By AppleInsider Staff

Published: 03:55 PM EST (12:55 PM PST)

Apple today announced iLife '05, an upgrade to the suite of digital lifestyle applications, featuring major new versions of iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD and GarageBand and including the latest version of iTunes.

iLife '05 continues its aggressive position in the industry with an updated innovative and comprehensive suite of software for organizing, editing and sharing digital photos; creating digital movies and DVDs; and purchasing, managing and creating digital music.

"iLife '05 is far beyond anything available on a PC, and is a must-have upgrade for every Mac user," said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. "If you have a digital camera, digital camcorder or create music, iLife '05 is built for you."

iPhoto 5 adds advanced editing tools so you can perfect your photos without ever leaving iPhoto, including controls to set exposure, black and white points, saturation, tint, temperature and sharpness, while also showing users a histogram and providing the most intuitive way ever to straighten photos.

iPhoto 5 adds support for uncompressed RAW photos throughout the entire application so that high-end users can exploit all the image data their cameras can capture. The application also includes a new advanced slideshow builder which allows users to easily apply effects, transitions and durations to each individual slide.

iPhoto 5 features an entirely new way to create affordable hardcover and softcover photo books, starting as low as $3.99. Users can choose from several new book layouts, all featuring double-sided printing, and easily place and rearrange their photos until perfect, then order their book online right from within iPhoto 5. With iPhoto 5, Apple is also cutting the price of individual 4x6 prints in half, from 39 cents to just 19 cents each.

iMovie HD allows users to capture and edit High Definition Video (HDV) from the new generation of HDV camcorders. iMovie HD also includes Magic iMovie, one of the easiest ways ever to make a movie. With just a few clicks, Magic iMovie automatically imports your video into separate clips, adds titles, transitions and music, all in one step. iMovie HD imports video from HDV and standard DV camcorders, and from video cameras that generate MPEG-4 video.

iDVD 5 includes 15 new themes featuring moving drop zones that can display video clips or photos in motion across DVD menus, just like the latest Hollywood DVDs. iDVD 5 also features OneStep DVD, which lets users create DVDs by simply plugging in a DV camcorder and clicking a button. iDVD 5 now supports all single-sided DVD formats including -R, +R, -RW and +RW with a compatible Apple SuperDrive.

GarageBand, Apple's complete recording studio, has been updated to version 2.0. The new version adds 8-track recording, so users can record an entire band at once, plus pitch and timing correction to quickly fix those tracks that don’t sound perfect. GarageBand 2 now displays and edits musical notation in real time for people who know how to read and write music or want to learn. With Apple’s growing family of GarageBand Jam Packs, including the latest, Jam Pack 4: Symphony Orchestra, GarageBand users can create professional sounding music in their favorite genre.

iLife '05 also includes iTunes 4.7.1, the latest version of Apple's digital music jukebox software with the iTunes Music Store inside.

Pricing & Availability

iLife '05 will be available in the US on Saturday, January 22 and worldwide on Saturday, January 29 for a suggested retail price of $79 (US). The iLife '05 suite of applications will be included with all new Macs, and an iLife Up-To-Date upgrade package is available to all customers who purchase a new Mac on or after January 11 that does not include iLife '05 for a shipping and handling fee of $19.95 (US). Jam Pack 4: Symphony Orchestra is sold separately and will be available in the US on Saturday, January 22 and worldwide on Saturday, January 29 for a suggested retail price of $99 (US).

iLife requires Mac OS X v10.3.4 or later, QuickTime 6.5.2 or later, a Macintosh computer with PowerPC G3 (400 MHz or faster), G4, or G5 processor, 256MB or more physical RAM (512MB recommended) and a 1024x768 or larger display. A 600 MHz G3 processor or faster is required for GarageBand. A G4 or G5 processor is required for GarageBand software instruments and advanced iPhoto editing. An Apple SuperDrive or 733 MHz G4 processor is required for iDVD and a compatible SuperDrive is required to burn DVDs. High definition video requires Mac OS X v10.3.6, a 1 GHz G4 processor or faster, and 512 MB of RAM. RAW requires Mac OS X v10.3.6 and a supported RAW compatible camera. iPhoto books and prints are available in the US, Canada, Japan, and select European countries.