Pro apps, FCPx and Apple priorities. Now You get it?

[Craig Seeman]

Well, now that the Pros won’t buy it they’re moving to plan B. They have full FCPX marketing pages on the site but they’ve never been featured on the home page. They’re not going to pretend FCPX doesn’t exist but they’ve been very low key since the SuperMeet.

[Craig Alan]

https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/71/862364

OSX 10.5.8; MacBookPro4,1 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5 GHz MacPro4,1 2.66GHz 8 core 12gigs of ram. GPU: Nvidia Geoforce GT120 with Vram 512. OS X 10.6.x; Camcorders: Sony Z7U, Canon HV30/40, Sony vx2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Chris Harlan]

It hasn’t been marketed to much of anyone. I suppose you could count that weird, impromptu NAB pre-screening, but that event is up to interpretation. To me, it looked more like the result of internal debate, and not a reach out to Pros.

As to the Splash Screen, that’s true. But consider what that means. Every other version of FCP was released with fanfare and splash screen. Why not X? You say it is because it is not ready. Maybe. But maybe they just don’t care about it any more. Maybe it is so small a part of their future, that their real concern is not giving editors the tools that they want, but getting a NLE on the hardware they want to sell. Form over functionality.

Who’s right? I have no idea. Apple certainly won’t tell you.

[Craig Seeman]

[Chris Harlan] “But maybe they just don’t care about it any more.”

So they spent money and time doing R&D for what purpose?
If it had no value they’d kill it and move on.

Companies don’t spend what is probably millions of dollars and a few years for something they don’t care about and release it

It has some intended market and, given Apple is not primarily a software company, they thought it would move hardware but apparently it’s not ready for any market. Apple has always been about marketing and something isn’t happening here. There are many possibilities but the only one I’d discount is “don’t care.” That they even put up a FAQ page means they care otherwise they’d just let it die. That they are quietly speaking to/meeting with certain people means they care. They’re trying to solve a problem and right now, until they resolve it one way or another, they’re holding off on marketing it.

[David Lawrence]

[Craig Seeman] “Well, now that the Pros won’t buy it they’re moving to plan B. “

This doesn’t look like a plan B to me.

[Chris Harlan] “To me, it looked more like the result of internal debate, and not a reach out to Pros.”

Yes. I’m willing to bet there’s much debate going on inside Apple these days.

[Craig Seeman] “They’re trying to solve a problem and right now, until they resolve it one way or another, they’re holding off on marketing it.”

I agree, this sounds right exactly right. Where they land nobody knows.

_______________________
David Lawrence
art~media~design~research
propaganda.com
publicmattersgroup.com
facebook.com/dlawrence
twitter.com/dhl

[Chris Harlan]

[Craig Seeman] “So they spent money and time doing R&D for what purpose?
If it had no value they’d kill it and move on.
“

I specifically did not say it had no value. They undoubtedly hope that it will help them sell laptops and tablets, and they are most likely right. But it is of far less interest to them as a part of their business then it was even four years ago.

[Craig Seeman] “That they even put up a FAQ page means they care otherwise they’d just let it die. That they are quietly speaking to/meeting with certain people means they care. They’re trying to solve a problem and right now, until they resolve it one way or another, they’re holding off on marketing it.”

Sorry. I just do not see the few meager things they have done, and the few rumored conversations that they have had as anything approaching caring. To me, what they are is silent. I think that is a growing consensus. And, I think their silence speaks loud and clear.

[Craig Seeman]

[David Lawrence] “This doesn’t look like a plan B to me. “

I was being a bit tongue in cheek about that. That page has about the same “value” as their “professional” marketing page at the moment to me.

[David Lawrence] “I agree, this sounds right exactly right. Where they land nobody knows.”

We may have to look at the rumor mill to see the Apple job ads. We’ll know who’s been fired amongst the managers and marketing dept.

While we can argue about FCPX as a program, at least I think the programmers have something in mind. It looks like marketing had no clue how to promote this whether as a foundation for a new system or anything else for that mater.

[David Lawrence]

[Craig Seeman] “It looks like marketing had no clue how to promote this whether as a foundation for a new system or anything else for that mater.”

Agreed. As much as, if not more than anything else, this fiasco is an epic marketing blunder, one I think they’ll be studying in business classes years from now.

_______________________
David Lawrence
art~media~design~research
propaganda.com
publicmattersgroup.com
facebook.com/dlawrence
twitter.com/dhl

[Craig Seeman]

[Chris Harlan] “Sorry. I just do not see the few meager things they have done, and the few rumored conversations that they have had as anything approaching caring. To me, what they are is silent. I think that is a growing consensus. And, I think their silence speaks loud and clear.”

Caring means they’re talking to people and taking an assessment. They could pull FCPX immediately if they felt selling it would cost them. They wouldn’t be taking to anybody but they are.

[Chris Harlan] “But it is of far less interest to them as a part of their business then it was even four years ago. “

Generally if Apple has a weak component they do one of two things drop it or do some radical changes. They’re computer sales are on an upswing. I don’t doubt they’re assessing how they can sell MORE iMacs and MacPros (or whatever replaces them). FCPX itself was designed to force computer upgrades (although that strategy may not work currently for obvious reasons).

[Leo Hans]

Take a look at Canon.
Canon updates:

– Consumer cameras every two months.
– Rebel cameras every year or year and a half
– 40D->50D->60 every two years
– 5D every three years
– 1D every three or more years

Does that mean Canon is dropping the pro line? Not any chance.
Apple has made a major overhaul on FCPX. They had made a mess with the way they comunicated but the software is very powerful. It needs updates, but they are coming.

Leo Hans
Editor AVID – Final Cut Pro
https://www.leohans.com