Express, Server releases discontinued

Final Cut Pro X will get some missing features in future updates, says video production blogger Philip Hodgetts. Having spoken with Apple, he claims to have learned that Pro X will, for instance, eventually get the ability to import Final Cut Pro 6 and 7 projects. The software should also get a "replacement for the current XML workflow," and support for multicam editing.

When such updates might be implemented is unknown. Another prominent blogger, Larry Jordan, says however that while Final Cut has normally been updated on an 18-month cycle, Apple tells him the new aim is for updates once or twice per year. The arrangement should be easier with Final Cut's arrival on the Mac App Store, which simplifies Apple's distribution scheme.

The company has meanwhile discontinued two secondary Final Cut products, Express and Server. Express has not proven especially popular, as it occupies a middle ground between the ease of iMovie and the flexibility of Final Cut Pro. Server may be more difficult to replace for some production studios, but there should be alternatives for sharing project media.

by MacNN Staff