Tech Tuesday: How Apple's Latest Software Updates Will Make Your Life Even Easier

June 3, 2014

By Laura Brauer

Lots of news coming out of San Francisco yesterday as Apple revealed major software improvements and new features. While you’ll have to explore the home automation and HealthKit announcements on your own, here’s a quick look at a few key software features that we think might be useful to pro photographers.

15MBP-RD_FeaturesCombo_Yosemite-PRINTBoth iOS and OS X operating systems have been updated to iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite (available later this year), redesigned and include an expanded version of iCloud. In addition to seemingly simpler and more convenient user interfaces, Apple has brought mobile and desktop devices more in sync so you can send and receive iMessages, SMS messages and iPhone calls on your Mac. When your iOS device and Mac are in physical proximity, projects can be started on one device and using what Apple aptly calls “Handoff,” finished on the other device.

Working with iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, iCloud Drive can sync your documents and photos—and changes you’ve made—across devices. The new Family Sharing and Photo Library, although more consumer-oriented by name, can be used to share and collaborate with team members from your studio. The new iCloud Drive is a little like Dropbox. The first 5GB of storage is free but it only costs $0.99 a month for an additional 20GB; other storage plans are available as well.

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If you shoot with your iPhone, capture and the Photos app have been updated to include options such as timelapse and more advanced editing features. And, every adjustment is updated across devices.

For OS X Yosemite, the fresh version of Notification Center will help keep you on top of your schedule. And Finder includes a drag-and-drop option to transfer images and documents to iCloud.

Spotlight  has been updated across devices as well, with far-reaching capabilities that not only dig into your hard drive for files but can recommend the closest sushi place for lunch.

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Interested Mac users can participate in Apple’s OS X Yosemite beta program, which is open to the first million people who sign up. When I last checked, there were still spaces available and I’m really tempted to participate (using my old, secondary Macbook Pro). Be sure to back up your entire system, though; it’s a Beta and we all know what that implies whenever you’re testing early software.