Apple launched Aperture 3 via its online store yesterday, following a brief self-imposed hiatus from the interwebs that led many to speculate that the Jobsian outfit might be announcing UK prices for the iPad.

Sadly, for some at least, that didn’t come to pass. Nor did the company announce any fancy new Mac kit.

Instead, Apple pushed out its own take on Adobe’s Lightroom - Aperture 3 - which is the vendor’s application for professional photographers who want to tinker with their precious snaps.

The latest version of the software comes loaded with over 200 features that include the addition of face recognition and GPS location for photos, said Apple.

Regular consumers already have iPhoto ’09, which comes with features that include “Faces and Places”. Now Aperture 3 has that built-in tech too, with a few added enhancements.

Apple is offering professional snappers a free 30-day trial to test run Aperture 3. It retails at $199 (£169), or $99 (£79) for an upgrade in the US.

Oh, and it’s only compatible with Intel-based Mac computers, which is probably pitching the product about right. After all, professional photographers wouldn’t be seen dead with a Windows-based machine, right? ®

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