Hands-On With Final Cut Pro for iPad

Apple today brought its Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro software to the iPad for the first time, allowing content creators to use their tablets for video editing and sound recording. We decided to test out Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro to see how they measure up to the Mac versions.


MacRumors video editor Dan Barbera uses Final Cut Pro to edit the videos that you see on MacRumors, so it's software that he's very familiar with. He doesn't use Logic Pro as often, but takes a look at the interface differences.

Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for iPad promise to deliver many of the same features that are available on the Mac, with a touch-first interface that's optimized for the ‌iPad‌. Dan will be editing a full video on the ‌iPad‌ using Final Cut Pro, so keep an eye out for that follow-up to the initial hands-on look.

Final Cut Pro requires an M1 chip or later, so it is limited to Apple's newest iPads. Logic Pro requires an A12 Bionic chip or later. The apps are priced at $4.99 per month or $49 per year in the United States, with a one-month free trial available.

Top Rated Comments

fwmireault Avatar
1 week ago

The problem with subscription pricing is that it removes the incentive for the developer to improve the product. Back in the day when companies hard to earn their sales through separate releases, they actually had to offer something new and compelling to get the user to pay again.

Now, because subscriptions are often the only option, they have their audiences captive and the users have no choice but to pay indefinitely, even if the software stagnates or declines, and even if massive new bugs and unwelcome UI/UX changes make the software unusable.
From my experience it’s quite the opposite. I am far from a subscription model fan, but I have to admit that for the few apps where I transitioned from a one-time purchase to a subscription model, I see quite a big difference in how fast new features are added and how bugs are fixed. I know it receives a lot of hate on this forum, but for example, Fantastical is always very proactive on implementing new features and new APIs, and fixing bugs, rather than waiting 2-3 years for a new major version. Because I pay a low monthly fee and not a high one-time fee, i can switch to competitors whenever i think the product isn’t worth it anymore, so they have an incentive to keep me satisfied
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mrr Avatar
1 week ago
Cool but I would really like a one time purchase
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ghost31 Avatar
1 week ago
For years we’ve seen people criticize Apple for not having Final Cut on iPad. “It’s not a pro device without it!” Now it’s here anddddd…of coarse we just move the complaint to something else. The complaining never stops. Pro tools. For $5 a month. Or $4 a month if you pay yearly. Jesus. If you told me in the 1990’s or early 2000’s we would have a device as capable of this and I could have a pro app for a whopping $4 a month, I would have lost my freaking mind
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
1 week ago
What are the chances of having a Final Cut Pro for Apple Watch?

Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jkool Avatar
1 week ago
Anybody else wonder if there would be a market for a reborn subscription version of Aperture?
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ion-X Avatar
1 week ago
The problem with subscription pricing is that it removes the incentive for the developer to improve the product. Back in the day when companies hard to earn their sales through separate releases, they actually had to offer something new and compelling to get the user to pay again.

Now, because subscriptions are often the only option, they have their audiences captive and the users have no choice but to pay indefinitely, even if the software stagnates or declines, and even if massive new bugs and unwelcome UI/UX changes make the software unusable.

I keep hearing from developers that subscriptions are the way to sustain further development. Except that back in the 90s and 00s, developers had no issue making money. It’s that they want to make much more money now. That’s their right — but it’s also our right to boycott.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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