Surprisingly, very surprisingly, Apple has just announced the iPad version of its Pro App flagship, FCP. Final Cut Pro for iPad is a go. A Lumafusion killer? Not so fast. A solid competitor to Resolve for iPad? It is soon to predict that. It’s like an iMovie iPad app, but on steroids. Will it satisfy pro editors? A good question. Read the features list below.

Final Cut Pro for iPad

We wrote before about the hypothesis that the FCP’s product managers got lazy (read: Apple Final Cut Pro is Not Pro Anymore). Not really, just Apple hasn’t invested a solid R&D on its NLE – Final Cut Pro. Hence, many have thought that FCP is dead, even after the Editors’ Note. Anyway, it seems that Apple took a break from R&Ding the desktop version of FCP, as we just revealed that the iPad version was born. Meet the Final Cut Pro for iPad. What’s it? Here’s a summary of the main features of Final Cut Pro for iPad, taken from Apple’s press release.

Jog wheel to facilitate editing

Final Cut Pro for iPad introduces an all-new touch interface and intuitive tools, which unlocked new workflows for video creators. This Pro editing App incorporates a new jog wheel that facilitates the editing process and enables users to interact with content in completely new methods. Editors can navigate the Magnetic Timeline, move clips, and make fast frame-accurate edits by touch, and with the immediacy and intuitiveness of the Multi-Touch gestures interface.

Live Drawing with Apple Pencil

With Live Drawing, editors can draw and write directly on top of video content using Apple Pencil. On iPad Pro with M2, Apple Pencil hover unlocks the ability for users to quickly skim and preview footage without touching the screen. They can also speed up their workflows by adding a Magic Keyboard or Smart Keyboard Folio to utilize key commands. Creators can view and edit HDR video by taking advantage of the Liquid Retina XDR display on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and apply color grades with accuracy using Reference Mode.

Pro Camera Mode and Multicam Video Editing

Pro camera mode brings enhanced control to the creation process on iPad. Video creators can shoot high-quality video in portrait or landscape orientation, monitor audio and available recording time, and manually control settings like focus, exposure, and white balance. Creators can capture, edit, and publish from a single device while in the field, and on iPad Pro with M2, users can even record in ProRes. With Multicam video editing, clips can automatically be synchronized and edited together, and users can even switch angles in a Multicam clip with just the touch of a finger.

Machine Learning

Apple claimed that Final Cut Pro for iPad harnesses the power of Apple silicon and machine learning to speed up time-consuming editing tasks. With Scene Removal Mask, creators can quickly remove or replace the background behind a subject in a clip without using a green screen. Auto Crop adjusts footage for vertical, square, and other aspect ratios, and with Voice Isolation, background noise can easily be removed from audio captured in the field.

Pro Graphics, Effects, and Audio

Video creators can choose from a vast library of professional graphics, effects, and audio to enhance their storytelling. These include stunning HDR backgrounds, customizable animated patterns, and professional soundtracks that automatically adjust to the length of a video.

Import and Export

Editors can import supported media from Files or Photos, and save it directly inside a Final Cut Pro project. Final Cut Pro for iPad also supports the ability to import projects created in iMovie for iOS, and iPad users can export their Final Cut Pro projects to Mac.

Subscription-based model

Final Cut Pro for iPad will be available on the App Store as subscriptions starting Tuesday, May 23. Prices: $4.99 USD per month or $49 USD per year with a one-month free trial. Compatibility: Final Cut Pro is compatible with M1 chip iPad models or later. It also requires iPadOS 16.4.

Initial thoughts

Final Cut Pro for iPad looks like a very cool app. Not so sure how many professional editors will use it though. We haven’t managed to find any info regarding the supported codecs. You will probably not subscribe to the use of the software in order to edit your iPad footage. For this you have iMovie pre-installed. If so, Final Cut Pro for iPad can be defined as iMovie on steroids. Is it too little too late? Depends. Many tech specs are missing. One option is to utilize FCP for iPad as a proxy editing software on the go, then export it to the Desktop version of FCP and continue from there. The other option is to define the FCP for iPad as a ‘soft landing’ NLE for youngsters and junior editors who are eager to learn how to edit, and for this, they need a much more professionalized tool than iMovie. The subscription-based model will allow paying a little sum of money, just to try and learn Final Cut, before going all the way with the Desktop version. Think of it like a Baby FCP. As for Lumafusion, it already exists with the multi-cam ability and no need for M1 Chip iPad. Thus, editors will continue using it. Therefore, Final Cut Pro for iPad is not a Lumafusion killer —Yet. As for DaVinci Resolve for iPad, it can’t be compared to. Why? Because Resolve’s color grading capabilities are far superior compared to FCP. Hence, Final Cur Pro for iPad is not threatening Resolve for iPad either — Yet. Nevertheless, the big question is, if Final Cut Pro for iPad can replace the Desktop version when professional editing capabilities are needed. We’ll review it once it’s out, and we’ll try to answer that question.