Aperture 4

Aperture 4 is way over due and I suspect that Apple has already abandoned it.

Ye of little faith. Overdue yes, but next year will be the year of the Pro. Good things come to those who wait...

Stick around. Aperture 2 was way overdue, Aperture 3 was as well... it's always overdue to someone... There's always someone saying 'They've abandoned it' or 'It's going to be a watered down Aperture or a warmed over iPhoto'. Seriously. And whenever 4 comes along, wait about 8 months and it'll all start over again...

Has Apple released a major new version of _any_ Mac application after their initial appearance in the Mac AppStore?

Just for the record for those concerned Aperture will go the way of FCPX. I realzie this is an Aperture forum but if Aperture 4 is anything like FCPX we are in for a huge advancement. I used the old FCP and bought FCPX for it's ability to seemlessly intergarte with my Apertue Libraries. All I can tell you is FCPX is a hge step forward as I belive Aperture 4 will prove to be. Don't let the ney sayers scare you off of how good Aperture will be due to their negativity on FCPX. I'm betting that many users who absandoned FCPX will be back. It is spectacular!

Daniel J. Cox

www.naturalexposures.com

Apple has several problems that contribute to pro user fears about the future of their products. First, Apple's penchant for secrecy works against them for pro products. Pro users want to have a conversation with the developer so they can help shape the future of the products they use on a daily basis. All Apple does is say "No details, but just wait! Great stuff coming!" Not much of a conversation.

Second, related to Apple's secrecy is their failure to update their pro software on a regular basis. As much as I don't like Adobe forcing an upgrade every 18 months, the fact that they update their software like clockwork gives the pro users confidence that the product will keep evolving and keep current with new technology, competing products, and market trends. Lack of regular updates combined with their secrecy means pro users are left wondering "When will Apple come out with an update? WILL they come out with an update?" The evidence of that is this forum.

Third, Apple fails to market its pro products effectively. When Aperture and Final Cut Pro debuted, they were revolutionary products that helped advance their product categories. Now there is effective competition but Apple doesn't seem to care. Pro users are not as fickle as consumers because they have too much invested their business. They will stick with the first product they bought as long as they can, but if they are forced to switch to keep up with the competition and new technology, they will not switch back easily. It is just too expensive to make those kinds of infrastructure shifts. In other words, Apple doesn't push its pro products as if its business depends on it because it doesn't. Aperture and FCP were introduced at a time when Apple was trying to convince people that Apple was still the best computer for pro imaging users. They pushed both products heavily and gained market share as a result. Do they care anymore? Hard to say.

I love Aperture 3, and use it daily for business. However, I work at a major corporation and can tell you that I am the only imaging professional I know who uses Aperture. All the other pro photographers/retouchers use either Capture One Pro or Lightroom. If I am ever forced to move away from Aperture, it would be to Capture One and not Lightroom. However, right now Apeture does everything I want and frankly more. I feel like I learn new tricks in Aperture all the time. I use Topaz plug-ins for things like noise reduction, and of course I can always seamlessly edit my images in Photoshop when needed.