MWSF: Notes on Smith Micro Software and Mac 3D

One of the more interesting positive surprises at Macworld Expo this year was the meeting we had with Smith Micro Software’s Steve Yatson, Senior Director Graphic Solutions. Architosh’s main objective with meeting with Smith Micro was to gain an understanding about what this company is doing with its growing portfolio of Mac 3D and design applications. 

The Smith Micro Talk

As it turns out Steve Yatson is a veteran of sorts in the world of Mac 3D software. This was a pleasant thing to hear because he is the man in charge of Smith Micro’s division of creative 3D tools. His background was in serving similar capacities and product management for the early Poser team. 

Poser of course is not only a Mac stalwart developer but one of the veteran 3D applications within the entire 3D universe. Steve said that Smith Micro purchased e-Frontier software and several leading 3D tools came with it. 

“All of Smith Micro’s Macintosh 3D software tools will remain on the Mac,” said Steve Yatson. “Smith Micro is interested in being a leading graphics software developer for Apple’s Mac platform, which is why we are at this show.” He said that in some cases the development teams cannot always release a new update for both platforms at the same time, but generally speaking the goal is to do so. 

Developer, Publisher and Distributor

I asked Steve to explain their portfolio, since it is not clear how everything works. “In some cases some products are developed internally by Smith Micro software programmers,” he said, “while in other cases we simply publish or even just distribute the application.”

Smith Micro’s own developers are based in Watsonville, California. Steve Yatson said that the internal group can and sometimes provides developer assistance to other developer groups within companies that simply get published by the company.

Asked how Smith Micro makes its decision as to what companies to acquire or choose to publish or distribute, he said fundamentally they are looking for great products that fit their goals for the Graphics Solutions group. These are based on both 2D and 3D tools for professional and digital artists.

Smith Micro now publishes or develops key Mac 3D applications like the Poser Pro and Poser line up; Amapi Pro, a NURBS modeling suite; GroBoto, an artistic 3D tool; the Manga Studio line up;  the Anime Studio lineup; and MashON SPORE Comic Book Creator, which they showed at the show

The company also publishes or develops several photo and media tools and is the distributor of RapidWeaver, an award-winning Website creation tool just for the Mac.

To learn more visit them on the web here.