June 2014
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So long Aperture: A major shift in Apple's Photo Strategy
The just-announced demise of Aperture may not really surprise anybody who has been paying attention — a good number of serious photographers switched to Lightroom long ago, many citing Aperture’s stagnation as a primary factor in that decision. However this not only marks a big disappointment for those who held on thinking Apple might still have an Aperture 4.0 up its sleeve, but actually marks a major shift in Apple’s photo management strategy.
The message is this: Going forward, it’s iCloud Photos. Apple’s new “Photos” app in Yosemite and iOS 8 is going to be the de facto and probably only option available, with development of the company’s two long-standing consumer and “pro” photo apps effectively ceasing. Of course, hopefully the apps won’t unceremoniously stop working the day Yosemite lands, so many users may hold on for quite some time before giving in to the new world order or simply leaving Apple’s photo garden to look at alternatives.