Apple to Upgrade iApps in the Coming Months

[MacRumors]

Over the past couple of years, Apple has been introducing more consumer applications, casually dubbed "iApps" to help promote the Mac as the center of your digital life.

The application list has grown long and now includes: iTunes, iDVD, iMovie, iPhoto, iSync, and iCal. Professional versions of some of these applications also exist, which include DVD Studio Pro and Final Cut Pro.

As previously reported (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2002/11/20021113025846.shtml), iTunes is set for a significant upgrade at or around MacWorld SanFrancisco with adoption of Rendezvous technology, as well as support for the AAC MPEG4 format.

In the coming months, it appears all of Apple's iApps are due for revision. iDVD 3, iMovie 3 and iPhoto 2 (previous details (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2002/10/20021003222655.shtml)), iSync GM, and iCal updates are expected. Apple is expected to increase integration between the iApps, provide international support as well as introduce a new Application in the coming months.

In the meanwhile, Spymac (http://www.spymac.com/comments.php?id=292_0_5_0_C) reports that Final Cut Pro will also be upgraded to version 4 in January.

[joed]

Isn't iChat supposed to get an overhaul in 10.2.3?

I also remember seeing somewhere that iSync beta actually has a expiry date, does anyone remember?

I would guess that either or iMovie/iDVD will get an update at the DV Expo on December 10 (this has been the launching pad in the past for software updates, Final Cut Pro was updated at last years from memory).

Also, RAILhead (http://www.railheaddesign.com/) has hinted at updated iApps.

[irmongoose]

Nice.... the two iApps I'm waiting for are iMovie 3 and iDVD 3... iMovie simply needs an upgrade, it's been too long since the initial release. In iDVD 3 I need to be able to make chapters.

Other than that, I'm pretty much happy right now, but of course, we all love updates, don't we? :p

What if Steve announces updates for ALL the iApps at MWSF? That'll be awesome.. but of course, it won't happen...




irmongoose

[Mr. Anderson]

If we get FCP4 in january, I'm going to be very happy. I'm also hoping that some of the recent purchases of Apple get adapted for this next version. Very cool!!!

D

[iN8]

I hope they fix the bug in iTunes where whenever you are playing a CD it pauses every few seconds and creates gaps in the song. Very annoying and makes iTunes useless for playing CDs. I thought it was just me but I have heard of many people that have the same problem, but no fix.

[puffmarvin]

iChat expires in February

[agent302]

What about Appleworks? It's by far the most stagnant of Apple's applications and gone the longest since a major upgrade (Appleworks 6 was released at MWSF 2000; it's been almost 3 years!)

[drastik]

Originally posted by agent302
What about Appleworks? It's by far the most stagnant of Apple's applications and gone the longest since a major upgrade (Appleworks 6 was released at MWSF 2000; it's been almost 3 years!)

I think what you are seeing here is a fundemental move away from appleworks, or at least what used to be apple works. Apple is more and more serious about abandoning M$. IF the lose explorer, that is a pretty bold move. In order to compete with Office, Appleworks has to be not only upgraded, but practically redone, incorporating open office or thinkfree office.

There were rumors a while back about apple and Open Office, be nice to get it already installed on machines. I think people are sick enough of microsoft that the concept of open source and multi-programmer apps is starting to enter the mainstream. A few years ago, your average computer user had no clue what Linux was, now Dell seel it on their site.

Its a changing worl folks, but the big change I'd like to see is different compession options in iMovie. I use FCP for all my editing, but sometimes I use iMovie on my Pism as a monitor when I'm shooting, I like to grab some of those seens, but the DV compression is way to large for something I'm not really going to cut.

[mnkeybsness]

Originally posted by iN8
I hope they fix the bug in iTunes where whenever you are playing a CD it pauses every few seconds and creates gaps in the song. Very annoying and makes iTunes useless for playing CDs. I thought it was just me but I have heard of many people that have the same problem, but no fix.

problem? what CD problem? never heard of this before...relevent threads would be nice

[drastik]

Originally posted by mnkeybsness


problem? what CD problem? never heard of this before...relevent threads would be nice

I have to agree here, I have never had a problem wih CDs in iTUnes. Not in 9 or X. If anything, iTunes makes Cds better by crossfading the track ends.

I am really looking forward to rondevous iTunes now that my airport network is up and running.:D

[zedwards]

The headline might as well say: Apple may or may not do something by 2003. What sort of alogorithm is used to make such daring statements? And then to follow up with complaints and gripes about some irrelevant or imaginary issues that only pertains to .003 % of Mac users. :p Now I got that off my chest, I would love to see Appleworks kick some a$$.

[impierced]

Hmmm, wanna bet that Final Cut Pro 4 will be 100% Cocoa ...

The rumor of OS X on AMD along with a beta of FCP is my rational.

[drastik]

Originally posted by impierced
Hmmm, wanna bet that Final Cut Pro 4 will be 100% Cocoa ...

The rumor of OS X on AMD along with a beta of FCP is my rational.

You are deifinitely right, here, given that FCP 4 probably will be released around the time that new machines start booting into X only. Bye bye 9. I've been X only for two monthsnow, and everything is wonderfull.

[iN8]

Originally posted by mnkeybsness


problem? what CD problem? never heard of this before...relevent threads would be nice

Here's a couple:

Macfixit (http://http://www.macfixitforums.com/php/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=Forum35&Number=203626&Forum=All_Forums&Words=iTunes%2C%20skip&Match=And&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Old=allposts&Main=200340&Search=true#Post203626)

Apple Discussion Boards (http://http://discusssearch.info.apple.com/WebX?230@188.fCSka8pceMT.20@.3bba789e)

[Tue12]

I'd like to see iMovie 3 as 100% Cocoa.

[dethl]

Apple will announce OS X Server for x86! (j/k!!!!)

Really, I hope Mail gets some tweaking....it never seems to grab all messages from my POP account

[pissedatpalm.co]

Last year Apple introduced FCP 3 at DV Expo with much fanfare. I understand they have a large presence this year. I would think that show is far more appropriate for a release of FCP 4 than MacWorld. The dates are Dec. 9-11 at the LA Convention Center.

[mnkeybsness]

Originally posted by iN8


Here's a couple:

Macfixit (http://http://www.macfixitforums.com/php/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=Forum35&Number=203626&Forum=All_Forums&Words=iTunes%2C%20skip&Match=And&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Old=allposts&Main=200340&Search=true#Post203626)

Apple Discussion Boards (http://http://discusssearch.info.apple.com/WebX?230@188.fCSka8pceMT.20@.3bba789e)


how about i fix your links for you...



Macfixit (http://macfixitforums.com/php/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=Forum35&Number=203626&Forum=All_Forums&Words=iTunes,%20skip&Match=And&Searchpage) Apple Discussion Forums (http://discusssearch.info.apple.com/WebX?230@188.fCSka*pceMT.20@.3bba789e)

your welcome

[railthinner]

I'd like to see some audio editing features built into itunes or a completely seperate "iaudio." That would be a huge plus for imovie users. Just a simple app with one or two track recording and editing,some basic AU plugins etc. then send audio to imovie or itunes.

Eventually you could even expand this to include surround editing when they get that built into the imac. (my personal fantasy)

[iN8]

Originally posted by mnkeybsness



how about i fix your links for you...



Macfixit (http://macfixitforums.com/php/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=Forum35&Number=203626&Forum=All_Forums&Words=iTunes,%20skip&Match=And&Searchpage) Apple Discussion Forums (http://discusssearch.info.apple.com/WebX?230@188.fCSka*pceMT.20@.3bba789e)

your welcome

Thanks. First time i tried that.

[solvs]

Originally posted by railthinner
I'd like to see some audio editing features built into itunes or a completely seperate "iaudio." That would be a huge plus for imovie users. Just a simple app with one or two track recording and editing,some basic AU plugins etc. then send audio to imovie or itunes.

Eventually you could even expand this to include surround editing when they get that built into the imac. (my personal fantasy)

Didn't Apple buy an Audio Editing app? They'll probably eventually come out with a Pro Audio app soon. I hope it's competitively priced. I dunno about iTunes 4 though, didn't they just release 3 a few months ago?

I would love an updated Appleworks though, 6 is getting kind of stale.

The possible new apps (i and Pro) do look very promising.

[elliotay]

If iTunes gets upgraded to incorporate AAC audio, then does this mean the iPod's will be able to play and store AAC audio? I remember a discussion a while back about whether or not the iPod will actually be able to play AACs with a firmware update. Some said yes some said no. I really hope I don't have to buy a new iPod just to get AAC integration.

[bikertwin]

What about AAC audio for Palm OS devices (Sony Clie, etc.)? Anyone know of Palm software to play AAC audio? I heard it was less processor intensive than MP3, so you'd think a simple software algorithm would do the trick.

[railthinner]

Originally posted by solvs


Didn't Apple buy an Audio Editing app? They'll probably eventually come out with a Pro Audio app soon. I hope it's competitively priced.

Yeah, they bought Emagic the makers of Logic (Platinum, gold, micro etc. and hardware) which is very much a pro app. In my opinion though, we haven't seen anything come of it that wouldn't have otherwise happened--YET. and I hope that's a bit yet. I've thought it's extremely peculiar they don't carry Logic in their stores since they own it. What's up with that? Especially since they carry Live, Reason, and others.

[Blackcat]

Originally posted by Tue12
I'd like to see iMovie 3 as 100% Cocoa.

Why?

Cocoa offers a different API, not a better API than Carbon. Rewriting perfectly good apps in Cocoa is a bit pointless really. Also, judging by apps like Mail, iCal and Fern run noticeably slower than ones done with Carbon.

[lazyrighteye]

I'm all about this Emagic acqusition. I think there could be 2 great apps come from this within the next year (simple speculation - based solely on my dreams). I know no one, I read nothing, but what do you think?

"iMix" - a stereo capturing/editing app. Much like the iApp family, comes bundled with the OS (10.3 maybe). Has basic editing features, marks tracks, exports .aif, .wav, .mp3, .aac, .ogg, .shn, etc. This would be great for iMovie and iTunes users, as well as FCP folk. I could also see this app working it's way into a record enabled iPod (the ultimate - for me). Yeah, I realize that would require either a hardware tweak (to allow for audio I/O) or the creation of some nifty firewire audio I/O dongle. But recording 24/96 stereo audio on a 20G (or larger) iPod that's the size of a deck of cards... well that's just too sick to discuss.

"Mix Mastr Pro" - the audio equivalent of FCP. A multitrack audio capturing/editing app. Besides the obvious target market of audio Pros, this would be great for FCP users and even iMovie users too. I use Pro Tools LE and a Digi001 on a G4/500 daily, and wold love to see Apple do for audio (with "Mix Master Pro") what they have done for video (with FCP).

Would anyone else out there like to see these apps and/or a record enabled iPod? If so, pester Apple. The more we ask, the more we shal receive (in theory at least).

Thanks for your time,
lazyrighteye

[eric_n_dfw]

Originally posted by Blackcat


Why?

Cocoa offers a different API, not a better API than Carbon. Rewriting perfectly good apps in Cocoa is a bit pointless really. Also, judging by apps like Mail, iCal and Fern run noticeably slower than ones done with Carbon.
I'd beg to differ with you. I've never coded in Carbon (or Classic for that matter) but I would take a guess that the reason you see Carbon app's running faster is because they are written in C or C++ and compiled directly to machine language. Cocoa app's are, 99% of the time, written in Objective C which requires a run-time environment. This extra layer of abstraction provides for it's robust, run-time, dynamic linking. (Which makes Objective C such a kick-butt environment for OO development - a lot like Java.)

You are correct about the API's just being different too - one not being better that the other. Although, I'd venture to bet that anyone who has developed in both would prefer Cocoa - once they learned Objective C that is.

[SPG]

Apple's bought a few companies lately that haven't had products directly ported to the Apple brand. They may have bought eMagic for the talent, not the product. I don't know too much about this case but it's common enough in business. Spruce hasn't been ported, but their guys are working on DVDSP instead.

[guifa]

Originally posted by Blackcat


Why?

Cocoa offers a different API, not a better API than Carbon. Rewriting perfectly good apps in Cocoa is a bit pointless really. Also, judging by apps like Mail, iCal and Fern run noticeably slower than ones done with Carbon.

Have you used Fire/Proteus/Adium before? They use SIGNIFICANTLY less CPU than just AOL's official client (and Fire/Proteus manage to run 6 protocols at once and still run faster). Also, in my experience, OmniWeb has been much faster (Cocoa) than Internet Explorer (Carbon).

It's less the environment they're using and more of the actual code being written. Recall finder was one of the slowest apps in OSX history--it was Carbon. iCal is extremely slow--Cocoa. It just depends on many different things. And, if I'm not mistaken, "Carbon" apps can still make use of several Cocoa calls, and vice versa, but as soon as they use a single Cocoa call, they can no longer run on OS9 (please correct if I'm wrong, probably am though)

[TheInevitable]

Isn't Mix Master Pro already a PC audio editing program?

I'd like to see iWorks. A new Appleworks that seemlessly integrates with the other iApps (including a new web browser). Will open and save as any .doc or .xls files (I know it already does). And make it good enough, that no one would have any reason to purchase expensive M$ programs.

I don't think there is much need for a consumer level audio editor, especially since Apple removed the audio-in from most of their computers. However, I would like to see them do something with the Logic software with some real nifty hardware.

That's what I would like to see.