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Apple’s printing partner launches Motif extension for Photos after native service nixed

Apple announced earlier this month that it would be discontinuing its photo printing service by September 30, 2018. This means that users will need to look at other third-party solutions.

However, today VentureBeat revealed that RR Donnelley was a partner for Apple’s first-party photo printing service. And with that, the company is also releasing its own app called Motif that lets macOS Photos users continue to purchase calendars and books similar to the ones Apple was offering.

In an email to VentureBeat, a RR Donnelley representative noted that the company has printed Apple’s photo books since 2005 — a detail that was rumored within the industry but unconfirmed during the contract with Apple. Donnelley has been the world’s largest commercial printer for years, and its Consolidated Graphics (CGX) division was said to be responsible for Apple’s printed products.

With Motif, Mac users will be able to continue creating photo books, calendars, and cards via Apple’s Photos app. Motif will run as a third-party extension.

Donnelley says that it will continue to use its Apple-approved printing quality to its advantage. “In a field where low quality runs rampant,” the company said, “Motif uses sustainable and durable materials that are built to stand the test of time.”

Books will be available starting as low as $9.99, which will get you an 8-by-6-inch satin softcover. Calendars will run $19.99, flat cards will be 99 cents each, and folded cards start at just $1.49.

Motif is now available on the Mac App Store as a free download. The app is fully compatible with macOS High Sierra, but may be incompatible with the macOS Mojave betas at this time.


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