It appears that details relating to the new version of Photoshop have been released (accidentally or not, they are out in the public domain).

From AppleInsider:

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Company-authored documents, obtained by AppleInsider, say the new version — due to begin shipping this May — will bring “a new level of power, precision and control to the digital photography experience.”

Officially labeled “Adobe Photoshop CS2,” the software will feature advanced tools for digital photographers and video professionals such as a new Spot Healing Brush for correcting blemishes, and Smart Objects that will allow users to scale and transform images and vector illustrations without losing image quality.

Filling requests from video professionals, Photoshop CS2 will reportedly add support for non-destructive editing and the creation and editing of 32-Bit High Dynamic Range (HDR) images. A new direct export feature will let users view FireWire Previews on a TV.

Photoshop CS2 will also pack new creativity tools such as Vanishing Point and Image Warping, documents say.

“Vanishing Point cuts tedious graphic and photo retouching tasks by allowing users to clone, paint and transform image objects while retaining visual perspective,” Adobe said in a press release apparently scheduled for April 4th, 2005. Image Warping is described as a feature that will reinvent workflows, such as product packaging development, by making it easy to fold, stretch, pull, twist and wrap an image into shape by selecting an on-demand preset or dragging custom control points.

Likewise, Adobe plans to improved the speed of imaging workflows with the addition of new Camera Raw features and an overhaul to the Photoshop File Browser.

With the debut of Photoshop CS2, File Browser will be upgraded to Adobe Bridge, which will function as a hub for productivity and imagery, providing multi-view file browsing and smooth cross-product integration across the entire Creative Suite software product line. Adobe Bridge will also provide access to Adobe Stock Photos, a new stock photography service that the company will offer to users as a one-stop shopping service for high-quality, royalty-free images.

Meanwhile, the new Camera Raw 3.0 workflow will support batch processing of raw files in the background and without forcing the user to launch the main Photoshop application. Additionally, the new version will allow settings for multiple raw files to be simultaneously modified, while new non-destructive cropping and straightening controls will allow raw files to be easily prepared for final output.

The new version of Photoshop will also add task-based menu presets, equipping users with tools to create their own custom presets, highlight favorite items and define eventbased scripts that execute automatically when triggered by actions.

Apparently, Adobe Photoshop CS2 will begin shipping in May to customers in the states, and later on in May and June for people here in the UK/Europe.

Photoshop CS2 will also be bundled as part of Adobe Creative Suite 2.0, also slated to ship around the same time. The software suite will support Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 or Windows XP with Service Pack 1 or 2. It should be around at the same time as Tiger. Plenty of updates!