Adobe has announced an update to its photo and video enthusiast editing suites Adobe Photoshop Elements and Adobe Premier Elements, which have now both reached version 9.

The big news, however, isn't the content of the revised software functions so much as the shift in approach for Mac users.

In the past, Mac users had to contend with different software, with different features, lacking some of the key elements of Elements 9. Now, for the first time, Adobe is offering an end-to-end solution on both Windows and Mac.

Pocket-lint got to see the new software up-close and personal and it was explained that the differences were minimal between the versions and came down to fine details like the fact that Windows can export photo slideshows as WMV which the Mac can't.

It makes the Mac version all the more compelling, as you now get the photo organisation part of Elements that was missing previously, giving you photo analysis, face recognition and tagging in the new version.

The guide mode in PSE9 has been expanded, making fun edits easier for newcomers, but still preserving all the steps so you can go back and see what was done to achieve the effect.

Lomo and popart effects find their way into the mix along with a reflection tool, so you can add a lake into a landscape scene at a whim. 

Other new features include enhanced content aware fill tools, including a spot healing brush and the ability to photomerge a panorama and have the software fill the gaps in the scene with the right content.

There is also a cool new style tool that will let you add a style from an existing image (i.e., a professional shot) and apply it to a photo you've taken. The idea here is to allow amateurs to steal the style applied elsewhere and bring new life to their own, lesser, images.

Last and certainly not least, the layer mask has now been added to PSE9.

Adobe Premier Elements now incorporates a new workflow designed for working with pocket camcorders so you can dive straight in and make a movie.

There are six tools on offer to deal with audio, so that might be cutting down on the customary background noise those cameras suffer from. There are plenty of preset filters that can be applied to add creative effect to your video too.

A new smart trim feature aims to guide where you cut your footage by analysing your video for you and identifying the best points to break and you'll get full feature timeline editing on both the PC and the Mac.

When it comes to sharing, Adobe Premier Elements will let you create a new Flash format movie that comes with DVD-style menus, so you can create an online video to share with friends without losing those menus you'd put on a disc.

Coming in a £77 for Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 or Adobe Premier Elements 9, a combined bundle will be available for £116 and it should be available from today.