Final Cut Pro with feature parity due on iPad by 2024, claims iffy rumor

AppleInsider · May 2, 2023 10:39AM

Creative professionals have a while longer to wait before being able to use Apple's "Pro" apps on an iPad, a leaker alleges, with a full version of Final Cut Pro due in 2024 and Logic Pro to follow.

Final Cut Pro on a Mac

After Apple introduced the iPad Pro with M1 to its iPad Pro lineup, there has been the question of when Apple's creative apps will make the transition to the tablet lineup. In the claims of one leaker, that won't happen in 2023.

According to recently prominent leaker @Analyst941, Final Cut Pro will be "coming to iPadOS in 2024." In a further clarification, the leaker said the release will be "1:1 to its bigger brother, along with a slightly modified UI to support touch."

Based on this comment, there is an expectation that there will be feature parity between the iPadOS and macOS versions of Final Cut Pro upon that release.

Video is seemingly more important than audio in this instance, as the leaker adds that Logic Pro is "expected 2025."

While the leaker in question has offered quite a few rumors in recent days, this one like most of the rest appears to be a guess based on extrapolation of previous Apple actions -- and easily defensible by the leaker in the future with a "plans changed" remark if it doesn't come to pass. Given the processor parity between iPad Pro and Mac, and increasing quantities of RAM on the higher-end models, it is likely that professional apps will transition eventually, especially considering the wide number of existing iPad editing options available on the market.

The leaker has no long-term history of accurate information. And, at present, Apple is heavily promoting other iPad video editors.

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Skeptical · May 2, 2023 11:18AM

Another “rumor”. Sigh…

blastdoor · May 2, 2023 11:43AM

Seems like a pretty good guess to me. I’d give it a higher rating than “unlikely.”

entropys · May 2, 2023 12:31PM

Well, I would have thought Apple would have done this years ago if it was going to.

maybe a pre WWDC canary trap?

Toortog · May 2, 2023 6:52PM

I'll believe it when I see it. I have a lot doubts Apple will do a full version for iPad. First that would cut too much into Macbook sales. Second they would have to make a lot of changes to that toy iPadOs to handle real work. iPad has too small internal storage and only one port. Maybe Apple will do a limited functionality version of Logic and FC but I don't think they'd do a full version.

Spencer314 · May 2, 2023 11:50PM

Hopefully they won't dumb down FCP itself in order to get feature "parity" like they did with Pages.

Stabitha_Christie · May 3, 2023 1:58AM

As a FCP user, I’m super curious about the crowd that wants this in an iPad. It really doesn’t seem well suited for the smaller form factor. I’d give it a whirl but doubt I would use it.

Chock_Mossley · May 3, 2023 1:59AM

Dooofus said:

Just because the iPad has an M processor does not mean it can run Final Cut Pro properly. The iPad version of the chip has a very limited number of CPU and graphics cores compared to Mac versions. If it had feature parity, the performance would be horrible.

Actually, the iPad Pro’s M2 has more cores than the base model MacBook Air & 13in Pro’s M2. The iPad Pro’s chip is an 8 core CPU, 10 core GPU M2 and the base model MacBooks M2 is an 8 core CPU and 8 core GPU M2, the 8/10 M2 is something you have to upgrade on the MacBooks. As I’ve said for years, there’s no reason why Final Cut or the full Adobe apps are not on the iPad. Adobe’s insistence on using the watered down version of PS for the iPad is a joke.

I honestly think we’ll see FCP on the iPad sooner rather than later. Da Vinci Resolve was a shot across the bow which I think will prompt people to finally get off their butts and put their full apps on the iPads

blastdoor · May 3, 2023 2:26PM

Chock_Mossley said:

Dooofus said:

Just because the iPad has an M processor does not mean it can run Final Cut Pro properly. The iPad version of the chip has a very limited number of CPU and graphics cores compared to Mac versions. If it had feature parity, the performance would be horrible.

Actually, the iPad Pro’s M2 has more cores than the base model MacBook Air & 13in Pro’s M2. The iPad Pro’s chip is an 8 core CPU, 10 core GPU M2 and the base model MacBooks M2 is an 8 core CPU and 8 core GPU M2, the 8/10 M2 is something you have to upgrade on the MacBooks. As I’ve said for years, there’s no reason why Final Cut or the full Adobe apps are not on the iPad. Adobe’s insistence on using the watered down version of PS for the iPad is a joke.

I honestly think we’ll see FCP on the iPad sooner rather than later. Da Vinci Resolve was a shot across the bow which I think will prompt people to finally get off their butts and put their full apps on the iPads

Yup! Also, consider the performance of an M2 (or M1) iPad Pro relative to the most powerful MacBook Pro from 2019 -- could that MBP run FCP? Yup!

I bet Xcode is coming to the iPad Pro, too -- it's just a question of when, not if.

9secondkox2 · May 3, 2023 3:23PM

I can totally see this. Apple is really pushing iPad. And the only drawback compared to laptop (beside lack of keyboard, trackpad, screen size, and lap stability) is the software. iPad Pros are basically Macs internally.

Final Cut on iPad would breathe new life.

Since Apple is inexplicably letting the app languish and gather dust while Resolve and Preniere are constantly updated they might as well do. SOMETHING with Final Cut.

CheeseFreeze · May 3, 2023 7:30PM

Final Cut Pro is hardly “Pro” anymore.

It’s prosumer, yes.

But a company who is not updating the app the way Resolve and Premiere are being handled, and not communicating with its pro audience, isn’t really focusing on offering a true professional solution anymore.
A lack of professional audio controls, no decent AI-assistive tools (subtitles generation, audio ducking, masking, etc) and maintaining integration with an antique post-production solution (Motion) are only a couple of the persisting issues users have been asking for.
I now see a trend of users moving away from FCPX.

CheeseFreeze · May 4, 2023 12:08AM

Stabitha_Christie said:

As a FCP user, I’m super curious about the crowd that wants this in an iPad. It really doesn’t seem well suited for the smaller form factor. I’d give it a whirl but doubt I would use it.

You could use an external monitor for additional screen space? But agreed - what’s the point when you have a laptop?

Stabitha_Christie · May 4, 2023 9:34PM

CheeseFreeze said:

Stabitha_Christie said:

As a FCP user, I’m super curious about the crowd that wants this in an iPad. It really doesn’t seem well suited for the smaller form factor. I’d give it a whirl but doubt I would use it.

You could use an external monitor for additional screen space? But agreed - what’s the point when you have a laptop?

An external display would help but FCP is still a bit menu driven and keyboard shortcuts are common. So a huge interface overhaul would be needed and while you can use a keyboard with an iPad shortcut discovery is still kinda clunky. Then there are things like storage. FCP projects can get a bit large. Importing videos and assists would need to be entirely rethought. None of this is insurmountable but to what end?

Final Cut Pro with feature parity due on iPad by 2024, claims iffy rumor

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