Serif launches Affinity Publisher with new StudioLink technology

Affinity Publisher has launched today on macOS and Windows
Serif today launched Affinity Publisher and revealed a unique new way of working which the company says is set to revolutionize how creative professionals work.
In a world-first, Serif’s brand new StudioLink technology means owners of its vector design app Affinity Designer and image editor Affinity Photo can use them right there in an Affinity Publisher layout, simply by clicking the relevant product icon.
While Affinity Publisher has its own impressive selection of built-in vector and photo editing tools, StudioLink means for the first time, graphics and images in a layout can be edited using a full array of professional tools, without the need to switch to a different app. The result is a massive streamlining of the creative workflow.
The company also revealed it has updated the pioneering iPad versions of Affinity Designer and Photo to handle Affinity Publisher documents. While Publisher itself will come to iPad later, owners of Affinity Designer and Photo on iPad will be able to open, edit and export Publisher documents, on the move, from today.
The announcements came in a keynote address during an event at Serif’s Nottingham, UK, headquarters today.
Managing Director Ashley Hewson said in a statement: “For too long, millions of creative professionals have found their workflow hindered by incompatible file types, apps which don’t work properly together, and awkward workarounds which cost valuable time. Affinity Publisher with StudioLink takes all that pain away by allowing you to instantly switch to the advanced photo editing features of Affinity Photo and precise vector tools of Affinity Designer without ever leaving the app. It’s the most fluid workflow ever conceived in a creative suite of applications, and we think it’s a game changer.”
From creating simple text-based documents to posters and flyers, or complex brochures and books combining words, images and graphics, the meticulously-engineered features of Affinity Publisher means it runs like a dream, even on the most content-heavy documents.
With essentials like Master Pages, facing-page spreads, grids, tables, advanced typography, text flow and full professional print output, Affinity Publisher delivers all the requirements for a modern-day layout app, tailored to exploit the power of the very latest hardware.
Other key features include:
• OpenType support and glyph browser
• Text decorations and drop capitals
• Linked text frames with advanced flow options
• Text wrapping with fine padding control
• Artistic text including text on a path
• Baseline grid and text frame rulers
• Place PSD, AI, PDF, JPG, TIFF, PNG or Affinity files
• Correct and enhance images with non-destructive adjustment layers
• Incredibly smooth gradient and transparency controls
• Auto generated indexes and table of contents
• RegEx search and replace
• Customizable keyboard shortcuts
• Saveable undo history
• Super smooth pan and zoom at 60fps
• End-to-end CMYK and spot color support
• PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3, PDF/X-4 output for professional print
Affinity Publisher can import and export all major raster and vector files, including layered PSD, PDF, EPS formats. And it can output print-ready documents in the latest PDF/X formats, including hyperlink support for documents shared online.
“Affinity Publisher with StudioLink is the realisation of the initial vision we had for our apps nine years ago and I could not be more thrilled to finally reveal that vision today,” Hewson added. “This is the reason we called our apps Affinity.”
Affinity Publisher is available with a 20% discount (priced $39.99) for a limited period, and as with all Affinity apps has no subscription. More info here.
Source: Serif (Europe) Ltd.
MacDailyNews Take: Rejoise, Affinity fans and let us know how it works for you!
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Robert P. Hartle” for the heads up.]