New Final Cut in April?

Apple is indeed on the verge of releasing a new version of Final Cut Studio, new sources are said to corroborate. Although some sources have suggested than an updated Final Cut Studio suite could be announced on March 24th, people "familiar with the company's plans" are said to indicate that Apple is timing a release around the National Association of Broadcasters expo, scheduled for late April. Apple and some other major companies are not attending NAB, but the event is known for bringing major video-related product unveilings.

The new version of Final Cut Studio is said to be late into development, echoing suggestions that it was already in beta testing. Apple is also believed to be preparing an updated Final Cut Server, and possibly a replacement for Shake, its compositing software last updated in 2006. Another related product which may premiere soon is an updated Logic Studio, used in audio production and performance.

Apple is lastly thought to be working on a major update to its professional photography workflow software, Aperture. The next version is expected to use native 64-bit code, a factor of critical importance when dealing with large RAW images. The present software is in fact considered to be at a significant disadvantage in this respect, outclassed by its main competition, Adobe Lightroom.

by MacNN Staff