At Let Loose 2024, Apple revealed big changes to its Final Cut software, which will effectively turn your iPad into a mini production studio. Chief among them is the release of Final Cut Pro for iPad 2. It is a direct update to the current application that is capable of taking full advantage of the new M4 chipset. According to the company, it can play videos up to twice as fast as Final Cut Pro running on an M1 iPad.
Apple also introduces a feature called Live Multicam. This allows users to connect their tablet to up to four different iPhones or iPads at once and view video from all sources in real time. You can even adjust the “exposure, focus, [and] zoom” of each live stream directly from your master iPad.
When watching Apple's demo video, selecting a source expands the footage to fill the entire screen, where you can then make any necessary adjustments. By tapping the Minimize icon in the bottom right corner, creators can return to the four-split view. Apple claims that previews from external devices are sent to Final Cut Pro so you can start editing quickly.
Shocking updates
You can't connect your iPhone to the multi-camera studio using the regular camera app, which doesn't support the setup. Instead, users will have to install a new app called Final Cut Camera on their mobile device. In addition to Live Multicam support, Apple says you can tweak settings like white balance, shutter speed, and more for professional-grade recordings. The on-screen interface even allows videographers to monitor their footage via a zebra stripe pattern tool and audio meter.
Coming back to the Final Cut Pro update, there are other important features that we have yet to mention. The platform “now supports external projects.” This means you can create a video project and import media to an “external storage” drive without sacrificing space on an iPad. Apple is also adding more customization tools to the software, such as 12 additional color grading presets and more dynamic backgrounds.
Final Cut Pro for Mac will also receive a substantial update. Although it won't support all four of the iPhone's video streams, version 10.8 introduces several tools. For example, Enhance Light and Color offers a quick way to improve the color balance and contrast in a clip, among other things. Users can also assign a custom name to video effects and color corrections for easy identification. It's not a total overhaul, but these changes will take some of the headache out of video editing.
Availability
There are different availability dates for the three products. Final Cut Pro for iPad 2 launches this spring and will be a “free upgrade for existing users.” For everyone else, access will cost $5/£5/$8 AUD per month or $50/£50/$60 AUD per year. Final Cut Camera will also be released in the spring and will be free for everyone. Final Cut Pro for Mac 10.8 is another free update for existing users. On the Mac App Store, it will cost you $300/£300/$500 AUD.
We don't blame you if you were completely unaware of the Final Cut Pro changes, as they were overshadowed by what's new in Apple's new iPad. Speaking of which, check out TechRadar's guide on where to pre-order Apple's 2024 iPad Pro and Air tablets.
