Apple Dumping Pro Apps Division

[Fomaphone]

Is there any substance to the rumors that have been around for about a year and a half that apple will sell off its pro apps division?

There's a complete rewrite due for FCP (which means incredibly high developing costs without correspondingly huge projected revenue compared to most updates)... but pro apps sell MP's/MBP's, and this coming generation of pro apps will provide many opportunities for Snow Leopard to really shine.

what are your thoughts?

 

[Consultant]

Nope. Wild speculation.

 

[sushi]

Nope. Wild speculation.

I'm with you on this. Don't see it happening.

The software is what sells the hardware.

The exception would be if a product goes cross platform such as FileMaker. Then we might see a spin off. Otherwise, if the app only runs on a Mac, then I don't see this happening.

 

[ChemiosMurphy]

There's a complete rewrite due for FCP (which means incredibly high developing costs without correspondingly huge projected revenue compared to most updates)

A complete rewrite is SO not necessary because it would force people to learn everything all over again. Sure they need upgrades, but not a total rewrite .

FCP is a true competitor to MC and there is no way Apple will dump FCS

 

[tri3limited]

The complete rewrite is to turn everything Cocoa from Carbon (i think that's the right way around). Snow Leopard is becoming full 64bit so it makes sense to make the apps thatll take most advantage of it 64bit too!

 

[LethalWolfe]

A complete rewrite is SO not necessary because it would force people to learn everything all over again. Sure they need upgrades, but not a total rewrite .

FCP is a true competitor to MC and there is no way Apple will dump FCS

A complete rewrite is necessary, IMO, but that doesn't mean a complete change to basic layout and functionality of the UI. There are many things, most of them 'under the hood' type stuff, that need to be fixed in FCP but they can't do it because the code base is from the late 90's. Reliable media management, better multi-user environment, ability to utilize more RAM and better utilization of the GFX (like Motion and Color) card are all things that, AFAIK, can't be done or can't be done easily given the current code base that FCP has.

I'd be surprised if Apple sold all the ProAps, but I wouldn't be surprised if development for them languished to the point where Adobe and Avid are clear leaders again and Apple basically mothballs the ProAps like they did w/Shake (or LiveType). The past 12-18 months nothing has really been done w/the FC suite and I'm starting to wonder if Apple has come close to hitting it's thresh hold regarding how 'hi end' it wants the suite to be. For Apple it shouldn't be about adding shiny new features it should be about refining and 'perfecting' some of the more core features of FCP. To use a American football analogy, Apple has the fast wide receivers, the tough running back, and the All-Pro QB but they are light on linemen and it's those no-name guys that unceremoniously slug it out in the trenches that ultimately win or lose the game for you.


Lethal

 

[huntercr]

A complete rewrite is SO not necessary because it would force people to learn everything all over again. Sure they need upgrades, but not a total rewrite .

FCP is a true competitor to MC and there is no way Apple will dump FCS

The complete rewrite people are referring to is not to change the applicatioon's UI or interface, it's to change the code its written in... going from carbon to Cocoa will be a huge undertaking but it is badly needed. For exmaple, Final Cut can't handle more than 3.5GB of memory right now becuase it uses the carbon APIs. Alot of the elements of final cut like the way filters are applied and the canvas itself will need to be converted to use CoreVideo to be able to take advantage of all the video acceleration that will offer ( and presumably OpenCL )