Final Cut clips can finally be unlocked from the primary timeline — hallelujah.
Apple
Apple has updated its Adobe-rivaling Apple Creator Studio software suite just in time for the arrival of the new M6 iMac and 14-inch MacBook Pro.
One of the biggest additions is built-in MotionVFX tools for the Final Cut Pro app, following Apple's acquisition of the former earlier this year. In a press release, Apple said the integration of MotionVFX provides editors with "rapid access to extensive professional video effects and content." These include graphics, themes, titles and transitions, as well as specialized rotoscoping and color grading tools. The Content Hub that lives within Final Cut Pro also contains curated stock videos, photos and backgrounds that can be used in projects.
Apple says it has also improved workflows that spread across multiple apps in the suite, so you can now take any image from your timeline in Final Cut Pro and open it in its advanced image-editing software, Pixelmator Pro, for tweaks. Any changes are applied directly to the original project without needing to reimport the edited version. Another useful addition is the ability to disconnect clips from the primary timeline in Final Cut Pro and place them anywhere (finally).
Inevitably, AI's presence can be felt across all of Apple's apps, with text-to-image generation and editing tools added to both Final Cut Pro and Pixelmator Pro. In the latter, you can draw a circle over an area of an image and write a prompt for what edits you want applied. In Logic Pro, Apple has teamed up with OpenAI on a new assistant that can edit existing projects, start new songs and generate vocal tracks from text prompts. The same chatbot can be summoned in Keynote, Pages and Numbers for various app-specific tasks like animating slides or organizing data.
There are plenty of other smaller quality-of-life additions for creators, like additional keyframe easing options in Final Cut Pro and the ability to isolate or swap out drum parts with the Stem Splitter in Logic Pro.
To use the new in-beta assistant in Logic Pro for Mac you'll need an Apple Intelligence-supported Mac running macOS 27 Golden Gate or later. Apple's AI tools also need to be built into your iPhone, iPad or Mac running the latest software version to make use of the chatbot in Keynote, Pages and Numbers. Some Final Cut Pro features require Apple silicon to work, and any Mac running the Apple Creator Studio version of the program needs to be running on macOS 26.6 or later.
The updates will be available for free in November for existing subscribers. Apple Creator Studio costs $13 per month or $129 per year, and any new subscriber can try it out first with a one-month free trial. You also get three free months included with a new Max or certain iPads. Final Cut Pro ($300), Logic Pro ($200) and Pixelmator Pro ($50) can also be purchased individually.