Apple has provided a few more tidbits of information about Photos, which replaces iPhoto and Aperture, and will be included in the upcoming release of OS X Yosemite. When questioned by Ars Technica about what pro-level features would be included in Photos, an unnamed Apple representative responded with a very brief description that may indicate a few features beyond what might be expected from an iPhoto replacement.

"When asked about what Aperture-like features users can expect from the new Photos app, an Apple representative mentioned plans for professional-grade features such as image search, editing, effects, and most notably, third-party extensibility."

The most interesting takeaway here is the mention of third-party extensibility. But what wasn't said is just as important. Both iPhoto and Aperture support third-party plug-ins as is, so having the new Photos app also support plug-ins is a no-brainer. What wasn't mentioned is the format the plug-ins will take. Will existing Aperture or iPhoto plug-ins work? Will developers have to create new versions of their plug-ins?

Likewise, how is search a "professional-grade" feature when search is a basic function of most photo management apps, including iPhoto. A bit more detail would help here.

I certainly expect Photos to be a very good replacement for iPhoto, one that will likely meet the needs of almost all iPhoto users. But the Apple rep's brief description doesn't mention anything that I would classify as a pro-level feature.

Tell me about the RAW processing option, or whether Photos can keep RAW + JPEG images paired. Are there workflow options I can use to automate Photos? Is there support for projects or metadata viewers and editors? Can I use Photos tethered to a camera for instant image capture?

I hope that Photos will be part of the public beta of OS X Yosemite later this summer. Until then, I don’t think we'll have a good idea of what's in store for us.