Apple releases AI-powered Final Cut Pro 11 for Mac and iPad

WEB DESK: Apple has unveiled a significant update for its Final Cut Pro video editing software, introducing version 11 for both Mac and iPad.

This marks the first major update to the software since 2011, with Apple now leveraging the power of its M-series chips to bring a host of intelligent features to the platform.

One of the standout additions is a new AI-powered tool called Magnetic Mask. This feature allows editors to isolate people and objects in a video without needing a green screen or tedious rotoscoping techniques. It’s perfect for those wanting to customise backgrounds and apply effects with precision.

Another impressive AI feature is Transcribe to Captions, which automatically generates closed captions from spoken audio in a video using an advanced Apple-trained language model. This makes the editing process much faster for content creators working with audio-heavy projects.

Additionally, Final Cut Pro 11 now supports editing spatial video, enabling users to work with footage from devices like the iPhone 15 Pro and Canon’s R7 camera. Editors can add effects, adjust depth in footage, and even preview left and right eye angles for 3D content.

For those using a Vision Pro headset, the software allows spatial video editing on a Mac using the Mac Virtual Display, and edited videos can be exported directly to the Vision Pro’s Photos library or shared via apps like Vimeo.

There are also a range of other new features aimed at improving workflow efficiency, including Vertical Zoom to Fit for timeline scaling, new Picture in Picture and Callout effects, and improved keyboard shortcuts.

On the iPad version, Final Cut Pro 2.1 introduces one-tap colour and lighting enhancements, along with haptic feedback for Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard users. New drawing tools, expanded modular transitions, and support for high-frame-rate footage further enrich the iPad editing experience.

In addition to these updates, Apple has also refreshed its Logic Pro for Mac and iPad, as well as other tools like Motion and iMovie. Final Cut Pro 11 is now available for $299.99 for Mac or via a subscription for iPad at $4.99 per month or $49 per year. Existing users can update to the new version for free.

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