AppleInsider:
When rumors of Aperture first surfaced, the common reaction was to assume that this was Apple attempting to make their own version of Photoshop. Aperture was for editing photos, it did feature some tools that photographers know from Adobe’s software.
Apple’s software wasn’t Photoshop, it was a new class of app entirely. It was for photographers to handle large numbers of photographs, to do the kind of processing and editing they need daily, and then to send these images on to clients.
Then Adobe released Lightroom, a very similar idea to Aperture, and that seemed to validate the concept. There were key differences between the two but they both aimed to serve pro photographers.
Adobe Lightroom succeeded and is still in use today. Apple’s Aperture is no longer in development or on sale.
It’s a surprising story because Aperture had much going for it. The Mac is the preferred computer of photographers across the world and Aperture addressed a genuine need. It’s too simplistic to blame its failure on a handful of specific issues but as a whole those problems do mean that Aperture is a major Apple app that died.
The article makes a lot of claims about Lightroom that are inaccurate but it’s still an interesting look at Aperture. And no, it’s not a “surprising story”. It’s a common one at Apple – they will develop cool, interesting tech but then lose interest in it. Sadly, the full story of the development and subsequent abandonment of Aperture will likely never be known.
I think a lot of Apple’s software is developed *because* of the absence of anything comparable. Once something comparable exists, they’d just as soon not bother with it.
I’m a long time Mac user, veteran of the desktop publishing wars, and dismayed bystander of the abandonment of the Mac Pro. (Yeah yeah, they’re developing something Talk is cheap, and there ain’t been much… I’ll believe it when it ships) But yeah, I am a creative pro, a graphic and web designer who has to routinely deal with fair sized clumps of photography.
While I very much appreciate the design, quality and service life of Apple hardware, OS and User interface. I have a LOT more caution with their pro apps, or commitment to the professional market. For anything I plan to show a client beyond a word processing document (and even then I have to export in Word format… ) I am INSANE if I don’t use industry standard professional tools. And that means being Adobe’s BITCH, and hooking up with Creative Cloud – bridge, Photoshop, Lightroom.. not to mention Illustrator, Indesign, Acrobat… yadda yadda. But I have Adobe and a raft of third person apps for my professional work.
Not that there are not plenty of frustrations with Adobe – Software Subscription – UGH! Routine murdering of previous Indesign format files. New versions that add bloat and complexity instead of bug fixing…. But at least I can be reasonably sure they’ll BE THERE. They do seem to at least be interested in the professional market.
With Apple, you never freaking know what project or market segment they’ll lose interest in or casually kick to the curb.
My commitment to Adobe has really ebbed over the past ~5 years. Their products are expensive and not always a great experience to use anymore. Yeah, I know how to do 1,001 things in Photoshop, but often I just need to crop/resize, play with levels, or optimize an image. Rarely, do I need the endless tools they keep cramming into it. I think they hit their sweet spot about 12 years ago and I’ve been paying for premium upgrades every year that I rather could have done without.
Here’s hoping FCPX doesn’t suffer the same fate.
“With Apple, you never freaking know what project or market segment they’ll lose interest in or casually kick to the curb.”
Yup – there are entire industries and companies who were promised by Apple they’d be in it for the long term and build a business around those promises only to have Apple “lose interest”.
I still haven’t moved my photos over to Lightroom. Part of it’s laziness. Well, most of it. But about 1% hopes that Apple changes their mind and releases a new Aperture. Or Photos Pro. Or something.
it’s posssible, but don’t hold your breath, or bet the rent money.
No chance. None. Zero. Nada. Zip.
“I am INSANE if I don’t use industry standard professional tools.”
Maybe that has something to do with it? Just a guess, but I’m sure most professionals have the same stance.
Apple tends to “lose interest” in products that people don’t really buy.
Logic and FCP seem to have pretty healthy user bases. Thus, Apple has more interest in them. Lol thats how business works.
Adobe’s original core apps are now mature Swiss-Army knives. Barring a completely optimized code rewrite, there’s not a lot I’d expect to change about any of them. A steady trickle of new macros and hooks into their cloud services aren’t the stuff of hyperbole any more.
promised? written in what, blood?
I still use Aperture, mainly because it’s the best tool I have for keeping track of huge numbers of photos. It’s also fine for light editing jobs. With the imminent release of the new Mac Pro (I know, ha ha) it’s not impossible that there’s be some sort of Photos Pro app, though I’m not exactly holding my breath.