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Apple to End 'Aperture' Support
Apple is discontinuing its Aperture software.
As of this writing, Apple’s Aperture page makes no mention of this key consideration. Surely prospective users deserve to be advised front and center on that page.
It’s a unreality idea that an iPhoto/iCloud mongrel can replace Aperture.
I’ve been wondering when this would happen, and I’ve long advised my consulting clients to hedge their bets by suitable file/folder and workflow processes. But the MacRumors piece suggests that Apple is working on a transition plan to Adobe Lightroom, with Adobe, so Apple deserves some credit if that is true.
The iCloud/iPhoto approach is a non-starter for professionals. Every time I touch iCloud I get burned; it cannot be taken seriously for anything serious. Yes it’s fine for basic stuff and has merits within circumscribed bounds—not saying otherwise. But it has many troubling issues.
Add the painfully long delay in the Mac Pro line (5 years), the Apple Core Rot and eye candy feature focus, the cancellation of hardware like XServe, and it has long been obvious that professionals have not been a target market for Apple for quite some time.
I’ve long advised my consulting clients to avoid Apple Aperture because several years ago Apple began to show a disdain for the needs of professional users: the release of Final Cut Pro X, which (incredibly) offered no compatibility with Final Cut projects (for quite some time, now it does). Professionals need to know that their investment (hardware, software, experience + workflow) will not just be discarded. Adobe to the rescue: the professional market is taken seriously.
Photographic professionals should be looking at Adobe Lightroom to replace Aperture. However, many photo workflows do not need Lightroom features; some users are better off with a simpler approach like Photoshop. It all gets down to file/folder and workflow processes.
William H writes:
Sad but inevitable. I’ve used Aperture forever but, knowing Apple, always suspected it would come to an end sometime.
I’ve tried to switch to CaptureOne and Lightroom many times. But while the alternatives certainly DO offer great output quality (probably better) their workflow is poor compared to Aperture. I average 4 hours a day with Aperture and this workflow is what matters. It is not perfect but it is good.
The lack of a major version update was always ominous, but Apple and their updates are never been something to look forward to - not their hardware nor their software. I still struggle with the ‘new’ Final Cut. If Apple HAD updated Aperture they would probably have ruined it anyway.
The question now is whether the operating system in 5 years time (or even 1 year) will still recognise Aperture. I’ve only today upgraded from 10.6.8 to this latest system because of concerns. Oh well, the price you pay for loyalty...
MPG: Apple updates to the OS give me a sinking feeling every time I hear a new one is coming, but very little of value is introduced and many new bugs and for the worse changes are inserted.
