AU$30,99) as the best option: at least until Adobe releases a few more updates to Photoshop for iPad.