One QuickTime for all?

The two current versions of Apple's QuickTime software may merge into one come the release of Mac OS X Snow Leopard, new information hints. The latest developer seeding of Snow Leopard is said to enable all features of QuickTime by default, including advanced functions such as sharing and movie creation or capture. Special features have typically been reserved for QuickTime Pro, a $30 package advertised through pop-ups in the regular QuickTime Player.

Pro may be seen as increasingly marginal and irrelevant source of Apple income however, due in part to the introduction of phone and media player sales. There has also been a proliferation of third-party media apps for the Mac, many of which can handle the same tasks as Pro, sometimes for free. Apple itself has promised that Snow Leopard's QuickTime X will be a radical revision of QuickTime, though mostly in terms of streamlining.

by MacNN Staff