Family Tree Maker for Mac 2 will include the ability to synchronize your tree with Ancestry.com (a function called TreeSync). This news is according to the Program Manager for Family Tree Maker (FTM). He had more to say in answer to my question about the PC and Mac feature inequality:

We are very committed to the Macintosh platform and as you know, released an initial version based on FTM 2010 last year.

I can say that the new Mac release will include the following:

1. TreeSync–The ability to synchronize a tree in Family Tree Maker with one at Ancestry.com
2. Performance and stability improvements
3. Other features:
   - Key features from the PC version of Family Tree Maker (TBD)
   - Macintosh-specific features related to the Mac OS that are not in the PC version

We will continue to evaluate features from the PC product to be included in future versions of the Mac product and we will continue to look at opportunities to leverage Mac-specific features and capabilities that are not in the PC version.

At this point we don’t know what other PC functions will be added in FTM for Mac 2. We have confirmation that the most important new feature, TreeSync, is included. That’s great news!

It’s also good news that there will be Mac specific features. This will help Family Tree Maker feel more like a Mac application¹. I’m looking forward to the first beta release!²

I’m disappointed that there isn’t yet feature parity. And I’m going to continue to be patient because I see the long-term benefit of a complete version of Family Tree Maker on both PC and Mac. That’s the reason I’m supporting FTM; I’m more interested in a brighter future for genealogy on the Mac than ensuring that my admittedly subjective sense of fairness and desire for immediate gratification are appeased. How about you?

Notes
1. It already looks and feels more like a Mac application than Reunion for Mac.
2. I regret that I won’t be able to immediately tell you what’s in or out based on my beta program participation, but I’ll know. I’ll also know what’s out in this release.

I received a correction to the information in my recent article, “Will Family Tree Maker for Mac 2 Features Match Windows?” The Family Tree Maker 2012 Product Manager informed me that even though the features in the Mac version of FTM 2012 are not set, Family Tree Maker for Mac 2 will not include all the features in the PC version.

I have requested more information and will pass on what I can when I get answers.

Since the Family Tree Maker 2012 pre-sale and release date announcement, I’ve been asked whether the Mac version will have all the same features as the Windows version. I asked that question of my contact at Ancestry.com and quickly got the reply that all the features of the PC version will be in the Mac version [I have since recieved a retraction email from the Family Tree Maker Product Manager; please disregard the optimistic remainder of this post]. Feature parity is great news for Mac genealogists.

We made it through the awkward period of Family Tree Maker 2011 on the PC and 2010 on the Mac. We get a sort of double Christmas; we get all the enhancements from the 2011 and 2012 versions with only a four to six week delay. More importantly, it signals an intent to maintain equality between PC and Mac versions.

I’m all for this change. Mac genealogy needs some serious competition to move it forward.