MacRumors

Spotify today announced the launch of a new Basic paid plan that offers a small discount for dropping access to audiobooks. Priced at $10.99 per month, the Basic option includes all of the music benefits of Spotify like ad-free playback, but without added monthly audiobook listening time.

The $11.99 standard Premium Individual plan that Spotify offers includes ad-free playback and 15 hours of audiobook listening time per month from a catalog of more than 250,000 titles. Until now, Spotify did not let customers opt for a cheaper plan that did not include audiobook access, as it was automatically bundled in the lowest-tier plan.

Spotify in June raised its base price from $10.99 to $11.99 to "bring users the best experience," but with the new Basic plan, customers who don't want to use the audiobook feature can get the prior $10.99/month price.

Spotify's new $10.99 per month option is on par with the $10.99 price of Apple Music, so Spotify is no longer $1 more expensive than ‌Apple Music‌ for base music subscription service.

There have been no changes to the prices of other plans. Duo is priced at $16.99, and Family is priced at $19.99. Spotify also has a $9.99 per month plan that offers 15 hours of audiobook listening with ad-supported music.

With iOS 18, Apple is working with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into the iPhone, where ChatGPT will work alongside Siri to handle requests for AI-generated content. ChatGPT and other similar AI services are not available in China, so Apple needs to find an alternative.

Apple is actively looking for a Chinese company to partner with for its AI features in China, reports The Wall Street Journal. Apple has held talks with Baidu, Alibaba Group, and Beijing startup Baichuan AI, but no deal has emerged.

Apple Intelligence features are going to be limited to an increasingly small number of customers when ‌iOS 18‌, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia launch this fall. Apple today said that it would not bring these features to countries in the European Union, and without a deal with a Chinese AI company, China could be out too.

China requires companies to get government approval before rolling out chatbots powered by large language models, and to date, has not approved any AI products that were developed outside of the country. Apple did look into the possibility of getting approval for its own large language model, but found that Chinese regulators were not likely to allow it. To bring ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features to China, Apple has to sign a deal with a Chinese AI company.

It is not clear if Apple would have time to prepare a Chinese version of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ for September even if it did manage to secure a deal in the near future, so ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is not likely to come to China until a later date. Even if Apple did make it happen, ‌Apple Intelligence‌ will only be available in U.S. English at launch, with support for additional languages coming in 2025.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple is falling behind competing smartphone companies in China because AI features are already available on devices from top-selling Chinese brands like Vivo, Huawei, Xiaomi, and Honor. Even Samsung has a smartphone with AI integrations in China, as it has partnered with Baidu and Meitu.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple competitor Amazon is working on a revamp of its Alexa assistant, and the new version could cost up to $10 per month, according to a report from Reuters. The upcoming version of Alexa will support conversational generative AI, and Amazon is planning for two tiers of service.

There will be a free tier and a second, premium tier that is priced at $5 at a minimum, with Amazon considering price points ranging from $5 to $10. Amazon does not plan to include the premium Alexa tier with its $139 per year Prime subscription.

Amazon has not made significant updates to Alexa in the last decade, and it has fallen behind other AI products that have started to adopt large language models. Alexa is free and built into Amazon devices, so Amazon does not make money directly from it as of now. Some employees that spoke to Reuters said the revamp is a "desperate attempt" to revitalize Alexa, and Amazon executives have suggested it is imperative Alexa demonstrate it can generate "meaningful" sales.

The updated version of Alexa, which Amazon calls "Remarkable Alexa" internally, is expected to be able to do things like craft emails, give shopping advice, and order delivery from Uber Eats. Amazon also wants to improve the way that Alexa controls smart home products, with Alexa able to learn how to automate routines.

Amazon is aiming to have the updated version of Alexa finished by August, which would see it launch later this year. Apple is working on a similarly updated version of Siri that also incorporates large language models, though many of the new ‌Siri‌ functions won't be coming until 2025.

The Apple Watch has a hidden feature for activating Night Shift on the device, a Reddit user discovered recently. If you ask Siri on the Apple Watch to turn on ‌Night Shift‌, ‌Siri‌ will do so, and the display will take on the dimmer, yellow hue that lowers blue light exposure.

It is not clear how long ‌Siri‌ has been able to activate ‌Night Shift‌ on the Apple Watch, but it seems to be recent. Apple has no documentation on ‌Night Shift‌ on Apple Watch, and it was not previously a watchOS 10 option. It's possible ‌Night Shift‌ is tied to watchOS 11, but it is not limited to devices running ‌watchOS 11‌. We were able to use the feature on an Apple Watch Series 9 with watchOS 10 installed.

Activating ‌Night Shift‌ can only be done through ‌Siri‌, and there is no toggle in the Apple Watch Settings app or elsewhere on the device. ‌Siri‌ mentions scheduling ‌Night Shift‌ in the Settings app, but that's not an option at the current time in watchOS 10 or ‌watchOS 11‌.

‌Night Shift‌ does not appear to be available on all Apple Watch models, with Reddit users unable to activate it on a Series 5 and lower.

The option to suddenly turn on ‌Night Shift‌ without an accompanying setting suggests that it is a feature that has been accidentally introduced, and the toggle could be introduced in a future version of ‌watchOS 11‌ or an upcoming watchOS 10 update.

Apple plans to release the second beta of iOS 18 to developers on Monday, Apple spokesperson Fred Sainz told The Verge. The information was provided as part of a statement on certain new ‌iOS 18‌, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia features that will be delayed in the European Union.

Two of the features that will not be coming to the EU this fall are set to debut in next week's ‌iOS 18‌ developer beta, with Apple introducing support for iPhone Mirroring in ‌macOS Sequoia‌ and expanded SharePlay screen sharing across ‌iOS 18‌, ‌iPadOS 18‌, and ‌macOS Sequoia‌.

‌iPhone‌ Mirroring allows an ‌iPhone‌ to be controlled via a Mac, with full functionality for accessing apps, interacting with notifications, and more. SharePlay screen sharing will let Apple users take over the screen of another Apple user to provide technical support and other help.

Neither of these options are available in the current ‌iOS 18‌, ‌iPadOS 18‌, and ‌macOS Sequoia‌ betas, as Apple is rolling out features during the beta testing period. Apple Intelligence, which also won't be coming in the European Union, is set to come out later this summer. Apple will likely time it to the public beta, which is coming in July.

Apple says that it needs to delay some features in the European Union because of the complexities of making sure they adhere to the regulations mandated in the Digital Markets Act.

This week's best Apple deals include a new record low price on the Apple Pencil Pro, plus steep discounts on M3 MacBook Pro and M1 iPad Air. You'll also find a few solid deals on Apple-related accessories from Beats, Eufy, and Anker.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

AirPods and Beats

• What's the deal? Save on AirPods and Beats headphones
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon still has a few discounts across Apple's AirPods and Beats headphones, with up to $170 off these accessories. The best overall deal is on the Beats Studio Pro at their all-time low price of $179.95, down from $349.95.

Apple Pencil Pro

• What's the deal? Take $10 off Apple Pencil Pro
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

This week we saw the Apple Pencil Pro drop to a new record low price of $119.00 on Amazon, down from $129.00. Although only a $10 discount, this is still the best deal we've seen to date on the newest Apple Pencil.

Bluetooth Trackers

• What's the deal? Save on AirTag and Eufy SmartTrack Card
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Bluetooth Tracker discounts were in abundance this week, and you can still get some of the best discounts today on Amazon. The AirTag 4 Pack is available for $79.99, down from $99.00, and the Eufy SmartTrack Card is on sale for $19.99, down from $29.99.

Anker

• What's the deal? Save on Anker accessories
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Moving to Anker's charging accessories, you can get multiple MagSafe-compatible devices at a discount this week on Amazon, like a portable battery and a wireless charging station. The highlight of the sale is Anker's 24,000 mAh Power Bank with Smart Digital Display for $109.99, down from $149.99. Many of these will require you to clip an on-page coupon before you head to the checkout screen in order to see the sales.

• 10,000 mAh Power Bank With Built-in USB-C Cable - $35.99 with on-page coupon, down from $44.99
• MagGo 10,000 mAh Power Bank with Foldable Stand - $69.99 with on-page coupon, down from $89.99
• MagGo 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station - $69.99 with on-page coupon, down from $99.99
• 24,000 mAh Power Bank with Smart Digital Display - $109.99, down from $149.99
• MagGo 3-in-1 Foldable Charging Stand - $93.49, down from $109.99

M1 iPad Air

• What's the deal? Take $200 off M1 iPad Air
• Where can I get it? Best Buy
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Best Buy has every M1 iPad Air at $200 off this week, starting at $399.99 for the 64GB Wi-Fi tablet and also including both cellular models. You don't need to be a My Best Buy Plus or Total member to see these deals.

M3 MacBook Pro

• What's the deal? Take $350 off M3 MacBook Pro
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon is taking up to $350 off the M3 MacBook Pro this week, including both 14-inch and 16-inch models. We started tracking these deals earlier in the week and many of them are still live, so be sure to check out our original article for every MacBook Pro sale.

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Apple today said that European customers will not get access to the Apple Intelligence, iPhone Mirroring, and SharePlay Screen Sharing features that are coming to the ‌iPhone‌, iPad, and Mac this September due to regulatory issues related to the Digital Markets Act.

In a statement to Financial Times, Apple said that there will be a delay as it works to figure out how to make the new functionality compatible with the European Union's competition rules.

Due to the regulatory uncertainties brought about by the Digital Markets Act, we do not believe that we will be able to roll out three of these [new] features -- iPhone Mirroring, SharePlay Screen Sharing enhancements, and Apple Intelligence -- to our EU users this year.

‌Apple Intelligence‌ includes a wide range of additions that overhaul everything from Siri to apps, while ‌iPhone‌ Mirroring is a feature that allows the ‌iPhone‌ to be controlled on a connected Mac. SharePlay Screen Sharing lets users take control of another person's screen while using the SharePlay feature, with the aim of providing assistance.

Some of the Siri-related ‌Apple Intelligence‌ capabilities will not be launching until 2025, but Genmoji, Image Playground, Writing Tools, and many new in-app capabilities are set to be available starting in September, and these are what ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, and Mac users in the European Union will miss out on. It is not clear how long it will take Apple to expand this features to the EU, nor what changes Apple might have to make to introduce them under the DMA.

Apple's warning comes as the European Commission prepares to make a ruling on whether prior changes to allow for app marketplaces meet the terms of the DMA. Regulators have said that there are "very serious" issues with Apple's implementation, likely related to the Core Technology Fee that Apple is charging.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple Intelligence, the apparent suspension of work on the second-generation Vision Pro headset, and Apple's rumored plans to move to thinner device designs.

‌Apple Intelligence‌ is Apple's upcoming personalized AI experience for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. We look at the device limitations around the feature and address speculation that older models could have utilized the cloud processing to offer ‌Apple Intelligence‌. While cloud computing is an important part of Apple's AI solution, on-device processing plays a crucial role in making ‌Apple Intelligence‌ functional, private, and efficient. We discuss these device requirements, including the necessity for M1 or later chips in Macs and iPads, and how these specifications should ensure a good user experience. We also explore the gradual rollout of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ and its implications and consider the potential workflows with ‌Apple Intelligence‌, contemplating what might be possible with advanced AI integration across apps.

Next, we discuss the suspension of work on the second-generation Apple Vision Pro headset. Although Apple had reportedly been focusing on developing a lower-cost headset for some time, the news of Apple's decision to halt work the second-generation Vision Pro still comes as a surprise. We examine what this means for the future of the Apple Vision product line, including the potential benefits and drawbacks of prioritizing a less expensive model.

Lastly, we turn our attention to the future of Apple's devices, particularly the company's recently reported decision to again move toward thinner and lighter products. We delve into the ongoing debate between the benefits of thinner, more portable devices versus thicker ones with larger batteries. The M4 iPad Pro models and the upcoming "iPhone 17 Slim" demonstrate this trend, touting redesigns that aim to offer a more streamlined form factor without sacrificing battery life. We also discuss the anticipated MacBook Pro models with M4 series chips that are now expected to launch later this year. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips:

You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.

If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion recorded at Apple Park about all of the major updates coming to Apple's operating systems later this year and ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Kevin Nether, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Luke Miani, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.

Antstream Arcade has announced that its cloud-based game streaming service will be available on the iPhone and iPad starting Thursday, June 27. The app will provide subscribers with access to over 1,300 licensed games from a variety of retro consoles, including the Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari 2600, Atari 7800, SEGA Genesis, and more.

Earlier this year, Apple updated its guidelines to permit game streaming apps in the App Store worldwide, allowing for a selection of games to be offered within a single app. These services, such as Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce NOW, were previously only accessible via the web on the iPhone and iPad. Antstream Arcade is set to become the first popular service of its kind to take advantage of the rule change.

The primary benefit of Antstream Arcade compared to emulators is that you do not need to provide your own games downloaded from the internet, but this will come at a cost. According to MacStories, the service will cost $4.99 per month or $39.99 per year, following limited-time $3.99 per month or $29.99 per year pricing at launch. In addition, Antstream Arcade requires a Wi-Fi or cellular connection to stream games, and the service offers only a handful of games for consoles like the NES, SNES, Game Boy, and PS1.

Antstream Arcade is already available on platforms such as Android, Windows, and Xbox.

During its WWDC 2024 keynote last week, Apple announced that iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 will let apps offer AirPods-like pairing for more Bluetooth or Wi-Fi accessories.

In apps that implement this new pairing process, users would be able to connect accessories to their devices directly in the app, without having to open the Settings app. In addition, Apple said this pairing process increases privacy by preventing accessory makers from gaining visibility into other devices on the user's local network.

Developers can add the AirPods-like pairing process to their apps with the new AccessorySetupKit framework, with more details available in this WWDC 2024 coding video.

iOS 18 is currently in beta for developers, and a public beta will be released in July. The update should be widely released in September, but it will take time for accessory makers to add support for this pairing process to their apps.

Several popular Mac App Store games are on sale for the next week, with discounts of up to 75 percent off available. Valheim, Death Stranding Director's Cut, and Inscryption are all half price, with several other titles also on sale at even lower prices.

• Valheim - $9.99, down from $19.99
• Death Stranding Director's Cut - $19.99, down from $39.99
• Inscryption - $9.99, down from $19.99
• Lies of P - $41.99, down from $59.99
• Resident Evil Village - $15.99, down from $39.99
• Return to Monkey Island - $12.99, down from $24.99
• Disney Dreamlight Valley - $29.99, down from $39.99
• GRIS - $2.99, down from $9.99
• SnowRunner - $14.99, down from $29.99
• Inside - $9.99, down from $19.99
• Disco Elysium: The Final Cut - $9.99, down from $39.99
• LUNA The Shadow Dust - $9.99, down from $14.99
• Transport Fever 2 - $17.99, down from $35.99

The discounted games can be purchased from the ‌Mac App Store‌ by following this link for story about the sale.

The ‌Mac App Store‌ sale will last from June 20 to June 27.

Popular password management app 1Password today announced the launch of two new features that are designed to make the app more user friendly. 1Password is improving the sign-in process on new devices and adding the ability to recover an account when a master password and secret key are lost.

With recovery codes, 1Password is providing a failsafe that will let customers back into their accounts in the event that a password is lost. 1Password already provides an Emergency Kit PDF that includes a Secret Key, and users are instructed to keep the Secret Key safe. The Secret Key allows for access to a 1Password account if the master password isn't available, but prior to now, if the Secret Key was also lost, there was no option for account recovery.

1Password users can now log in and generate a recovery code, which can be used to regain access to an account. The company recommends that customers go through the recovery code process immediately, as a recovery code can't be generated after a user is locked out of their 1Password account.

After a recovery code has been created, it can be used at any time to regain access to a 1Password account, though users will need access to the email address associated with their 1Password account.

Generating a recovery code can be done by going to the Manage Accounts section, selecting Sign-in and Recovery, and choosing the "Set up recovery code option." 1Password recommends that recovery codes be stored in a safe and accessible place.

1Password is also testing an updated sign-in experience in a beta capacity, with the new method aimed at making it easier to log in on a new device or through a web browser. When logging in somewhere new, users can now choose the Scan QR Code option from the top left account menu in 1Password and scan a QR code on the new device to log in.

The new sign-in option is available in beta and nightly release channels on 1Password for desktop and TestFlight for iOS. Recovery codes are available to all 1Password users.

Two new Apple Arcade games optimized for the Apple Vision Pro are set to launch on the headset, with Warped Kart Racers available today and Cityscapes: Sim Builder coming out on July 3.

Warped Kart Racers is a racing game that features characters from 20th Television animated shows like Family Guy, King of the Hill, American Dad, and Solar Opposites. Players can take control of one of 20 playable characters and race against friends across 16 maps that come from iconic show episodes. There's both a single player campaign and the option for multiplayer matches.

Cityscapes: Sim Builder was the ‌Apple Arcade‌ Game of the Year and an Apple Design Award finalist. Players are able to become the mayor of an up and coming city, developing careful, thought out systems to meet the needs of the city's citizens.

Power, clean water, garbage collection, pollution, and road traffic all need to be dealt with, and establishing a thriving city raises the power level and unlocks more city options. The game has a City Pass, which is a monthly event that includes exclusive parks, buildings, and landmarks.

Both Cityscapes: Sim Builder and Warped Kart Racers are available on existing Apple devices through ‌Apple Arcade‌, but the update will also allow them to be played using the Vision Pro's hand gestures and eye controls. In Warped Kart Racers, players use their hands to steer, drift, and throw objects, and in Cityscapes: Sim Builder, hand movements are used to lay roads and build neighborhoods.

Apple and third-party developers have made several ‌Apple Arcade‌ games available on the Vision Pro, including Game Room, What the Golf, Super Fruit Ninja, and Crossy Road Stories. Apple is releasing content updates for two Vision Pro games today, including Gibbon: Beyond the Trees and Bloons TD 6+.

‌Apple Arcade‌ is priced at $6.99 per month and provides access to up to six family members. ‌Apple Arcade‌ games do not include in-app purchases or other freemium features.

Satechi today announced the launch of its latest Qi2 product, a car charger that is able to mount to a vehicle's vents. The Qi2 Wireless Car Charger is able to charge a compatible iPhone at up to 15W, which is the same speed as an official MagSafe charger.

Like many of Satechi's products, the Qi2 Wireless Car Charger is made from an aluminum material that is designed to match Apple's devices It comes in a space gray color, with a soft black silicone charging pad available for the ‌iPhone‌. It clips on to a vent with a stabilizing clamp, and includes a 25W car charger and 3.3-foot USB-C cable. The mount is able to swivel, and it can be used in landscape or portrait mode.

Qi2 charging speeds are available on the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and later, with Apple adding support for the faster charging through software updates. All of Apple's ‌MagSafe‌ iPhones are now able to charge at the faster Qi2 speeds. As with ‌MagSafe‌, the ‌iPhone‌ will need to be caseless or equipped with a magnetic case.

The Qi2 Wireless Car Charger can be purchased from the Satechi website for $60.

In a WWDC 2024 coding video last week, Apple highlighted a recently-introduced API that allows developers to offer built-in Translate app capabilities in their own apps on iOS 17.4, iPadOS 17.4, macOS Sonoma, and later.

While the iPhone, iPad, and Mac already offer a system-level translation function for highlighted text, websites viewed in Safari, and more, the API provides a convenient solution for user-generated content like reviews. For example, if a user writes a review in Japanese, the text can be quickly translated to other languages.

iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia enhance the API by allowing translated text to appear in-line within an app, instead of in an overlaid Translate sheet.

Another language-related change on iOS 18 is bilingual keyboard support. For example, you can type in English and Korean on the same keyboard without having to manually switch languages, complete with word suggestions in each language.

iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia are currently in beta for developers. The software updates will be released later this year.

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS 14.6 update to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to test the software ahead of its launch. Today's public beta comes a few days after Apple released the initial developer beta.

Beta testers can opt-in through the Software Update section of the System Settings app. Under Beta updates, simply toggle on the Sonoma Public Beta. Note that you must sign up to participate on Apple's beta testing website.

No new Mac features were found in the macOS Sonoma 14.6 developer beta, so it is not clear what might be included. With Apple now working on macOS Sequoia, development on macOS Sonoma is beginning to wrap up.

Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming a few days after the initial iOS and iPadOS 17.6 developer betas.

Public beta testers can get the beta by opening up the Settings app, going to the Software Update section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 Public Beta. Signing up on Apple's beta testing website is required.

The new additions Apple promised for iOS 17 have all been implemented at this point, so it is not clear what will be included in iOS 17.6, and no features were discovered in the developer beta.

With Apple now shifting its focus to iOS 18, it is likely that iOS 17.6 will include bug fixes and other under-the-hood improvements.

Apple has also seeded the first public betas of upcoming watchOS 10.6 and tvOS 17.6 updates.

Apple today released Final Cut Pro 2 for the iPad and Final Cut Pro 10.8 for the Mac, two Final Cut Pro updates that it first announced back in May.

Final Cut Pro for ‌iPad‌ has been updated with new capabilities that are designed for the M4 iPad Pro models that came out earlier this year.

Live Multicam lets users capture up to four different angles of a single scene using connected iPhones and iPads. To make this feature work, Apple has created a Final Cut Camera app that captures video from each of the devices and feeds it into Final Cut Pro.

Users can get a director's view of each connected camera in real time, and the settings can be adjusted from the Final Cut Pro app. There are options for tweaking exposure, focus, white balance, ISO, shutter speed, and zoom to get the perfect shots. Preview clips are passed through to Final Cut Pro and then replaced with full-resolution files so users can quickly move from production to editing.

Final Cut Camera is available as a standalone app as of today and in addition to feeding footage to Final Cut Pro, it can be used as a video capture app for recording video with precise manual controls.

The updated Final Cut Pro for ‌iPad‌ app supports external projects, so users can create or open projects on an external device and import media without taking up ‌iPad‌ storage space. Apple added additional customization options to Final Cut Pro, including 12 color-grading presets, eight basic text titles, 20 soundtracks, and new dynamic backgrounds.

With the M4 chip, final rendering with Final Cut Pro is up to 2x faster, and it supports up to 4x more streams of ProRes RAW than the M1 chip. Final Cut for ‌iPad‌ works with the Apple Pencil Pro, adding support for barrel roll and squeeze, improving access to and control over tools.

As for Final Cut Pro for the Mac, it includes Enhance Light and Color, an AI feature that improves color, color balance, contrast, and brightness in one step. Smooth Slo-Mo, another new feature, blends frames of video intelligently to provide higher-quality movement.

Final Cut Pro for ‌iPad‌ 2 is available as a free update for existing users, with new users able to purchase it for $4.99 per month or $49 per year. Final Cut Pro for Mac 10.8 is also available as a free update for existing users, with new users able to purchase the software for $299.99. Apple has also released new versions of Compressor and Motion.