Apple dumps Intel and shows Final Cut Pro on new Mac with Apple CPU !
- Thread starter joe1946
- Start date
Peter C.
Veteran
I ran into this video today https://youtu.be/X089oYPc5Pg
Less_is_more
Member
I guess the video that started this thread proves that Apple intends to move Final Cut Pro to the new architecture rather than dump it.
But will they also support Intel Macs for another few years?
This is my conundrum. I have a 2019 iMac and intend to keep it for five-plus years. Should I buy Final Cut Pro X now? (Version 10.4 came out in December 2017, a long time ago.) Wait for 10.5 if it’s likely to come soon and support Intel? Choose another NLE to learn?
The opaque future of pricing complicates the decision. Will there be an upgrade price? Will the price change? Will it go to a subscription model?
Thoughts welcome if they fit the thread topic.
But will they also support Intel Macs for another few years?
This is my conundrum. I have a 2019 iMac and intend to keep it for five-plus years. Should I buy Final Cut Pro X now? (Version 10.4 came out in December 2017, a long time ago.) Wait for 10.5 if it’s likely to come soon and support Intel? Choose another NLE to learn?
The opaque future of pricing complicates the decision. Will there be an upgrade price? Will the price change? Will it go to a subscription model?
Thoughts welcome if they fit the thread topic.
stoneinapond
Veteran
Very likely
FCP X was last updated in September. If you need it now, purchase it.
Never a bad idea. The more you learn the more you know (for most people)
Apple has never charged for upgrades, I don't expect that to change, and I can't see them going with subscriptions.
JAMedia
Well-known member
They would be silly to dump FCPX as it is one of the worlds leading edit programs.
Pity they don't do it on PC as well but that would be a culturally unacceptable move for Apple.
sort of... the problem is the new MAC-OS will probably only run on the latest Intel MAC hardware. So a lot of the older Intel Mac users will either not be able to update anything or move to new hardware. It went that way in the change from PPC to Intel
My Mac's are older than that and we made the decision to move to PC's and try to use Resolve (up-hill struggle)
I am using an older version of FCPX that works as well today as a couple of years ago. The question is what do you need compatibility with? What formats etc
The problem is many apple apps only work on the latest version of the OS and won't load if the latest version is not detected. So you will find, as we did last time, no matter what anyone says, support for any x86 Mac you have now will start to decline from 6 months after the new ones are launched. How fast it declines and when the end point is will be hard to estimate. The Management at Apple has changed over recent years.
Run&Gun
Veteran
My thoughts on FCPX moving forward: If you buy it today it’s going to still work tomorrow. Even with the new chips. It IS Apple, but I don’t see them just abandoning it. It had a rocky start, but is mature and once again one of the standards with huge market penetration.
And depending on your definition of upgrades, Apple did used to charge for newer versions of its OS. I think 10.8(Mt. Lion) was the last paid upgrade. Starting with 10.9(Mavericks), their OS became free.
And depending on your definition of upgrades, Apple did used to charge for newer versions of its OS. I think 10.8(Mt. Lion) was the last paid upgrade. Starting with 10.9(Mavericks), their OS became free.
Less_is_more
Member
You mean that someone who bought Final Cut Pro at version 10.3 paid nothing to get 10.4?
If I buy 10.4 now, I’d be likely to get 10.5 for free?
I agree with that (went through the PowerPC > x86 transition) but don’t much care. Reasons being I’m not a pro and I don’t like being at the cutting edge of any software (or hardware, really). I prefer stuff that just works and has had most bugs and dumb ideas sorted out, plus a good knowledge base online from which to learn. I’ll be ready for ARM-based Macs in maybe five years, not earlier!
stoneinapond
Veteran
That has been past practices and I don't see it changing. But I don't work for Apple so take that for what it's worth.
I purchased FCP X when it first came out and have upgraded for free ever since.
JAMedia
Well-known member
So have i.... Right up to the point where the new version of the OS was not good on my HW and things like the stand-alone CS6 would not be reliable. Then we could not update FCPX or Lighttroom to newer versions. So to get the newer versions of the SW I would have to buy new hardware.... A lot less of a problem and cost with PC's than MAc's
Run&Gun
Veteran
Lots of variables in there. Yeah, with hardware, depending on when you buy in the cycle, you can lose some “upgrade life”. But how long are people keeping their hardware before they upgrade, these days? My RMBP is just a hair over eight years old and I could run the latest version of MacOS, if I chose to. And I feel like I’m probably in the minority. I feel like most people are probably five years, at the max. Especially those that are editing for a living.
stoneinapond
Veteran
Understood. Change is never easy especially if your hardware lands square on a fault line.
I have 2015 iMac that aside from Aperture (a loss I mourned for a while) has happily upgraded to the latest OS and app software versions. That will obviously change, when I can't say, but I do plan to do one more hardware upgrade once the new chips are well established.
Less_is_more
Member
Does Apple ever ever ever have Black Friday sales on software in the App Store? Specifically Final Cut Pro X.
JAMedia
Well-known member
Never for FCPX AFAIK. Given it's price and popularity why would they?
Currently, Catalina (the latest released version of macOS) supports:
MacBook (Early 2015 or newer)
MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or newer)
MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or newer)
Mac mini (Late 2012 or newer)
iMac (Late 2012 or newer)
iMac Pro (2017)
Mac Pro (Late 2013 or newer)
I'd be curious how old a machine we're talking that's "forcing" an upgrade because the OS doesn't support it... an 8+ year old machine has largely run through its useful life. I certainly wouldn't want to edit on a machine from 2012.
Yes, new versions of FCPX often need the latest version of the OS... but Apple's been pretty dang good historically about supporting their older hardware with newer OS releases.
Even when they transitioned from PowerPC to Intel in 2006 they kept OS updates going for PowerPC machines through Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard that came out in late 2009 (nearly four years after they started the transition and three full years after the transition was complete).
If you need a new computer and FCPX right now, I certainly wouldn't wait. The rumor is the first ARM machines are going to be the MacBook Air and the 13" MacBook Pro... neither of which I would consider powerhouse video editing platforms. Obviously if you don't need to upgrade, you should probably wait (but this is true of nearly any hardware upgrade... there's always something "better" coming out).
Final Cut Pro X purchased at 10.0 has been upgraded through the App Store since then for free. 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 were all free updates. I would highly doubt this would change 9 years into it's life.
MacBook (Early 2015 or newer)
MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or newer)
MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or newer)
Mac mini (Late 2012 or newer)
iMac (Late 2012 or newer)
iMac Pro (2017)
Mac Pro (Late 2013 or newer)
I'd be curious how old a machine we're talking that's "forcing" an upgrade because the OS doesn't support it... an 8+ year old machine has largely run through its useful life. I certainly wouldn't want to edit on a machine from 2012.
Yes, new versions of FCPX often need the latest version of the OS... but Apple's been pretty dang good historically about supporting their older hardware with newer OS releases.
Even when they transitioned from PowerPC to Intel in 2006 they kept OS updates going for PowerPC machines through Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard that came out in late 2009 (nearly four years after they started the transition and three full years after the transition was complete).
If you need a new computer and FCPX right now, I certainly wouldn't wait. The rumor is the first ARM machines are going to be the MacBook Air and the 13" MacBook Pro... neither of which I would consider powerhouse video editing platforms. Obviously if you don't need to upgrade, you should probably wait (but this is true of nearly any hardware upgrade... there's always something "better" coming out).
Final Cut Pro X purchased at 10.0 has been upgraded through the App Store since then for free. 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 were all free updates. I would highly doubt this would change 9 years into it's life.
combatentropy
Veteran
Yes, $999 when I bought it in 2000. This was when Avid cost $30,000.
Less_is_more
Member
Final Cut Pro X is nearly $400 equivalent here in Europe, not $300. That’s real money to me. However, I’ve just seen there’s a 90-day trial. That takes some risk out of this.
There is some sort of Apple press event on 10 November, so we might know more about ARM Macs and maybe even Final Cut Pro in a few days’ time.
There is some sort of Apple press event on 10 November, so we might know more about ARM Macs and maybe even Final Cut Pro in a few days’ time.
Since it's a one-time charge, that should take some of the sting out of it. And since the Resolve 17 announcement is on Monday, you might not need to bother with FCP.
Possibly also some hints about the iPadPro update. Or the iPadPro update will replace even more of Apple's laptop line. Who knows?
alaskacameradude
Veteran
I on the other hand, would wait. The announcement of new
Macs is coming out on the 10th.....literally just a couple days
away. And several sites say there will be a new 16 MacBook Pro
with Apple silicon. Even if that is not the case, it’s only a couple days
away. I’d wait to see what is announced......
JAMedia
Well-known member
Since it's a one-time charge, that should take some of the sting out of it. And since the Resolve 17 announcement is on Monday, you might not need to bother with FCP.
However compared to Resolve FCPX is intuitive, usable and very stable.