Apple to release OS X 10.10.3 update with new Photos app today
Mac users are expected to get a major mid-cycle software upgrade later Wednesday with the free release of OS X 10.10.3, featuring the all-new Photos app for Yosemite.
The apparent impending public release of OS X 10.10.3 and OS X Photos was revealed in an overview published Wednesday by The Associated Press. The report also said that Wednesday will signal the launch of iCloud Photo Library, suggesting that the cloud-based service might exit its beta period.
Thus far, developers have been provided with six beta builds of OS X 10.10.3, the most recent version arriving last week. In addition to the new Photos app, the latest version of Yosemite also features developer tools for the new Force Touch trackpad found in the latest 13-inch MacBook Pro, and the soon-to-arrive 12-inch MacBook.
Members of the public have been able to test the new Photos for OS X app since early March thanks to Apple's public beta program. But Wednesday's apparent release will mark the first time that Photos and the accompanying iCloud syncing service will be available to the masses.
The new Photos app serves as Apple's replacement for iPhoto. It organizes a user's photo library and helps to perfect photos with comprehensive editing tools.
And with iCloud Photo Library, users can store all of their photos and videos in the cloud and then access them across all of their devices, including iPhones and iPads running iOS 8 and above.
Features of the new Photos app, according to Apple, include the ability to:
The apparent impending public release of OS X 10.10.3 and OS X Photos was revealed in an overview published Wednesday by The Associated Press. The report also said that Wednesday will signal the launch of iCloud Photo Library, suggesting that the cloud-based service might exit its beta period.
Thus far, developers have been provided with six beta builds of OS X 10.10.3, the most recent version arriving last week. In addition to the new Photos app, the latest version of Yosemite also features developer tools for the new Force Touch trackpad found in the latest 13-inch MacBook Pro, and the soon-to-arrive 12-inch MacBook.
Members of the public have been able to test the new Photos for OS X app since early March thanks to Apple's public beta program. But Wednesday's apparent release will mark the first time that Photos and the accompanying iCloud syncing service will be available to the masses.
The new Photos app serves as Apple's replacement for iPhoto. It organizes a user's photo library and helps to perfect photos with comprehensive editing tools.
And with iCloud Photo Library, users can store all of their photos and videos in the cloud and then access them across all of their devices, including iPhones and iPads running iOS 8 and above.
Features of the new Photos app, according to Apple, include the ability to:
- Browse photos by time and location in Moments, Collections, and Years views
- Navigate a library using convenient Photos, Shared, Albums, and Projects tabs
- Store all of your photos and videos in iCloud Photo
- Library in their original format and in full resolution
- Perfect photos with powerful and easy to use editing tools that optimize with a single click or slider, or allow precise adjustments with detailed controls
- Create professional-quality photo books with simplified bookmarking tools, new Apple-designed themes, and new square book formats
- Purchase prints in new square and panoramic sizes
In our hands-on time, AppleInsider found that Photos for OS X features a sleek, uncluttered interface that will feel natural to anyone who has used the modern Photos app for iPhone and iPad. It brings many of the features of that app to the Mac, including strong iCloud integration and basic editing capabilities.
Comments
I was running the beta, but decided to revert back due to those issues, and when I discovered my complete iTunes was empty...
I really hope that's all sorted before I update.
I am saying this to anyone new to Photos not just yourself ... Hard to say as I had none of those issues with the beta. I'd suggest running repair Library on iPhoto or Aperture Library before doing anything (hold Option and Command when launching Library) and then backing up. I'd also run Disk Warrior on whatever drive held the library as well as your boot drive.
Photos doesn't have to convert by the way, you can create a new Library from the old one thus retaining the old one if you wish and you can create it on an external drive if space is limited on the boot drive. In Photos, note that the EDIT mode required you to open up the sections and ADD more if required (you can save your own set up). It seems at first to have limited edit controls but Apple ship Photos with nearly all but the basics hidden! It has far more than iPhoto ever had and far more powerful. In fact it only lacks a handful of features to be as good as Aperture. I hope over time Apple add in Stacks, Loupe, full Meta data and EXIF window, Stamping and brushes and I also miss seeing the versions as well as the edited version, but at least all edits are nondestructive.
It would seem to me simply having an 'Advanced' setting that invoked all the Edits plus adding in the missing features from Aperture would not be too much to hope for in future updates.
10.10.3 fixes a few bugs i had (as did others I know) in 10.10.2, most annoying of which was a typing issue where in Mail the input would go into a delay sporadically, most likely a networking issue.
In general, what access will iphoto or Aperture have to the cloud photos now? Personally, I will NOT be importing either app's photos to the cloud - I don't need to try to migrate thousands of SLR photos up into the cloud space, but it would be nice if Aperture could still see the phone photos in the cloud...
You wrote: "...I'd suggest running repair Library on iPhoto or Aperture Library before doing anything (hold Option and Command when launching Library)..."
Did you mean, "hold down Command+Option when launching the application"?
Finally! Did not beta this time. Too risky when involving my photos.
The photos in the cloud used up personal could limits?
> The photos in the cloud used up personal could limits?
Yes
“Hold on to your butts!” -Samuel L Jackson/Jurassic Park
Here come the rants and tirades about perceived bugs and UI flaws that have become an obsession with some...
“They better have fixed the bug I’ve been obsessing over for the last three years that no one else has.”
“Did they fix that bug three of us have? I won’t be updating if not.”
“I still have this bug. Get your act together Apple. QA has suffered. Steve would have fixed this by now. Fire Tim Cook. I’m going back to Windows. Apple has become Microsoft. etc etc etc etc.”
1) support putting my photos on the NAS; which I've heard is very flakey using iPhoto.
2) be faster and more stable; iPhoto is always crashing
I think some form of LAN syncing would be better, since most people have a slow upload connection but fast LAN/WiFi connections.
Is it going to be snappier?
Quote:In general, what access will iphoto or Aperture have to the cloud photos now? Personally, I will NOT be importing either app's photos to the cloud - I don't need to try to migrate thousands of SLR photos up into the cloud space, but it would be nice if Aperture could still see the phone photos in the cloud...
What does anything I said have to do with storing photos in the cloud? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
I'll elaborate.
When you are adding a picture to a website, such as this one in comments, you click on the button to add the image. When Finder opens, there's a section towards the bottom of the sidebar labeled "Media" that lets you choose between Music, Photos or Movies. "Pictures" in the sidebar does not give you the option to pull from iPhoto or Aperture. It shows the generic Photos folder.
During the 10.10.3 beta, this "Media" option rarely popped up when it should. When it did, you couldn't select any pictures by selecting "Photos" as the app to pull from. It alerted to open the Photos App to access pictures.
Refer to the screenshots of 10.10.2 for reference. This is how it should be, but rarely was
Choosing Photos under "Media" takes you to the option of selecting where you want to pull pictures from.
This is the screen that allows you to choose where you want to pull pictures from. Under 10.10.3 beta, when clicking on the "Photos"(app) option, I was greeted with a message saying to open the Photos app to access pictures, instead of having my events etc. shown to go into for choosing a picture, as illustrated below.
I do believe Apple has put great effort into making sure Photos and iCloud Photo Library is safe. Photos is one of the most personal thing we have and they don't want to mess that up.
So unless there is an essential function for Apple Watch in the 10.10.3 I think they will hold the release. And if it's essential för the watch I think they've painted themselfes into a corner by mixing in the Photos with that release. But still, they had to test the Photos app and perpaps it was inevitable.
One will see by tomorrow what happens and what the reactions will be
I've owned Apple products since 1978 and currently own two minis, a 2012 MacPro and 2014 MacBook Air. I've never had so many problems than I've had with Yosemite especially with Apple Mail. All my Macs repeatedly ask for my password and SMTP POP mail stops working for hours. This is not a 'pet' obsessive problem especially when my Samsung Note 4 and 12.2" tablet send and receive mail flawlessly. I've checked all the official Apple sites and numerous other Mac sites and there is no solution. Apple won't even acknowledge their mail has problems or offer a fix. Cox, my internet provider throws up their hands when they get this particular Yosemite Apple mail problem. I hope this release fixes Apple Mail.
Rich
The Apple Watch will not be "in the trying hands of the public" in two days. That's just when pre-orders start. The Watch isn't shipping or available for immediate purchase until the 24th.
Quote:
I find it hard to believe that they will release this major update, with all the reactions to a totally new software for pics, two days before the Apple Watch gets into the trying hands of the public. Reviews for Apple Watch was just released and I don't see how it will help Apple to get that mixed up with all the reactions (and perhaps problems due to bugs) to Photos.
I do believe Apple has put great effort into making sure Photos and iCloud Photo Library is safe. Photos is one of the most personal thing we have and they don't want to mess that up.
So unless there is an essential function for Apple Watch in the 10.10.3 I think they will hold the release. And if it's essential för the watch I think they've painted themselfes into a corner by mixing in the Photos with that release. But still, they had to test the Photos app and perpaps it was inevitable.
One will see by tomorrow what happens and what the reactions will be
Yes it will be, from what I understand. As said in the article in 9to5mac: "Starting on April 10th, Apple will allocate 15 minutes per customer for in-store try-on appointments..."
http://************/2015/03/18/apple-watch-retail-plan-15-min-appointments-10-try-on-stations-special-experts-for-edition-sales/
(note: replace the stars with ************, for some reason the forum won't let me post this full link...).
So as I understand it people can try out the new watch in two days. Seems appropriate considering they want people to pre-order at totally new device. It's nothing like when the iPhone came out, when people had used phones for years and phones was an important piece of equipment in the every day life. Here they want to get people to buy something they didn't have before.
Read John Grubers take on it: http://daringfireball.net/2015/04/the_apple_watch
Is cloud storage for Photos optional or required?
Optional