Alongside the launch of the new iPad Air and iPad Pro lineups, Apple showed off updates to Final Cut Pro for iPad and macOS — but they do not have the same feature set. Here are the key differences, and things to watch out for.
Alongside the launch of the new iPad Air and iPad Pro lineups, Apple showed off updates to Final Cut Pro for iPad and macOS — but they do not have the same feature set. Here are the key differences, and things to watch out for.
Final Cut Pro for iPad 2 is a major shift in the use of the iPad editing tool, while Final Cut Pro 10.8 is a modest upgrade. The result is two different tools with different tools, sharing the same name.
While competitors have added many AI and workflow improvement tools, such as transcript-based editing, advanced subject tracking and masking, and more, to their desktop versions, Apple seems to focus most of its effort on the iPad version.
To determine which app — or if both apps — are right for you, it’s key to walk through the history of the apps, their differences, and, more importantly, their unique strengths.
Apple’s awkward naming decision is a problem for users
I’ve been using Final Cut Pro for years — first exclusively and now as one of the tools in my editing arsenal — and, like many users, have been hoping for major updates. I also use the iPad version and appreciate updates, but they are increasingly becoming two different tools.
Final Cut Pro for iPad 2 adds new features that take the mobile app in a much different direction than the Mac version. The iPad version now features mobile capture that would be difficult to achieve on the Mac.
In other words, Final Cut Pro for iPad and Final Cut Pro for desktop are two different video editing systems that share the same name but have different audiences and features.
Adobe avoided this problem by labeling the mobile-only version of Premiere “Premiere Rush.” It might have made sense if Apple dropped Pro from the iPad version instead of tacking iPad onto the end of the name.
BlackMagic’s DaVinci Resolve video editing suite took a different approach than Adobe or Apple by making the iPad version as close to the desktop version as possible.
The iPad version of Resolve lacks some desktop features, but it is incredibly similar, mostly a scaled-back variant that addresses different user interface experiences.
Processing power likely contributes to the features the iPad version of Resolve lacks, so it will be interesting to see how the new M4 iPad Pro affects development.
History and development of Final Cut Pro and Final Cut Pro for iPad
Final Cut Pro (FCP) has been part of Apple’s flagship professional creator tools for over two decades, but it only came to the iPad in May 2023. Almost a year later, Apple has just released Final Cut Pro for iPad 2.
During the same product launch as Final Cut Pro for iPad 2, Apple also announced that Final Cut Pro for Mac would be updated from version 10.7 to 10.8. As the point release indicates, this update doesn’t include changes to the core functionality but adds some AI-driven features.
Final Cut Pro for iPad did not offer feature parity with the Mac version at its launch. The discrepancy between the two was not particularly surprising. FCP is a massively complex program with decades of development and uses significant processing horsepower to produce feature-length projects.
Apple is capitalizing on these differences and is using the iPad version to showcase the power of devices like the M4 iPad Pro. However, the different naming conventions and lack of a clear comparison guide can be confusing.
At the risk of being overly simplistic, it’s good to think of Final Cut Pro for iPad as a solution for the mobile-specific editor. Final Cut Pro for Mac is a tool for more advanced video editing. The type of content being created should be a guide as to which version to use.
Hardware differences drive different capabilities
Before discussing the software differences, it’s important to note that the launch of Final Cut Pro for iPad 2 showcases the power of the iPad Pro and the advantages of an all-in-one mobile device.
The new iPad Pro features a cutting-edge screen that Apple calls Tandem OLED. By sandwiching two OLED panels together, the new iPad Pro has an outstanding range of colors.
The new iPad Pro’s color fidelity is remarkable for video editors. The display faithfully reproduces standard dynamic range (SDR) and High Dynamic Range (HDR) content.
As the name implies, SDR content is designed for playback on traditional monitors and TVs, while the wider range of colors in HDR content requires more advanced displays, like those in the iPad Pro, the iPhone Pro, and many 4K TVs.
The problem with HDR displays is that you need one to adjust colors and evaluate playback.
