X2Pro pulled from the Mac App Store

[Michael Gissing]

I seem to recall expressing an opinion six months ago that there was a potential problem with having core functionality subbed out to third party developers. At the time I was told this was a non issue, indeed it was an advantage.

Sure this is just one person for one day but what happens to deadlines and workflows if Marquis was in cash flow difficulty and Apple bumps them off the app store for a month?? This is not a confidence booster to put it mildly.

[Marcus Moore]

In a worst-case scenario, there are other options for getting this audio out of X. Xto7 and then export an OMF from Legacy.

I think if Apple is going to continue to let a 3rd party serve this functionality (and there’s no way to know if this is a long or short term plan), then it’s only a matter of time before other developers emerge. In fact, I’m fairly certain I’ve heard that more OMF exports options are on their way.

There IS a downside to 3rd party OMF export if there’s only one supplier- but I still see an upside where specific functionality can be updated on a faster schedule than FCPX itself.

Apple never would have pushed out 17 updates to FCPX in the last year to address Legacy to X project translation. But Philip Hodgetts and his team have been able to do just that.

[Michael Gissing]

Putting core functionality into software and making it work before release means you don’t need third party developers to making so many updates.

I can see their may be upsides but my concern at the moment is that the downside is unacceptable when a single developer plus the apps store is the thin veneer of workflow stability.

[Darren Roark]

I also tried that. This particular project has so many sound edits that it was a mess when it got back to ye olde fcp7.

I do think that is Apple’s long term plan to have 3rd party devs handle this. When I was on the other side of this argument, I pointed out that FCS 3 was $1299 a seat where this is $300 for all the computers you personally own.

Knowing now that any AAF functionality comes with a licensing fee going to Avid, it makes sense that if you are one of the rare pro people who need that sort of thing you should pay a la carte.

And I do think that this is a major flaw in the logic of the App Store system. If I forgot to pay my internet bill, it would only affect me, in this case it affects customers of their software. It’s the old saying, cutting off your nose to spite your face.

[Michael Gissing]

AAF has a license fee but OMF doesn’t so the argument for not putting OMF functionality in FCPX holds no water for me.

[Craig Seeman]

[Darren Roark] “And I do think that this is a major flaw in the logic of the App Store system. If I forgot to pay my internet bill, it would only affect me, in this case it affects customers of their software. It’s the old saying, cutting off your nose to spite your face.”

The irony it’s not the third party developer so much as Apple’s handling the issue that impacts professionals using an Apple product. Rather than pulling the product they could have sought a number of other remedies while ensuring that professional users still had access to needed tools.

Darren, this is one of those cases where I think you should send an email to Tim Cook articulating your concern that Apple’s MAS store policies impair both the use and reputation of their own professional products. Their actions in handling an issue with a developer can actually result in both short and long term damage to your business and your relationship to your clients.

[Darren Roark]

Yes, I already have it written. As soon as he is back from China I plan on sending it.

It makes me miss Steve even more. So many things seem to be slipping away now.

[Craig Seeman]

[Darren Roark] “It makes me miss Steve even more. So many things seem to be slipping away now.”

I’ve heard Tim Cook is very responsive as well. You may not get an email back from him but you may get contacted from someone with authority to handle this…. but do consider that it was Cook responding to an email which set off the whole thing about something coming in 2013 in regards to MacPros.

[Darren Roark]

That was not to say that missing Steve meant I had any disrespect for Mr. Cook. I do feel that by the time the iPhone started to become so huge for them and Steve became very sick that their priorities shifted as a result. My point is, Mr. Jobs kept Pixar alive while he and them were hemorrhaging money.

I believe it was his strong and stubborn belief to keep them afloat whatever the cost meant he knew what it means to keep innovative tools in the hands of passionate professional creatives. I’m sure that’s not lost on Mr. Cook, but I doubt we will ever see the likes of that sort of mind in charge of our future toys in my lifetime.

[Michael Phillips]

I don’t believe AAF has a license fee. See:
https://amwa.tv/developers.shtml

Developers have access to specification files, sample files, reference files, and an open source effort underway, also SMPTE ratification, etc.

AAF has been an open standard for many years.

Licensing from Avid is around development of DNxHD in a product and the ability to call it DNxHD versus SMPTE VC3. So there is a license fee for the Avid Media Toolkit (AMT) with DNxHD, etc. that many vendors have adopted – for example Resolve and Redcine X Pro’s direct export of AAF. and MXF wrapped native DNxHD media. Same for camera and external recorders, etc. But AAF on its own does not have a license fee. There may be confusion that Avid started AAF as an extension to OMF 10-12 years ago, but many vendors are part of the organization, and anyone can join, vote, extend, etc.

Michael