With release of Final Cut Pro X, Apple discontinues Express and Server
The release of Final Cut Pro X on the Mac App Store on Tuesday also marked the end of Apple's Final Cut Express and Final Cut Server products, as well as the Final Cut Studio suite.
A person familiar with Apple's retail operations informed AppleInsider that the internal release of Final Cut Pro X on Tuesday was also coupled with an "end of life" announcement for Final Cut Express and Final Cut Server. It was said that as of June 21, Express and Server -- along with Final Cut Studio -- are no more.
That same person said that resellers will be able to return any boxed copies of Final Cut Express, Final Cut Server and Final Cut Studio they may have in inventory. As part of its transition away from boxed retail software, Final Cut Pro X is only available on the Mac App Store.
In addition to Final Cut Pro X, Tuesday also saw the release of Motion 5 and Compressor 4 on the Mac App Store. Selling for $49.99 each via the digital download destination, the applications are apparently no longer part of a now-defunct Final Cut Studio bundle.
What the changes could mean for other applications in Final Cut Studio is unclear. The last update for Final Cut Studio came in July of 2009, and included Soundtrack Pro 3, Color 1.5, and DVD Studio Pro 4.
Reflecting the end-of-life of Server, Express and Studio, the websites Apple previously had devoted to each specific product now all forward to apple.com/finalcutpro. There, visitors are encouraged to download Final Cut Pro X for $299.99 in the Mac App Store. In addition, Server, Express and Studio are no longer available in Apple's online store.
Apple confirmed to Engadget on Tuesday that an Express version of Final Cut will not be made available, and that there will not be any upgrade pricing for current users. Individual users can purchase a single license for use on multiple machines, while business users must buy one license per machine. Volume education pricing is also available for purchase by institutions only.
A person familiar with Apple's retail operations informed AppleInsider that the internal release of Final Cut Pro X on Tuesday was also coupled with an "end of life" announcement for Final Cut Express and Final Cut Server. It was said that as of June 21, Express and Server -- along with Final Cut Studio -- are no more.
That same person said that resellers will be able to return any boxed copies of Final Cut Express, Final Cut Server and Final Cut Studio they may have in inventory. As part of its transition away from boxed retail software, Final Cut Pro X is only available on the Mac App Store.
In addition to Final Cut Pro X, Tuesday also saw the release of Motion 5 and Compressor 4 on the Mac App Store. Selling for $49.99 each via the digital download destination, the applications are apparently no longer part of a now-defunct Final Cut Studio bundle.
What the changes could mean for other applications in Final Cut Studio is unclear. The last update for Final Cut Studio came in July of 2009, and included Soundtrack Pro 3, Color 1.5, and DVD Studio Pro 4.
Reflecting the end-of-life of Server, Express and Studio, the websites Apple previously had devoted to each specific product now all forward to apple.com/finalcutpro. There, visitors are encouraged to download Final Cut Pro X for $299.99 in the Mac App Store. In addition, Server, Express and Studio are no longer available in Apple's online store.
Apple confirmed to Engadget on Tuesday that an Express version of Final Cut will not be made available, and that there will not be any upgrade pricing for current users. Individual users can purchase a single license for use on multiple machines, while business users must buy one license per machine. Volume education pricing is also available for purchase by institutions only.
Comments
I can see Apple concentrating on just a single product, rather than two. But for low-end users, they now have to pony up another $100? more actually, because Final Cut Express could be found discounted, previously. So effectively, the cost has doubled for low-end users.
What was the price of the now discontinued Final Cut Express? Looks like it might have been $199. .
That sounds about right. Plus, while FC has been getting upgrades over the years, FCxpress has gone 4-5 years without any upgrade.
With the new FC priced so low, there's not much of a need to keep Express 'officially' around any more.
I can see Apple concentrating on just a single product, rather than two. But for low-end users, they now have to pony up another $100? more actually, because Final Cut Express could be found discounted, previously. So effectively, the cost has doubled for low-end users.
As a person who only edits video a few times a year, but needs a better tool than iMovie, I'm looking at it the other way: I can now get the full "pro" version for just $100 more, where previously it was completely out of my price range.
I have run into a couple occasions where I wanted a feature that was only in the pro version ... and it was annoying that most of the online help and tutorials I found were for the pro version ... so this new approach works for me.
As a person who only edits video a few times a year, but needs a better tool than iMovie, I'm looking at it the other way: I can now get the full "pro" version for just $100 more, where previously it was completely out of my price range.
I have run into a couple occasions where I wanted a feature that was only in the pro version ... and it was annoying that most of the online help and tutorials I found were for the pro version ... so this new approach works for me.
Hehe I think you and I are in the same boat. I edit a few movies per year, mostly for friends, non-profits, etc.
If only I weren't unemployed at the momentt, maybe I'd plop down the $300.
Does anyone know if there will be a student priced version?
Sure. At $299.99.
I can see Apple concentrating on just a single product, rather than two. But for low-end users, they now have to pony up another $100? more actually, because Final Cut Express could be found discounted, previously. So effectively, the cost has doubled for low-end users.
Everyone so far is saying: you can install it on any computer with the app store signed in to your account. This is all well and good for the guy who has a laptop and desktop at his home who freelances as an editor... but what about production companies, edit houses that are FCP based? No roadmap? Not even on launch?
If you are a commercial enterprise or educational institution, you may download a Mac App Store Product for use either (a) by a single individual on each of the Mac Product(s) that you own or control, or (b) by multiple individuals on a single shared Mac Product that you own or control.
Again, Enterprise goes under Apples bus! How do you setup the App store for pro users in a company? DVD authoring is still needed! They should have extended it to Blu Ray. Poor planning Apple. Gonna have a lot of angry Pro Users!
I don't mind buying individual licenses for each edit bay I have, what I do mind is having to manage AppleID's for each bay. Let me buy a volume license!
Or just use the same Apple ID for every bay...
Or just use the same Apple ID for every bay...
Do you have any idea how hard that is to accomplish in a large business with multiple lines of business, each with their own budget, but with a centralized and remotely-located purchasing department? It's pretty much impossible.
Do you have any idea how hard that is to accomplish in a large business with multiple lines of business, each with their own budget, but with a centralized and remotely-located purchasing department? It's pretty much impossible.
Corporate memo: Here's the Apple ID and password you need to install Final Cut Pro X on your machines. Download it from the Mac App Store. It'll install. Have at it.
And then just change the password a week later so the account it can't be misused.
Or just use the same Apple ID for every bay...
Professional companies are required to buy a separate license for each machine according to the article.
Professional companies are required to buy a separate license for each machine according to the article.
...? But...
If you are a commercial enterprise or educational institution, you may download a Mac App Store Product for use either (a) by a single individual on each of the Mac Product(s) that you own or control, or (b) by multiple individuals on a single shared Mac Product that you own or control.
Seems like those two statements don't conflict. Read it more carefully. Key word is a single individual using multiple computers or a single computer with multiple users. They just want to make sure that there's only one active copy at any given time.
Hmm. I read it as "you can buy one license and install it on all of your work's computers as long as that computer's only used by one person. If you have a computer being used by more than one person, that computer'll need its own license that all the accounts on it can use.
- does not open FC Studio project files
- Does open iMovie files
- does not use FCP plugins
- does not have Multicam
- does not import from tape, save for some Firewire gear.
- is shiny
I am all for progress, but so far this is hard to take.