When OS X Yosemite drops later this year it will mean the end of Apple's two current image editing apps, Aperture and iPhoto.
An Apple representative confirmed to TechRadar a report from the Loop that Apple's next Mac operating system will replace both pieces of software with the new Photos application.
The Cupertino company is doing away with Aperture and iPhoto in favor of a iCloud Photo Library that will allow users to store their images in the cloud and access them anywhere.
Demoed earlier at WWDC 2014, the Photos app built into OSX 10.01 will allow users to tweak their photos non-destructively and save all their changes though the cloud.
Exit ramp
Photographers still using Aperture won't be left out to pasture. The Apple representative said, "When Photos for OSX ships next year, users will be able to migrate their existing Aperture libraries to Photos for OS [X]."
In a statement to TechCrunch, Apple also promised it will make Aperture compatible with the next version of OS X.
Adobe is also working to make the transition from Aperture to Lightroom easy and software maker just coincidentally started a Creative Cloud Photography plan last week. For $9.99 (about £8.79, AU$9.99) a month users will receive Photoshop CC and Lightroom for Mac and Windows.
Additionally the deal bundles Lightroom Mobile on iPad and iPhone for free as well as Photoshop Mix on iPad.
Out with the old
It's no surprise Aperture is going away; after all it's been nearly four years since Apple introduced a new full numbered release. Since Aperture 3.0 dropped in February 2010, the photo-editing app has languished over time only receiving fixes and OS compatibility updates.
The transition shouldn't hit iPhoto users as hard as many of the same features, such as face tagging and simple edits, will most likely be ported over to Photos.
The Apple rep also remarked this doesn't signal the end of its other professional production software such as Final Cut Pro.
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