Adobe unveiled the latest major release of its Creative Suite product line, introducing many new features in the applications. The company also changed the release schedule for future major releases of the suite.

[ad#Google Adsense 300×250 in story]Calling Creative Suite 5.5 a “mid-cycle product release,” Adobe said it focused on three main areas: Proliferation of Devices; Design and Interactivity; and Monetization.

“Our customers are faced with the opportunity to reach more customers through mobile devices than the desktop,” Dave Burkett, Vice President and General Manager, Adobe Creative Suite Design and Web Segments, told The Loop. “That’s a real game changer.”

To help designers meet their design goals, Adobe has introduced HTML5 advancements in Dreamweaver, new tablet and smartphone application development capabilities in Flash Professional CS5.5 and Flash Builder Premium 4.5, and enhanced cross-browser testing as well as mobile emulation and on-device debugging.

Dreamweaver CS 5.5 includes jQuery mobile framework integration for browser-based content and PhoneGap integration for native and mobile application design and development, according to Adobe.

The company also said that with Adobe Flash Builder 4.5, Flash Professional CS 5.5 and the introduction of the Flex 4.5 framework for mobile devices, developers could create apps for the iPhone, iPad, Android devices and BlackBerry PlayBook.

Applications for audio and video professionals got some big updates too. Updated apps include Premiere Pro CS5.5, After Effects CS5.5, Adobe Story, Media Encoder CS5.5, and Device Central CS5.5.

New to Creative Suite 5.5 is the addition of Adobe’s audio application, Audition.

In announcing this mid-cycle release, Adobe said it was changing the schedule for its major announcements. The company will go from an 18 month development cycle to a 24 month schedule, but will include mid-cycle releases in between.

Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 will be available within 30 days. Pricing for the suite is $2599 for CS 5.5 Master Collection; $1899 CS 5.5 Design Premium; $1799 for CS 5.5 Web Premium; $1699 for CS 5.5 Production Premium; and $1299 for CS 5.5 Design Standard. Upgrade pricing and volume licensing are available.