Hands-On With Final Cut Pro for iPad

[MacRumors]

Apple today brought its Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro software to the iPad for the first time, allowing content creators to use their tablets for video editing and sound recording. We decided to test out Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro to see how they measure up to the Mac versions.

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MacRumors video editor Dan Barbera uses Final Cut Pro to edit the videos that you see on MacRumors, so it's software that he's very familiar with. He doesn't use Logic Pro as often, but takes a look at the interface differences.

Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for iPad promise to deliver many of the same features that are available on the Mac, with a touch-first interface that's optimized for the iPad. Dan will be editing a full video on the iPad using Final Cut Pro, so keep an eye out for that follow-up to the initial hands-on look.

Final Cut Pro requires an M1 chip or later, so it is limited to Apple's newest iPads. Logic Pro requires an A12 Bionic chip or later. The apps are priced at $4.99 per month or $49 per year in the United States, with a one-month free trial available.

Article Link: Hands-On With Final Cut Pro for iPad

 

[mrr]

Cool but I would really like a one time purchase

 

[Kylo83]

How do you select a clip and split it, on a macOS it’s easy to take gaps out of a video with no speech. I can’t figure out how to select a clip and split it in exactly where I want

 

[jkool]

Anybody else wonder if there would be a market for a reborn subscription version of Aperture?

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Informative video! A one-month free trial is a nice added touch by Apple. Also, I want Final Cut Pro on iPhone 14 Pro Max.

 

[symphony]

Now add it to iPhone too

It’s always good to have a video editor to stitch videos, modify its video and audio, as well as having the ability to export it in different formats, etc etc

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Anybody else wonder if there would be a market for a reborn subscription version of Aperture?

Reminds me of this icon. Imagine Aperture on M2 iPad Pro. This world needs it.

 

[Orange Bat]

If you already have an iPad Pro, then FCP may be worth the try. However, unless you have a specific use case in mind, it would be better to buy a MacBook and use the full FCP instead. The more reviews I watch the more I think it’s not a great solution for most editors. (Logic Pro is a different story. It looks pretty sweet so far.)

 

[Ion-X]

The problem with subscription pricing is that it removes the incentive for the developer to improve the product. Back in the day when companies hard to earn their sales through separate releases, they actually had to offer something new and compelling to get the user to pay again.

Now, because subscriptions are often the only option, they have their audiences captive and the users have no choice but to pay indefinitely, even if the software stagnates or declines, and even if massive new bugs and unwelcome UI/UX changes make the software unusable.

I keep hearing from developers that subscriptions are the way to sustain further development. Except that back in the 90s and 00s, developers had no issue making money. It’s that they want to make much more money now. That’s their right — but it’s also our right to boycott.

 

[AlexESP]

I was skeptic that it was even possible, but I’m really glad that Apple was able to come up with powerful tablet apps. Definitely the right path, and not slapping Mac apps that no one would end up using on a tablet.

 

[xterratop]

I just don't like the fact that I can't edit off of an external drive or even off of my Synology NAS. Plus the fact that it's not backwards compatible where I could edit on iPad then take it to the Mac then back to the iPad. This might force me to look into a different video editing software for both iPad and desktop.

 

[mattaaron]

I love that it's a subscription so I can try it out, although wish this translated to the MacOS app too :/

 

[harriska2]

Subscription pricing is necessary because Apple upgrades iOS every bloody year and, likely, makes big enough changes to continually break code. Just keeping up with Apple is a full time job.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I love that it's a subscription so I can try it out, although wish this translated to the MacOS app too :/

Unless something has changed, both offer free trials for a month for those who want to try either out.

Correction: apparently the Mac version will let anyone try for 3 months.

 

[lazyrighteye]

I've never wanted an iPad mini Pro, more.
Would love this "pro" capability in the mini's ultra-portable form factor.

 

[fwmireault]

The problem with subscription pricing is that it removes the incentive for the developer to improve the product. Back in the day when companies hard to earn their sales through separate releases, they actually had to offer something new and compelling to get the user to pay again.

Now, because subscriptions are often the only option, they have their audiences captive and the users have no choice but to pay indefinitely, even if the software stagnates or declines, and even if massive new bugs and unwelcome UI/UX changes make the software unusable.

From my experience it’s quite the opposite. I am far from a subscription model fan, but I have to admit that for the few apps where I transitioned from a one-time purchase to a subscription model, I see quite a big difference in how fast new features are added and how bugs are fixed. I know it receives a lot of hate on this forum, but for example, Fantastical is always very proactive on implementing new features and new APIs, and fixing bugs, rather than waiting 2-3 years for a new major version. Because I pay a low monthly fee and not a high one-time fee, i can switch to competitors whenever i think the product isn’t worth it anymore, so they have an incentive to keep me satisfied

 

[lazyrighteye]

From my experience it’s quite the opposite. I am far from a subscription model fan, but I have to admit that for the few apps where I transitioned from a one-time purchase to a subscription model, I see quite a big difference in how fast new features are added and how bugs are fixed. I know it receives a lot of hate on this forum, but for example, Fantastical is always very proactive on implementing new features and new APIs, and fixing bugs, rather than waiting 2-3 years for a new major version. Because I pay a low monthly fee and not a high one-time fee, i can switch to competitors whenever i think the product isn’t worth it anymore, so they have an incentive to keep me satisfied

As one exhausted by subscription fatigue, these are solid points you share regarding developer incentivization.

 

[DFZD]

Apple ensures that people always have a reason to complain. This time its their newly launched and I am sure well thought out subscription model.

 

[Ghost31]

For years we’ve seen people criticize Apple for not having Final Cut on iPad. “It’s not a pro device without it!” Now it’s here anddddd…of coarse we just move the complaint to something else. The complaining never stops. Pro tools. For $5 a month. Or $4 a month if you pay yearly. Jesus. If you told me in the 1990’s or early 2000’s we would have a device as capable of this and I could have a pro app for a whopping $4 a month, I would have lost my freaking mind

 

[cateye]

I keep hearing from developers that subscriptions are the way to sustain further development. Except that back in the 90s and 00s, developers had no issue making money.

In an environment of far less competition and without the constant race-to-the-bottom pressure on pricing that creates. You can largely thank the App Store for that dynamic: A promise of great riches, a streamlined pathway to consumers, a rush of competing, often identical products. It made it essentially impossible to make a living on one-time purchases.

It’s that they want to make much more money now. That’s their right — but it’s also our right to boycott.

Good luck with that. Developers appreciate subscriptions so much because it gives them a direct sense of engagement. A recurring fee for use encourages you, as a user, to be more present and urgent in your feedback. That puts pressure on the developer to maintain that feedback loop through more frequent updates and incorporating user requests more directly.

All this constant complaining about subscription software amounts to "I want to pay the amount, and in the manner, I choose." Well, you don't get to choose what something costs. If it has value, you buy it. If it does not have value, you don't. If you can't afford it, then you can't afford it. No different than any other item priced beyond your means. If enough people agree with you, the product will fail. But given the prevalence of SaaS at all levels of development, and the lack of real (versus imagined) pushback in the marketplace, I would delicately suggest subscription software, as an idea, is here to stay.

I am not a software developer, but I do own my own business. I work solo now, but have had employees in the past. The only way I get a raise, or even cover my expenses at times, is to raise my rates. At each point I give my clients warning, but I won't walk back increases because I'm worried some of them will balk and drop my services. Similar is the decision every software developer needs to make about pricing amounts and methods: What do they feel they need to earn from their software to make its development worthwhile and sustainable? It doesn't mean that number needs to cover every possible user's financial comfort zone. It's not about catering to all users, but catering to the right users, willing to pay. That's how business works.

 

[Ghost31]

In an environment of far less competition and without the constant race-to-the-bottom pressure on pricing that creates. You can largely thank the App Store for that dynamic: A promise of great riches, a streamlined pathway to consumers, a rush of competing, often identical products. It made it essentially impossible to make a living on one-time purchases.



Good luck with that. Developers appreciate subscriptions so much because it gives them a direct sense of engagement. A recurring fee for use encourages you, as a user, to be more present and urgent in your feedback. That puts pressure on the developer to maintain that feedback loop through more frequent updates and incorporating user requests more directly.

All this constant complaining about subscription software amounts to "I want to pay less just because." Well, you don't get to choose what something costs. If it has value, you buy it. If it does not have value, you don't. If you can't afford it, then you can't afford it. No different than any other item priced beyond your means. If enough people agree with you, the product will fail. But given the prevalence of SaaS at all levels of development, I would delicately suggest subscription software is here to stay.

I am not a software developer, but I do own my own business. I work solo now, but have had employees in the past. The only way I get a raise, or even cover my expenses at times, is to raise my rates. At each point I give my clients warning, but I won't walk back increases because I'm worried some of them will balk and drop my services. Similar is the decision every software developer needs to make about pricing: What is the amount they feel they need to charge for their software to make its development worthwhile and sustainable. It doesn't mean that needs to cover every possible user's financial comfort zone. It's not about catering to all users, but catering to the right users willing to pay. That's how life works.

If I could frame the most perfect comment to describe this situation, it’s probably this one. Especially this part

“Developers appreciate subscriptions so much because it gives them a direct sense of engagement. A recurring fee for use encourages you, as a user, to be more present and urgent in your feedback. That puts pressure on the developer to maintain that feedback loop through more frequent updates and incorporating user requests more directly.”

As someone that uses Luma fusion, holy crap dude. The lack of meaningful updates we should have gotten years ago is insane. People praise the fact you can buy it all at once and never pay again, but the feeling you get when you see their tweets, their responses on the App Store and their YouTube videos is that they don’t have the funding to staff enough people to really work on the things we need. They have a small group of people working on it because that’s all then can afford and they can only work on so much. If I could have paid monthly and gotten multicam years ago, I would have. If I could have paid monthly and gotten motion tracking, I would have!

I get fatigue at subscribing to things too, but sometimes it’s just worth it and I end up getting more for my money

 

[btrach144]

Anybody else wonder if there would be a market for a reborn subscription version of Aperture?

That would make my year!

I loved aperture. If apple came out with aperture again, I would buy a brand new Mac and camera.

 

[RevTEG]

Cool but I would really like a one time purchase

Why? I hate subscriptions too, but in this case and price point it would take you 6 years before you spent the one time $300 fee for the desktop version. 6 years is a long time to be saving money. Plus you can cancel the subscription should you want to.

 

[craigrusse11]

I firmly believe that both of these pro apps will be further developed and become replacements for the desktop versions. It’s very early days, but the time will come when they are ready as Mac app replacements. Which will bring a universal binary for developing. We’ve see this already with multiple smaller apps that have been ported from iOS to Mac (clock, weather etc) so it’s not out of the question that they’d do this for large apps until everything is cross compatible.

I use Logic and it’s a very old app with quite possibly a ton of legacy code hiding away. These new apps should allow Apple to ground up develop a replacement and clear the deck at the same time which is a positive for making an app that’s easier to enhance with brand new modern ideas. But a big negative is it forces a sub payment method, and potentially all plugins to be sold via App Store (which of course means more royalties for apple) and more development for plugin companies to be AUv3 and touch compatible. I really hope Apple considers more ways to pay other that subs.

 

[sherwinzadeh]

Now add it to iPhone too

It’s always good to have a video editor to stitch videos, modify its video and audio, as well as having the ability to export it in different formats, etc etc

Aren't there a ton of apps on the App Store that do that? Probably way cheaper than FCP, too.