iMovie update adds support for 4K video, 1080p 60fps, importing projects from iOS

Posted:
in Mac Software edited October 2015
Apple continues to embrace ultra-high-resolution 4K video, with a new iMovie for Mac update taking advantage of both the 21.5-inch iMac with 4K Retina display and the 4K-capable cameras on the new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.




iMovie for Mac was updated to version 10.1 on Tuesday, adding support for creating and sharing movies at 4K resolution of 3,840 by 2,160 pixels. 4K support requires a Mac from 2011 or later with at least 4 gigabytes of RAM, and 4K playback is supported on iMac with Retina display and the latest Mac Pro when connected to a 4K display.

iMovie 10.1 also adds the ability to create and share movies with 1080p HD video at 60 frames per second. And those with an iMac with 5K Retina display gain pixel-for-pixel 4K video viewing capabilities.

Users can also import both movies and trailers started on iMovie for iOS to their Mac. That means users can start editing on an iOS device, then finish the project on their Mac.




The new iMovie update also boasts a redesigned Media view that lets users see more of their library while browsing photos and videos. Projects view also makes it easier to find and open movies and trailers.

Apple has also added Tabs in the Browser to give users faster access to titles, backgrounds, transitions, and music while editing a movie. There is also an option to hide Browser while editing a movie.

iMovie 10.1 has added 10 additional video filters brought over from iMovie for iOS. It's a free update for those who already own iMovie, which comes for free with all new Mac purchases.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    Presumably the "switch" will be thrown inside the new AppleTV at some point to enable 4K streaming in the future.
  • Reply 2 of 11

    I'm unable to download the update (on any of my computers, some run Yosemite others El Capitan), errors range from server problems to plist parsing error, note that the download process never gets a chance to start.

  • Reply 3 of 11
    Trying to get the update but keep receiving a "plist parsing error" message from the App Store.
  • Reply 4 of 11
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post



    Presumably the "switch" will be thrown inside the new AppleTV at some point to enable 4K streaming in the future.

     

    When I first saw no mention of 4K for Apple TV I was a little worried. Why make 4K on your iOS devices and now Macs (and update iMovie) without giving you a way to watch them?

     

    However, it looks like all that would be needed to update Apple TV to 4K is a software/firmware upgrade. The HDMI 1.4 port on the Apple TV can support 4K at 30Hz, and the A8 is definitely powerful enough. So here's hoping that Apple built in support for it at the hardware level such that a future upgrade could enable it. That would be quite the surprise for Roku and Amazon and their new boxes with 4K support - to think they're ahead of Apple and to see Apple match them with a simple update.

  • Reply 5 of 11
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by EMoeller View Post

     

    I'm unable to download the update (on any of my computers, some run Yosemite others El Capitan), errors range from server problems to plist parsing error, note that the download process never gets a chance to start.


     

    Same. Maybe Apple should spend some time and money testing the feel of their web services.

  • Reply 6 of 11

    Not able to update in US.  :(...see next article...must have something to do with some services being down?

  • Reply 7 of 11

    I am back up and able to download :)

  • Reply 8 of 11

    Took three attempts, but I finally got it updated.

  • Reply 9 of 11

    Lovely, all for the new Apple TV WITHOUT 4K support!  *rolls eyes*   FAIL Apple!

  • Reply 10 of 11
    Quote:


    4K support requires a Mac from 2011 or later with at least 4 gigabytes of RAM, and 4K playback is supported on iMac with Retina display and the latest Mac Pro when connected to a 4K display. 


    Uh, I have a mid-2010 iMac 27" and I'm perfectly able to import, edit, and export 4K video shot with my iPhone 6s. I can't watch at pixel-for-pixel resolution, but it does play nice and smooth at screen resolution (2560x1440). This is a relief because I just bought this phone and was hoping to be able to create movies on my Mac. Apparently, Apple's list of supported computers isn't complete.

     

    Specific details: 2.93GHz Core i7 processor, 32GB RAM, ATI Radeon HD 5750 GPU w/1GB RAM, 1TB internal HDD.

  • Reply 11 of 11

    Is there any news on whether this new version supports using the DCI P3 color space that the new iMac screens can display?

    Or for that matter, is there any source camera within the Apple ecosystem that can capture in P3?

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