My responce to Apple's request to try Photos as an Aperture user

Question

From what I've seen and read from reviewers regarding the new Photos App, I currently have no interest. Maybe that will change but I am totally dismayed you would completely give up on the professional market and thoroughly dismantle a truly name brand product that professionals like me depended on. I bought a $7000.00 MacPro specifically for Aperture and within two months you announce Apertures demise.
I also use FCPX and your decision to abandon Aperture has made me rethink why I'm using FCPX. I ask myself, why would the professional video crowd be any more important then the professional still shooters? I can't come up with any plausible reason and so I'm now looking into migrating my entire multimedia workflow over to Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Premier. I don't want to but you have given me no choice. And just think, my computer options will be expanded once I get in to the Adobe ecosystem since they support both OSX and Windows. By the way, I switched from MS-Windows specifically for Aperture. I don't think you have any idea how much disappointment and frustration you have caused your truly loyal Apple base. I'm hopeful you may eventually come to your senses and reverse your decision to kill Aperture.

Answer 1

Well the phone is where the vast bulk of the (vast) profits are. That's the new reality.
I don't believe that Apple are 'dropping the desktop', nor do I think that they are trying to lure iOS users to OS X. I think it's a bit more simple than that. They are quietly building up a steady suite of software that
1. Provides a very similar user experience on OS X, the Cloud and iOS. Moving between the three interfaces retains a similar experiences, even if the OS X version is more capable.
2. Shares data across the three interfaces so that you can move from device to device effortlessly
3. Is (and for pro users this is the key point) good-enough-for-most-people
So, create a doc in Pages on your Mac, switch to a Windows machine and continue working on it in the web browser and then finish it off on your iPad or iPhone later. It's quite a trick when it works. But Pages present an excellent example of an app that's 'good-enough-for-most-people'. Write letters and simple page-layouts and so on. But if you want a complex word-processing document, then you go to a 3rd party vendor - MS, Nisus, Mellel - for a more powerful specialised app to do your job.
The advantage for Apple is clear. A common suite of apps that work pretty much the same throughout the ecosystem. The user can move effortlessly from one gadget to another and it's all quite seamless. As good middle of the road apps they're relatively easy to maintain and develop. Plus, there is also a healthy aftermarket for 3rd party developers to specialise in. Easy to use Spreadsheet: Numbers. Complex financial planning: Excel. So, Apple are happy, the other vendors are happy developing into a market where they are not competing with Apple.
This is actually still a better offer for most users than Windows. You still have to buy these apps on Windows, but they're all free on Macs.
When Apple was in trouble it went after niche markets - video and photography being two - aggressively. Now they don't need to do that. If you're a iPhone photographer (and face it, more people are than are DSLR shooters) then Photos will likely be just what you want. If you're a specialised shooter you need to go 3rd party - LR, CaptureOne whatever.
Not saying I like this. I'll miss Aperture. And I'd be a nervous FCP or Logic user. But that seems to be what they are doing.