Apple Discontinuing Physical Photo Books Printing Service Later This Year

Apple will discontinue its physical Photo Books printing service later this year, as spotted by 9to5Mac. Using Photo Books, macOS users can choose from pictures taken on an iPhone or iPad, synced to the Mac Photos app, and build books, cards, calendars, and prints that are then mailed to them.

Now, a new message has been spotted in the Photos app on macOS 10.13.6 and states that final purchases for the built-in photo printing service will need to be placed by September 30, 2018. Afterwards, it appears that Mac users will have to opt for third-party companies like Shutterfly to craft physical books made from their digital photos.

Apple explains that users can integrate these third-party services into Photos with a Photos Project Extension downloaded from the Mac App Store. With these extensions, apps like Shutterfly can integrate photo printing services into Apple's own Photos app so users don't have to leave the app to build their photo books.

Image via 9to5Mac
For classic landscape-style books, Apple sells softcover books starting at $9.99 in a medium size, and increasing to $49.99 in hardcover and extra large size. Calendars are $19.99 each, cards start at $0.99, and posters for panoramic shots are also available for $12.99-$17.99. These prices should remain intact until the service shutters in the fall.

Related Roundup: macOS Mojave

Top Rated Comments

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ugahairydawgs

18 weeks ago

Tim Cook ruined this company. Not financially, but emotionally.

Absolutely. Having 1st party access to printed photo books is quintessential to being a Mac owner and a user of the Photos app.

Hopefully wiser minds will step in to keep this vital service active for the company.

/s

Rating: 22 Votes

pete2106

18 weeks ago

Tim probably couldn't find a way to jam a subscription model into it.

Rating: 22 Votes

kylelerner

18 weeks ago

I guess they’re closing the book on this one.

Rating: 20 Votes

CmdrLaForge

18 weeks ago

Very bad news and another sign to me that Apple lost the path of its founder.

Rating: 14 Votes

TimUSCA

18 weeks ago

Well this sucks. I love these books and felt like the pricing was actually pretty fair for the quality. I was planning to make a calendar for my mother-in-law for Christmas per her request, so I guess I'll need to get it done before September 30.

Rating: 14 Votes

jel888

18 weeks ago

What a shame! I just found the service recently and quickly made a project and placed an order, and voilà! Done! And the person received it ASAP and said it was great!!!

I'm going to have to make all my project over the summer and get them out fast.

Rating: 12 Votes

Canubis

18 weeks ago

Oh boy, how hard can it be to find a (new) subcontractor for this and just forward the print jobs to them. It's not like anybody located in Infinite Loop 1 was doing this all the time either way. But having Apple look through the whole process, using the Apple ID for paying etc. just works and adds to the using a Mac feeling. Why destroy such good things and what for?

Rating: 12 Votes

James.K.Polk

18 weeks ago

I'll chime in to say my fiancee and I used this after a rare vacation - it was a blast to make and still sits on our coffee table. I'm sure there are plenty of alternatives, but I'm a little bummed they'd choose to end this!

Rating: 11 Votes

TMRJIJ

18 weeks ago

:Sadface :( Their Photo Books were nice.

Rating: 11 Votes

tennisproha

18 weeks ago

I've never used this service but I liked having the option.

However I did extensively use the birthday card service in iOS before Apple discontinued that a few years ago. It was really convenient and used premium materials.

Rating: 10 Votes

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