Family Tree Maker 2024 – Pre-Order Pricing Ending, Expanded Mobile Apps, Release Soon?

Yesterday afternoon, I received an email from MacKiev concerning a Family Tree Maker 2024 upgrade deal and what seems to be an imminent release of FTM 2024, with more details than previous emails.

It starts off with this as the header: ALMOST HERE. FTM 2024.

That feels more definitive in terms of being close to launching than comments in the past.

This is from a mailing list, so many/most of you who are current FTM users should have received the same email.

They are offering an upgrade price of up to 55% off for the next few days – the email says three days, but that was yesterday afternoon and I’m not sure when the timer runs out, but it’s safe to say you should probably order by Wednesday (October 16, 2024).

Update: I received an email stating that it’s three days from when you received the email.

The upgrade prices are:

• $35 USD for the FTM 2024 Download Mac/Windows (normal $80 USD)
• $45 USD for the FTM 2024 DVD + Download Mac/Windows (normal $90 USD)
• $55 USD for the FTM 2024 USB + Download Mac/Windows (normal $100 USD)

Upgrade Page: https://www.mackiev.com/offers/ftm2024/upgrade_promo.html

Note: I do not see anything for new users in terms of discounts.

Coming Soon Page: https://www.mackiev.com/ftm/ftm2024_coming_soon.html

Requirements:

• Windows 10 (64-bit) and later, including Windows 11.
• macOS Big Sur 11 and later, including macOS Sequoia 15.
• GenealogySoftware Note: I’ve had no problems running FTM 2019 on an Apple M-series CPU MacBook Air, nor have I had problems running FTM 2019 for Windows on a virtual Windows 11 Arm-based session.

Some of the features mentioned in the email:

• Hyphenated dual surname support
• Extensive “under the hood” work that makes this version “by far the fastest and most stable Family Tree Maker ever built” (MacKiev’s words, not mine!)
• This FTM “can handle BIG trees. Really big. Hundreds of thousands of people big. And even if your tree isn’t absolutely gigantic, you’re going to feel the difference” (again, MacKiev’s words, not mine)
• GenealogySoftware.net Note: If I had to guess, a lot of work was done to boost the database performance. I believe FTM 2019 was using SQLite 3, so they have probably upgraded the engine and optimized it.

Turn Back Time® 5000

• FTM 2024 can handle reverting up to 5,000 changes instead of FTM 2019’s 1,000 changes.

Connect Workspace

• Allows for sharing family trees with relatives, and allows them to fact-check those tweets.
• Family members need to install the FTM Connect mobile app (Apple/iOS and Android) and view the tree through there.
• Family members can add a “Relative Hint^™” sticky note to the tree, which can then show up in your FTM tree (through TreeVault), on par with Ancestry and FamilySearch hints.

The “Statistic Dashboard” helps you track these relatives and their hints:

FTM Connect 2.0

• FTM’s new Apple (iOS/iPadOS) and Google Android mobile app.
• “Guest Access” is exactly what it sounds like – through the use/synchronization of TreeVault, you can send invitations to relatives that you want to look at your tree on their smartphones or tablets.
• In this version of FTM Connection, they will see information that wasn’t available in previous versions, including “Relationships, Person and Research Notes, and Web Links”

AlbumWALK®

• AlbumWALK is another iOS and Android mobile app (free), built around MacKiev’s “first technology patent”.
• It allows you to record audio memories and embed them in a photo to create “interactive talking photos”.
• You tap a face on a person in a photo and then start talking about that person. When you are finished adding memories to people in a photo, the app “creates a mini-documentary with professionally scored background music that can be played back in the media center of FTM 2024. “
• It also relies on TreeVault to move album files to your family tree, as well as backing up (“up-to-the-minute”) said AlbumWALK files. They can be viewed within the desktop version of FTM with a built-in player.
• GenealogySoftware.net note: I’m curious to see if you non-FTM users will be able to easily view these – at the very least, there should be an export feature to convert them into MP4 files or a similar format.

Easy on the Eyes™

• Enlarges areas of the People workspace when you work on them, and then reverts back to normal size on your screen when you are done.
• You can view a video of this here (MacKiev.com)

New Photo Darkroom^® Tools

• FTM 2024 expansion the Photo Darkroom tools from FTM 2017.
• Include cropping
• New repair tools to remove dust and scratches
• As with FTM 2017/2019, the original photograph is unchanged.

Resource Center (I’m quoting their email)

• Connect with a professional to take your research to the next level, or a mentor to help you get started.
• Find the nearest Family Tree Maker user group, or get everything you need to start one.
• Check out our tour calendar for visiting societies, or request we swing by the next time we’re in your part of the world.
• Sign up for free webinars.
• Get discounts we’ve been busy negotiating for you. 

Co-Pilot 2024

• Another feature that started with FTM 2017
• Expanded to include the new mobile apps that are a part of the “Family Tree Maker ecosystem”
• Two days after you first launch FTM 2024, there will be a “brief” diagnostic test that can determine if things have went well, or if there are things you may need help with.
• Examples of help include:
  • Setting up TreeVault
  • Connect Workspace mailings to relatives
  • Creating first AlbumWALK page
• It’s free and optional.

There’s quite a lot of new or refined features – until I actually have a copy in my hands, I’m not sure how much has changed in terms of the interface. I’m curious about the performance as well – part of the time I’m on an Apple Silicon M-series CPU MacBook Air, and FTM 2019 loads fast. Just for comparison, Family Tree Maker 3 for Mac is right around the same size in terms of storage (and surprisingly still loads just fine/fast on my M-series MacBook Air for being a 2015 app).

I did not see any mention of free upgrade for those of us who ordered within a certain window – I had ordered my upgrade to FTM 2019 back in January of this year during the New Year’s sale when I got wind of FTM 2024 happening in the near future, and was told that I would receive the free upgrade. No Idea if that is still the case – it’s been 8 months since I was told that, so I understand if that’s not possible.