Adobe HTML5 editor becomes overnight hit

Adobe Edge, a new professional-level editing tool for the HTML5 standard, has soared past 50,000 downloads in its first 24 hours since launch.

The figure accounts for downloads of the free beta edition of the tool, which launched earlier in the week. No specific launch date has been set for the full, commercial edition of Edge.

A rapid shift in business strategy resulted in Adobe moving fast to launch its new HTML5 design tool. The editor, which is free for developers to preview, allows customers to animate interactive HTML5 web pages.

The move comes as Adobe’s flagship product, Flash, faces a challenging future with Apple outright blocking the popular format across its entire line of mobile devices.

Adobe says that Edge is a premier editing tool for developers and animators looking to develop in HTML5, but insists there is still a big future for Flash, and that both products can work side-to-side.

The new tool is available on PC and Mac. Adobe insists it will try to update its tech to meet the rapid changes of the HTML5 standard.

Adobe said it would be integrating new features to Edge over the next few months.