Apple's Clips App Discontinued

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It's too bad it's going. I used it when teaching movie making to kids, as it was simple enough that time could be spent focusing on the story rather than the software.

There's something to be said for the simple "notepad-style" apps that aren't trying to be the best solution, but instead just provide reliable, simple functionality that allows you to get a job done without needing to run off to the app store and wade through a handful of 3rd party apps. Even iMovie is more of a pain with having to worry about setting up a project, etc. With clips, you could just start shooting, trim the clips, drag & reorder them and add music in seconds. It's not going to replace Davinci Resolve for me, but it was a convenient "learn the ropes" app for demonstrating a good workflow of planning shots and taking them through to completion.

 

[turbineseaplane]

It's too bad it's going. I used it when teaching movie making to kids, as it was simple enough that time could be spent focusing on the story rather than the software.

There's something to be said for the simple "notepad-style" apps that aren't trying to be the best solution, but instead just provide reliable, simple functionality that allows you to get a job done without needing to run off to the app store and wade through a handful of 3rd party apps. Even iMovie is more of a pain with having to worry about setting up a project, etc. With clips, you could just start shooting, trim the clips, drag & reorder them and add music in seconds. It's not going to replace Davinci Resolve for me, but it was a convenient "learn the ropes" app for demonstrating a good workflow of planning shots and taking them through to completion.

👆
This is the kind of post and customer use case I wish Apple was still paying attention to.

 

[canadianreader]

Never used it but I must say it's sad they discontinued the app it certainly was much more privacy oriented than CapeCut and Edits.

 

[maxoakland]

Another product Apple released then abandoned. They’re starting to remind me of Google

This app could’ve been good. It was a barebones release but if they’d added features slowly but surely, it could’ve been a rival to CapCut

 

[maxoakland]

Apple DID take it seriously when they launched it.
No one used it.
Apple tried to drum up interest with ads and how to’s etc.
No one cared.
It’s been dead for years, Apple just finally tossed the last shovelful of dirt over it.

No one used it because it didn’t have any features that people take for granted. Apple could’ve succeeded here but they gave up without fixing the problem

 

[maxoakland]

I despise Office with every strand of my DNA.

But with yet another suite apparently fading away (remember AppleWorks before it), no wonder the world puts up with MS. It's like Apple approaches productivity the same way as gaming: a big new initiative and headlines, then gets left to languish.

iWork has pretty steady development over the years. I use it all the time and I’d be really sad and annoyed if it got discontinued

 

[maxoakland]

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

Apple really does feel lost with software right now….and it makes no senses. Like what, you can’t afford to hire a few more programmers to keep development on all your apps?

Apple is putting out some of the best hardware it’s ever produced, but there’s just no energy or vision on the software at all.

It’s a management problem, not a problem of needing to hire developers. Who is in charge of Apple software? That person is largely responsible for this miserable state

 

[turbineseaplane]

iWork has pretty steady development over the years. I use it all the time and I’d be really sad and annoyed if it got discontinued

It's the kind of product Apple should always have.

If they ever jump ship on iWork, I think we'll know they've really crossed the Rubicon.

 

[iMaK18]

I’m sorry everyone, it’s my fault this happened. I reached out to Apple about Clips on 10/8 with intent to fix something, but they just ended up scrapping it.
I’m sad that this happened.

 

[platinumaqua]

I honestly don't get why big tech companies (including Apple) these days like to go the "scorched earth" approach when they decide to stop supporting/developing something by blocking new downloads (and in some cases, entirely); instead of just leaving it up and note that it's no longer being updated.

 

[Jeeve Stubbs]

If Apple did that for every app that hasn't enjoyed success and/or just can't compete, at least half a dozen would be discontinued right away (Keynote, Numbers, Pages, Intelligence, etc.).

 

[FoxyKaye]

Clips, I hardly knew ye.

 

[Jeeve Stubbs]

I honestly don't get why big tech companies (including Apple) these days like to go the "scorched earth" approach when they decide to stop supporting/developing something by blocking new downloads (and in some cases, entirely); instead of just leaving it up and note that it's no longer being updated.

That's basically the Microsoft laissez-faire approach that geeks and companies appreciate. In Windows for example, if you download an old program that doesn't run correctly, you can go in the Compatibility section and tweak various legacy parameters (like "Windows '98 compatibility mode", low-resolution mode, 256-color limit, etc.) to make it work better.
Apple users are often less tech-savvy and just want things to work right away, so the company has a more micromanaging approach that controls what users can or cannot download. In Clips' case, if Apple doesn't update it anymore, it may become buggy or unsafe with time and they don't want users to run into that kind of experience.

 

[goldmac2006]

I was kind of shocked to see this come preinstalled with a fresh iOS on my Air, and was wondering when it would be discontinued.

I missed this app too. I don’t use it as much as I tend to use iMovie on it but I can reinstall it on my 15 pro cos my iPhone XR and 7 previously had it.

But during Covid I used it the most as I lacked a Mac to edit my videos for my dance class.

 

[Andy_2341]

And why do I need iWork pre installed on my iPhone?

Personally, I use iWork on my iPhone as it takes on the role of basically a IP rated, extra portable iPad mini from time to time. It's not the best, but it gets the job done.

It's preinstalled because Apple wants to push their ecosystem, which is understandable.

 

[timeislove]

But once they put it to their grave then everyone wants the app…

I just updated it to the latest rev before it s gone. I have not updated it since 2024.

 

[timeislove]

iWork has pretty steady development over the years. I use it all the time and I’d be really sad and annoyed if it got discontinued

Page is more like the old Page Maker thing for making posters or leaflets than MSdoc.

I find its proprietary format a bit difficult for distributing or archiving. Do you export the Page files to any editable open standard format for backup for archive?

In terms of functionalities, I do think Google doc suite work better than iWorks.

 

[MartyvH]

The name didn't help it. Nothing clear came to mind when you saw it. What are clips - is it like Pinterest? Also it was going up against the CapCut juggernaut so good luck with that.

 

[insomniac86]

I don’t mind iWork be pre installed. But yes, some of the native apps could be combined, like note and journal app. Journal could be an operation mode “journal” in note app; and Freeform (vector grafx editing), though useful could be combined with the new preview app which already incorporated paint editing capabilities.

"Notes and Journals could be one app", just like Pages, Numbers and Keynote could be one app. But that would be a terrible idea. Notes and Journal, serve different purposes that go beyond just being a place to type.
I don't want to open Notes to have reflections, memories, photos and locations pushed in my face to write about them.

These are two very different applications with different use cases with different views and centre of focus.
Journals are usually centred around a calendar navigator and are sorted by date of entry.

Notes changes the sort date by modified. Could you transfer all the Journal apps functionality, views and modes into a Notes app? sure. You can merge any application into any other application. It doesn't make it right, and also creates bloat. When you increase an applications feature set, you increases resource usage which adds an increased burden on system resources.

The Preview app is for viewing and making a quick markup to an image based documents. It's not a white boarding / brain storming app. Freeform could be better suited to be inside notes, but I'd argue it should remain a seperate application for easier access, but notes should have the ability to insert Freeform documents into it.

 

[Avidos1]

Another great piece of software Apple failed to support

 

[East India Company]

And this is the story of Apple productivity apps: looks nice, polished and promising on release but lack most common features then later nothing gets maintained and they all end up abandonware.

That is why I never touch any Apple software. Got burned with the wonderful iWork suite. Never again.

 

[timeislove]

"Notes and Journals could be one app", just like Pages, Numbers and Keynote could be one app. But that would be a terrible idea. Notes and Journal, serve different purposes that go beyond just being a place to type.
I don't want to open Notes to have reflections, memories, photos and locations pushed in my face to write about them.

These are two very different applications with different use cases with different views and centre of focus.
Journals are usually centred around a calendar navigator and are sorted by date of entry.

Notes changes the sort date by modified. Could you transfer all the Journal apps functionality, views and modes into a Notes app? sure. You can merge any application into any other application. It doesn't make it right, and also creates bloat. When you increase an applications feature set, you increases resource usage which adds an increased burden on system resources.

The Preview app is for viewing and making a quick markup to an image based documents. It's not a white boarding / brain storming app. Freeform could be better suited to be inside notes, but I'd argue it should remain a seperate application for easier access, but notes should have the ability to insert Freeform documents into it.

You got your point but it will end up one app for one specific function, then there will be too many app installed.

At least for saving storage, I guess some of the apps should be combined.

 

[goldmac2006]

You got your point but it will end up one app for one specific function, then there will be too many app installed.

At least for saving storage, I guess some of the apps should be combined.

Clips could have been mixed in with iMovie. That’s what  suggested when they announced clips discontinuation.

Now this app will live in my iPhone… I got it reinstalled on my iPhone 15 Pro already!

 

[MVMNT]

If it's been offloaded, it won't let you download via the one-tap homescreen icon and sends you to the AppStore where it "no longer exists in this country"

 

[goldmac2006]

If it's been offloaded, it won't let you download via the one-tap homescreen icon and sends you to the AppStore where it "no longer exists in this country"

But weirdly enough I don’t have it offloaded. It was just deleted and I reinstalled it from my purchase history as soon I saw this article. And I only had it installed on my old iPhone so I didn’t know that I could still install it on my 15 pro.