Apple looking into re-offering Final Cut Pro 7 volume licenses after FCP X backlash
After "revolutionary" changes in Final Cut Pro X caused an uproar among industry professionals, Apple representatives revealed during a recent briefing in London that the company is looking into allowing existing enterprise clients to purchase additional copies of Final Cut Pro 7.
Attendees at the private briefing, which took place on Wednesday, reported that Apple is looking into the legal ramifications of reopening enterprise licenses of Final Cut Pro 7.
Although industry professional Sam Johnson (via alex4d) originally claimed that Apple would definitely resume licenses "in the next few weeks," company representatives quickly contacted him to set the record straight, saying it is only "looking into" the possibility at this stage. Blogger Peter Wiggins has noted that Apple's issue is a legal one.
The Cupertino, Calif., company did confirm at the meeting that Final Cut Studio 3 has been discontinued. Wiggins noted that Color and all the other apps have been "killed off." AppleInsider exclusively reported last month that Final Cut Express, Server and Studio had been marked "end of life" by Apple.
The main purpose of the gathering was to present a working demo of Final Cut Pro X to attendees. According to Wiggins, the software "for the first time looked pretty good with somebody working it?who knew what they were doing. Very slick compared to some of the recent 'stumblethroughs I've seen."
During the briefing, Apple promised a range of updates in coming months, with XSAN support arriving in "the next few weeks." Some of the updates will cost money, while others will be free. The addition of multicam support will reportedly be a free upgrade, though Wiggins noted that Apple's employee may have said it "accidentally."
Final Cut Pro X launched late last month and immediately sparked a controversy over drastic changes to the software and missing features. Since then, Apple has taken a variety of tactics to mitigate concerns over the release. FCP product managers responded to some initial complaints and the company has posted a list of frequently asked questions. A number of dissatisfied customers have reported receiving refunds from Apple.
But, in spite of Apple's efforts, a growing number of video professionals have dubbed the software "iMovie Pro" and disavowed it. AppleInsider was first to report last year that Apple planned to scale Final Cut to better match the needs of "prosumer and advanced home users."
As dissatisfaction with the application has grown, Adobe, which makes the competing non-linear editing software Premiere Pro, has jumped at the opportunity. After launching a PR offensive, the company announced a "switcher program" that offers Final Cut Pro users a 50 percent discount on the company's Creativev Suite 5.5 Production Premium or Premiere Pro CS5.5.
Attendees at the private briefing, which took place on Wednesday, reported that Apple is looking into the legal ramifications of reopening enterprise licenses of Final Cut Pro 7.
Although industry professional Sam Johnson (via alex4d) originally claimed that Apple would definitely resume licenses "in the next few weeks," company representatives quickly contacted him to set the record straight, saying it is only "looking into" the possibility at this stage. Blogger Peter Wiggins has noted that Apple's issue is a legal one.
The Cupertino, Calif., company did confirm at the meeting that Final Cut Studio 3 has been discontinued. Wiggins noted that Color and all the other apps have been "killed off." AppleInsider exclusively reported last month that Final Cut Express, Server and Studio had been marked "end of life" by Apple.
The main purpose of the gathering was to present a working demo of Final Cut Pro X to attendees. According to Wiggins, the software "for the first time looked pretty good with somebody working it?who knew what they were doing. Very slick compared to some of the recent 'stumblethroughs I've seen."
During the briefing, Apple promised a range of updates in coming months, with XSAN support arriving in "the next few weeks." Some of the updates will cost money, while others will be free. The addition of multicam support will reportedly be a free upgrade, though Wiggins noted that Apple's employee may have said it "accidentally."
Final Cut Pro X launched late last month and immediately sparked a controversy over drastic changes to the software and missing features. Since then, Apple has taken a variety of tactics to mitigate concerns over the release. FCP product managers responded to some initial complaints and the company has posted a list of frequently asked questions. A number of dissatisfied customers have reported receiving refunds from Apple.
But, in spite of Apple's efforts, a growing number of video professionals have dubbed the software "iMovie Pro" and disavowed it. AppleInsider was first to report last year that Apple planned to scale Final Cut to better match the needs of "prosumer and advanced home users."
As dissatisfaction with the application has grown, Adobe, which makes the competing non-linear editing software Premiere Pro, has jumped at the opportunity. After launching a PR offensive, the company announced a "switcher program" that offers Final Cut Pro users a 50 percent discount on the company's Creativev Suite 5.5 Production Premium or Premiere Pro CS5.5.
Comments
Good - this is perhaps their biggest bungle in the whole FCP X fiasco - cutting off FCP 7 too soon.
Indeed. It was quite insane.
I don't think Apple realized how many people in the video editing community are out of touch with the rest of the software and tech industry. I think they figured editing professionals would know, as everyone else familiar with software releases already knows, that when Apple says they started over and made everything from scratch, that means features are going to have to be developed over again. Apparently many video editing professionals do not understand what it takes to FUNDAMENTALLY improve something like Final Cut Pro. That's okay though. If they can't keep up, I'm sure there are plenty of sharper new companies to take their place.
That's okay though. If Apple can't keep up, I'm sure there are plenty of sharper companies to take their place.
Let the resistance from FCP users be proof to the haters that Apple fans aren't "sheeple". When Apple screws up, they will be raked over the coals even more vehemently.
Yeah, but it took some time for some of the "sheeple" to realise what a mistake by Apple this was. The first week of posts on AppleInsider were extremely defensive and sunk to the point of, "Well, if you can't use FCPX you're not a good editor anyways". It still continues, see post #4 above.
That's okay though. If Apple can't keep up, I'm sure there are plenty of sharper companies to take their place.
They didn't rip anything out. They started over. They really threw everything out. This is how you make genuinely improved things. If you keep just adding stuff on you end up with Adobe applications, or Microsoft applications. Do some people like those kinds of applications? Sure they do. But those are the people and companies that eventually get taken down by companies who's priority is squarely on making things as good as they possibly can, even if changing things upsets people.
Yeah, but it took some time for some of the "sheeple" to realise what a mistake by Apple this was. The first week of posts on AppleInsider were extremely defensive and sunk to the point of, "Well, if you can't use FCPX you're not a good editor anyways". It still continues, see post #4 above.
Is someone that can't use FCPX really a good editor? Maybe in some environments they are but if they're so inflexible it really does bring in to question their basic computer competency. They really sound like they have to follow a printed out step by step guide taped to the desk and that FCPX completely threw them for a loop.
How sad that the enormous efforts of Apple's teams go completely unappreciated when all their goal ever was, was to make things better.
They didn't rip anything out. They started over. They really threw everything out. This is how you make genuinely improved things. If you keep just adding stuff on you end up with Adobe applications, or Microsoft applications. Do some people like those kinds of applications? Sure they do. But those are the people and companies that eventually get taken down by companies who's priority is squarely on making things as good as they possibly can, even if changing things upsets people.
Fair enough, they started over, which is commendable. But they forgot to put "back" some essential features. Microsoft Office is full of bloated nonsense, I agree. But unfortunately nobody has really gone for their jugular, even though some have made attempts that got halfway.
Adobe is slightly different... There are a lot of features but CS4 and CS5 are fairly smooth to operate on a recent Mac. Adobe did a lot of re-writing along the way, without having to start from scratch. They did the transition to Intel, then Cocoa and 64-bit as well. No small feat.
Is someone that can't use FCPX really a good editor? Maybe in some environments they are but if they're so inflexible it really does bring in to question their basic computer competency. They really sound like they have to follow a printed out step by step guide taped to the desk and that FCPX completely threw them for a loop.
How sad that the enormous efforts of Apple's teams go completely unappreciated when all their goal ever was, was to make things better.
Whoa. You're going to judge someone on the ability to use a totally new software with less features? Have you been in an edit suite? Do you really think they follow a printed step-by-step guide? I know you're exaggerating a little for effect, but do you realise the processes and workflows involved in high-end editing?
The effort of Apple's teams on FCPX are not unappreciated. They were just misdirected.
That's okay though. If Apple can't keep up, I'm sure there are plenty of sharper companies to take their place.
How cute. Too bad 'cute' doesn't also make you right. Any cogent argument you might have made with the first point you threw away completely with the self-indulgent second.
How cute. Too bad 'cute' doesn't also make you right. Any cogent argument you might have made with the first point you threw away completely with the self-indulgent second.
Well, it was a play on the original words of the poster I replied to. A little naughty perhaps, but hey, I'm no goody-goody.
But it is a valid point. If Apple can't supply the editing tools needed by a certain segment of the market, then that segment will go to other companies. I didn't say Apple was going to go under because of this and be overtaken completely.
Apple didn't make FCPX for fun. They made it to make editing faster and easier. If someone says they're good at video editing and can't use the faster and easier software then how good at editing are they really?
There are two assumptions you're making. The first is that FCPX genuinely makes editing faster and easier.
The second assumption you're making is that faster and easier means better editing.
It's possible FCPX does both for some needs, and it doesn't for other needs. We've seen in previous threads where it does both, and where it really doesn't.
But basic tools, such as keyframing within color correction, round tripping to audio programs, After Effects and even Motion have been eliminated or hamstrung. If Apple thinks functions within FCP-X take the place of Soundtrack Pro or Color, they're from another planet.
I remain an Apple fanboy, but the Clan from Cupertino isn't developing applications for me. I get that. Just keep the platform alive enough so that other vendors can. Please don't suggest you're still interested in the needs of professionals. It's okay.
Optimist that I am, I produced five three-minute videos for a client using FCP-X. It's not something I'll ever do again. Sure, FCP=X is fun. Sixty-four bit power, background rendering, the magnetic timeline and the metadata-based approach to bin management are innovative.
But basic tools, such as keyframing within color correction, round tripping to audio programs, After Effects and even Motion have been eliminated or hamstrung. If Apple thinks functions within FCP-X take the place of Soundtrack Pro or Color, they're from another planet.
I remain an Apple fanboy, but the Clan from Cupertino isn't developing applications for me. I get that. Just keep the platform alive enough so that other vendors can. Please don't suggest you're still interested in the needs of professionals. It's okay.
Now those do sound like legitimate complaints. But what makes you assume Apple will never update to address them?
Now those do sound like legitimate complaints. But what makes you assume Apple will never update to address them?
I know you are asking another poster, but let me chime in on this.
Apple will certainly update to address the issues. That will only improve FCPX and I think after 2 years make it a better solution for many editors. However, there may be some features that will never make it back due to how they rewrote it. As such, there will be some, probably high-end editors, that will stick to FCP7 as long as possible, then switch to something else that meets their needs.
We don't know what exactly will happen. But that doesn't change what has happened with FCPX.
Now those do sound like legitimate complaints. But what makes you assume Apple will never update to address them?
The problem I see is that it's admittedly incomplete and not yet ready for everyone, and for those work flows, relies heavily on future third party products that simply aren't there yet. They'd also previously cut off support for anyone trying to bide their time on the previous version while they wait it out. The dust simply hasn't settled, and it can take considerable time for it to do so.
As it is, it is disheartening to see someone belittle said user base so incessantly as you have, I think that's a bit unnecessary.