Apple unveiled new updates for the iOS versions of its iLife apps on Wednesday during the company’s special media event to introduce the iPad with Retina Display. Along with updates for GarageBand and iMovie, Apple added iPhoto to its iOS creativity suite.
iLife for Apple’s iOS devices
GarageBand
GarageBand now supports linking up to four iOS devices together over a local Wi-Fi network to play together and record songs through the new Jam Session feature. The app handles synchronizing key, tempo and chords across instruments, and sessions are auto-recorded on individual tracks.
The update also added Smart Strings for playing multiple stringed instruments with one finger, and it brings the Mac version’s note editor to the iPad. Songs can now be shared directly from the app to Facebook, YouTube and SoundCloud.
iMovie
iMovie added the ability to create movie trailers, just like the Mac version of the app. It includes a Theater View for previewing trailer templates, and movies can be shared to YouTube, Vimeo and Facebook, and can be streamed via AirPlay at 1080p resolution.
iPhoto
The new addition to the iOS iLife family is iPhoto. The image editing app uses the photo library that’s already on your iOS device, and includes multi-touch editing, photo effects, brushes, and “Photo Beaming” for sharing photos with other users.
Photos can be flagged with a gesture, the interface can be switched for left or right-handed use, and the app also supports smart image browsing. Photos can be compared side-by-side, and the app includes controls for adjusting image colors as well as exposure and contrast.
iPhoto for iOS supports sharing images via Twitter, Facebook and Flickr, can stream images through AirPlay to the Apple TV, and can publish photo journals to iCloud.
Like the other iLife apps for iOS, iPhoto will run on an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.
GarageBand, iMovie and iPhoto for iOS are priced at US$4.99 each, and are available at Apple’s iTunes-based App Store. The updates for GarageBand and iMovie are free for current users.
[Updated with additional information about the iLife apps for iOS.]