1. The Current Standard: Adobe Acrobat Reader (Continuous Track)
| Version | Acrobat Reader Version | Release Year | PDF Version Supported & Key Features | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Adobe Acrobat Reader 1.0 | 1993 | PDF 1.0 ; initial release, $50 per user | | Acrobat 2.0 | Adobe Acrobat Reader 2.0 | 1994 | PDF 1.1 ; security (password protection), device-independent color; Reader becomes free | | Acrobat 3.0 | Adobe Acrobat Reader 3.0 | 1996 | PDF 1.2 ; form fields, external file embedding, CID font support (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) | | Acrobat 4.0 | Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0 | 1999 | PDF 1.3 ; tagged PDF (accessibility), JavaScript, digital signatures, multimedia | | Acrobat 5.0 | Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 | 2001 | PDF 1.4 ; transparency, 128-bit encryption, XML form data export | versions of adobe reader
[Acrobat Reader 5.0] ---> Rebranded ---> [Adobe Reader 6.0] (2003) Adobe Reader 6.0 to 9.0 2003 (v6.0) to 2008 (v9.0) security (password protection)