Apple to Introduce Final Cut Studio Update at NAB 2010?

[Chupa Chupa]

IIRC Apple gave FCP 4.0 owners a free upgrade (via d/l) to 4.5 which added HD editing support. Of course that was before the SarbOx nonsense. I recently upgraded back in August to ensure SL support. I'd be more than a little miffed if Apple introduces an all new upgrade version, not just an update, and charges FCS 3.0 owners anything more that a minor media and shipping fee - $10-20. It's not that Apple owes me anything. Obviously they don't. But it's poor business to play rope-a-dope with customers.

 

[Brien]

FCS or FCP? The quote says FCP, but it also says version 3 which was 6 years ago.

My guess, FCS 3.5. An upgrade cost to cover shipping. Or, if it really is a rebuild from ground up, perhaps FCS 4, with upgrades to DVDSP for Blue Ray and more.

And hopefully the much-rumored follow-up to Shake (they better get their act together before Nuke totally takes over).

 

[spillproof]

So from what I am reading, I should wait. I don't need it now as I am still in the writing and cast gathering process.

I was hoping to start shooting in February and have it finalized by June. BUT it will be in High Definition quality and from what I remember the camera can export raw video format so Snow Leopard's GCD and OpenCL would be helpful.

iMovie '08 is only good for basic trimming and FCE is missing the multi-cam editing tools and the timecode view that will make things so much easier for us.

 

[LethalWolfe]

And hopefully the much-rumored follow-up to Shake (they better get their act together before Nuke totally takes over).

Much rumored? There has been exactly one rumor from over three years ago that said a replacement for Shake would be out in 2008. I wouldn't hold my breath for Apple to make a high-end compositing App from the ground up.


Lethal

 

[champ01]

edit

 

[z4n3]

f

 

[LethalWolfe]

There has been alot of rumors of a posible Shake replacement on varios FX forums.

In 2006 larger clients were even able to buy the source code from Apple if they wished.

I personally think Apple will integrate something into the new FCS 3.? (as per varios rumors)

And they all stemmed from the single rumor right after Shake's development halted in '06 of a new product coming out in '08. People that had support contracts for Shake at the time that Apple killed it had the option to license the source code and I think the fact that the former head of Shake's dev team left Apple to go work on Nuke, because he didn't like the direction Apple was going (or not going), is also telling. Apple building a high-end App from scratch would also be a first as their MO is to buy, re-brand, and radically drop the price.


Lethal

 

[z4n3]

x

 

[LethalWolfe]

Agree with you to some extent, (Apple internal politics apart) but this still does not back up your personal claim of there only being ONE rumor, which was my original post.

Rumors started way before Apple axed Shake. (google)

If there are new rumors from various sources please link to them 'cause every rumor I've seen always traces back to the one started in June of '06 when Apple EOL'd Shake.

Apple does not need to build a high-end App from scratch, They still have Nothing Real (original Shake) & Apple's personal Shake code to build upon and integrate in FCS.

If Apple is going to build a "next generation" compositing App based off Shake why would they strip Shake for parts for other ProApps and license off the code to anyone w/a support contract and $50k? I don't think Apple wants travel that far down the post production rabbit hole. The support requirements are very high and the user-base is very small. Ron Brinkmann, co-founder of Nothing Real, seems to feel the same way.

Link:

I'm actually pretty surprised that this is even news. Shake was discontinued years ago and a good chunk of the team (myself included) have long since moved on. Apple doesn't build products for high end niche markets... the support requirements alone make it uninteresting to them. As for 'Phenomenon', I believe it's hanging out with the Yeti in Area 51...

Link:

Always been a bit amazed/amused that people continued to hope for a Shake replacement from Apple. Maybe, finally, they'll accept reality

Link:

I really can’t say much about where Apple may or may not be going with future products. Although the fact that I decided it was time to move on might be a reasonable clue as to my confidence level that any alleged ‘next generation’ tool will be focused on the market (high end vfx and animation) that I’m interested in… And why I’m now working with The Foundry on Nuke…

Never say never, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Lethal

 

[ravenvii]

Apple took the movie editing industry by storm, then suddenly abandoned it.

Why didn't they just sell off that group? Seems strange to me.

 

[blackpond]

It'd better be a free update. I just got the "new" one.

If you are wondering why Apple doesn't care as much about pro apps as they used to, one need not look much further than the casual sentiments if it's "pro" customers... Apple is running a business after all. Lets not forget where the cash cow is right now...

 

[LethalWolfe]

I don't think Apple abandoned the Pro market. I think they, at least for now, hit their wall for 'good enough.' W/the exception of Color, which is much more of a niche product, the rest of the ProApps serve a pretty wide base of professionals. Editing, motion gfx, sound mixing, dvd authoring, etc., all nearly universal when it comes to post production. If Apple wants to delve deeper into the industry, to compete w/more high-end apps, they'll have to commit more resources (more R&D, more support, etc.,) to a much smaller market segment as well as become more open w/their customers (and we all know how open Apple likes to be). I also think the hardware and software changes that have happened to the platform in the last few years (PPC to intel, 32bit to 64bit, etc.,) have hampered ProApp development. And of course there is the money Apple is making w/consumer electronics that makes it naturally want to devote time and resources to iPhones and iPods.

I don't think Apple will sell off the ProApps for a couple of reasons. First, they are a feather in Apple's cap (much like having success in racing is feather in an automaker's cap) and, secondly, the ProApps provide a development ground for tech that might trickle down into consumer apps.


Lethal

 

[dztvtechie]

Should I Upgrade?

Now I'm wondering whether I should upgrade or not. I'm currently running Final Cut Studio 2. My plan was to upgrade to 3.0 around the holiday time when I had a little extra money. I would certainly wait the few months longer till NAB for "3.5" but I wonder if the $299 upgrade from 2.0 will still be valid. I don't want to get stuck paying a lot more, but also don't want to pay to upgrade only to have a new version come out again soon after. Thoughts?

 

[Burger Thing]

I really hope Apple can update FCP soon. FCP 7 has been not a good experience for me so far. I can't tell how many times it crashed on me. Motion, too. Ridiculous also that Smoothcam bug. Exporting a clip in FCP with Smoothcam applied results in a jitterish mess. I really can't belive NOONE at Apple tested that before the software was released.

Man, how I wished Apple would pay attention to the Pro Apps and on top would sell a reasonable priced Midi-Tower with some Desktop components in it... And maybe a Snow Leopard 10.6.2 update which would make AVCHD editing possible ....

 

[Digitalclips]

It'd better be a free update. I just got the "new" one.

Me too! Kind of good news and possibly bad news at the moment ... hopefully we are within a time frame for a free update! Although I always seem to miss these things by a day.

 

[Digitalclips]

Apple took the movie editing industry by storm, then suddenly abandoned it.

Why didn't they just sell off that group? Seems strange to me.

I'd rather they re-awoke their interest! I don't want to go back the costs involved in minor bug fixes, sorry I mean updates , costing thousands from the Avids and Media 100s of this world!

 

[arkmannj]

FCS or FCP? The quote says FCP, but it also says version 3 which was 6 years ago.

My guess, FCS 3.5. An upgrade cost to cover shipping. Or, if it really is a rebuild from ground up, perhaps FCS 4, with upgrades to DVDSP for Blue Ray and more.

Could be, Apple sent me a survey to fill out all about DVDSP a couple weeks ago. so they must be doing or planning on doing some work on it.

 

[TheGerbster]

Happy for upgrade - Disappointed at the timing

Just bought upgrade from my local store ; look forward to new version. Yet, in this economy, cost is an issue.

 

[onigami]

Not happening. If they were serious on revamps of either FCS or LS, and doing a press bit outside their own media events, we would have heard word trickle down at AES NY a week ago. That said, next year's AES Conference is in San Francisco...hmmm

 

[CmdrLaForge]

Apple took the movie editing industry by storm, then suddenly abandoned it.

Why didn't they just sell off that group? Seems strange to me.

Didn't they just release FCS 3 ?

How can you call that abandoned ?

Cheers
LaForge

 

[champ01]

Just bought upgrade from my local store ; look forward to new version. Yet, in this economy, cost is an issue.

Good or bad economy doesn't matter I think

If we look at how much software cost these days (Logic & FCS) we are almost buying these programs for free.
The power and excess we can get with these products are mind blowing and its all in the hands off the users and there creativity now

Buy a Mac + some software + Gear (instrument/camera/controllers) and you get a very very affordable setup (easily under 5k if you want to)
Looking back at 10/15 years ago this would be priceless and only available for pro's with the big money
We can now edit movies and produce music like the pro's
Not by going to the studio (which is expensive) but just staying home in your pajama's

How cool is that

 

[LEStudios]

OOOOOHHH HOW I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT!!! I so hope this rumor is true, but I am not going to hold my breath.

Can we get a 30" LED Cinema Display and Mac Pro update now too please Apple so I can buy a new video system? Oh and make sure to include the new keyboard & multi-touch mouse!

Yeah Apple Dual Intel 6-core Gulton Processors or 12-Core Gulton with Turbo that's 24-Core with 128GB DDR4 and four OCZ 3.5" Titan 1TB SSD and ATI 5870 1GB DDR5! Yeah I'll be ready for Ultra HD Video (2160p x 3840 resolution) editing!

Plus I be able to communicate with the aliens responsible or this!

 

[onigami]

Good or bad economy doesn't matter I think

If we look at how much software cost these days (Logic & FCS) we are almost buying these programs for free.
The power and excess we can get with these products are mind blowing and its all in the hands off the users and there creativity now

Buy a Mac + some software + Gear (instrument/camera/controllers) and you get a very very affordable setup (easily under 5k if you want to)
Looking back at 10/15 years ago this would be priceless and only available for pro's with the big money
We can now edit movies and produce music like the pro's
Not by going to the studio (which is expensive) but just staying home in your pajama's

How cool is that

Except they ignore the pros as a result. They dropped the new FCS/LS versions suddenly (not even authorized retailers knew about it until a day before), giving no time for studios to adjust. Not to mention they don't offer much gear to work with...

 

[xStep]

Except they ignore the pros as a result. They dropped the new FCS/LS versions suddenly...

Out of curiosity, what is the LS in the FCS/LS?

 

[yoink]

Out of curiosity, what is the LS in the FCS/LS?

Logic Studio. Though Logic Studio 2 was a major upgrade no matter what anyone says. And Logic Studio (1) was dropped just as suddenly, so it was trending this way already - as confirmed with the current product refreshes.