Deployed in OS X 10.10.3 beta for the first time

Feb 6, 2015 15:47 GMT  ·  By

As part of the OS X 10.10.3 testing initiative, Apple has deployed the first-ever build of Photos, a fresh app slated to replace iPhoto on the Mac (and perhaps on iOS too). Scheduled to roll out this spring, Photos is taking its first baby steps as a beta.

We got a chance to test drive Photos on a beat up Mac today, and we have nothing but praise for Apple’s new baby. It runs blazingly fast, doesn’t crash, and makes photo management and editing a breeze.

Welcome to Photos

Like with most other Apple apps, Photos begins with a short tour and clear instructions on how to use the software. If you lack content, it shows you exactly how to feed it photos.

When you do get around to creating / importing a library (yes, you can take everything from iPhoto and send it to Photos), you’ll instantly notice that it’s much easier to manage a library in Photos than it is in Aperture or iPhoto. In fact, one of Apple’s primary reasons for creating this tool was to eliminate any discrepancy there may be in terms of photo management across iOS and OS X. As it stands, both platforms handle photos nearly identically.

Each individual photo can be right-clicked for a handful of instant management, editing and sharing options, while deeper edits are just a few more clicks away. The four tabs at the top - Photos | Shared | Albums | Projects | Import - are probably the smartest choice for managing huge libraries. You can also choose to display some of these services as a sidebar from the View menu.

Experience every moment without ever leaving the app

Photos just begs you to fill it with images. Whether you have a library already created on your Mac, or a bunch of photos up in the cloud, or whether you’ve just connected iPhone to the computer, your photos will end up there one way or another.

Then you start to discover those handy buttons at the top, including the Slideshow control, Sharing, the zoom slider, etc. It’s worth noting that Photos makes iCloud syncing faster and more enjoyable than ever before. But that’s not the best thing about it. What everyone will find truly handy is the editing feature.

Photos for Mac: Slideshow themes
Photos for Mac: Slideshow themes

A primitive Aperture

Select any photo and click the Edit button at the top right side of the GUI. Photos instantly takes on a darker interface and brings up some traditional options, including:

Enhance: beautifies your image in one click and prepares it for deeper editing; Rotate: a simple tool that allows you to rotate your image; Crop: a clipping and level adjusting tool; Filters: the usual suspects, including Tonal, Noir, Chrome, Process, Tranfer, etc.; Adjust: a trio of sliders that let you tweak light, color, and black & white levels; Retouch: a healing / smudge tool that could be designed to work a lot better.

Photos for Mac: Adjusting light and color
Photos for Mac: Adjusting light and color

The editing part alone is worth trying out Photos. No longer will you have to squint to make your edits on the iPhone. Now you can just bulk-edit an entire library and spot flaws much easier by doing it on your Mac. Even better, you can turn all your works into physical books and albums for cheap. Apple demoes those as well under the Projects tab.

Only on OS X 10.10.3

Photos is currently only available in OS X Yosemite 10.10.3 build 14D72i, the first beta in this development cycle and the only Mac OS version to support Photos for the time being.

You need to be a registered Apple developer to test drive Photos, so if you have the proper credentials, stop wasting your time reading this nonsense and go experience it yourself.

Photos is slated to make its debut in spring, around the time Apple plans to release its highly-anticipated wearable computer. Check out the gallery below for a few examples of what to expect in the OS X Photos app.

Photo Gallery (25 Images)

Photos for Mac: in the Dock
Photos for Mac: Welcome screenPhotos for Mac: How to import photos
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