Hey, I was wondering, how often apple releases a major upgrade?

I bought FCS 1 about a week before FCS 2 came out in April, and was wanting to upgrade, but I am willing to wait until next April to get the third one if it is coming.

According to Wikipedia:

NAB 1998 - alpha version demo'd
NAB 1999 - FCP
Jan 2001 - DVD Studio Pro
Mar 2001 - FCP 2
Dec 2001 - FCP 3
Apr 2002 - Cinema Tools
NAB 2002 DVD Studio Pro 1.5
NAB 2003 - FCP 4, DVDSP 2, Livetype, Soundtrack and Compressor
NAB 2004 - FCP 4.5 re-named FCP HD, DVDSP 3, Motion, Livetype 1.2, Soundrack 1.2
Aug 2004 - Production Suite intro
NAB 2005 - FCP 5, Final Cut Studio (Motion 2, DVDSP 4, Livetype 2, Soundtrack Pro, Compressor 2)
Mar 2006 - Universal version of Final Cut Studio, end of standalone programs
NAB 2007 - Final Cut Studio 2 (FCP 6)

Draw your own conclusions. Apple hasn't said anything official to the best of my knowledge. But if you can wait then there's never much harm...

I wish an Apple insider knew...or at least knew and let everyone knew.

I've been using FCP since version 3. And as Boyd's post shows, on average FCP gets revised every 2 years with one major update and a bunch of little ones in between.

If you're okay until next April - I'd wait. I only upgraded because I wanted to start learning Color.

I wish an Apple insider knew...or at least knew and let everyone knew.

As a user of FCP since fall of 1999...

FCP news just plain does not leak out. This is even with a few beta testing sites here in Los Angeles, most of which being working post houses with non-employees working on their machines (or at least, this is the way they were doing things circa FCP4).

Apple keeps a tight lid on it, and the people entrusted with the info respect their wishes. And it's been that way for 8 years.

Another thing that would be interesting to find out, is whether or not FCS 3 will be cheaper than $1299.

The signs I see points that it will...but maybe not.

I saw that Logic Studio is $500 after Logic Pro 7 was $1000...I bought Logic Pro 7 in Feb.

And then to see the price of FC Express 4 for only $199, I really like to see those price drops...I just want to see the same thing with FCS 3.

"And then to see the price of FC Express 4 for only $199"

And FCE 4 also lost Soundtrack and a lot of info from Livetype. Also lost some little things like right button functionality, etc. FCS2 gained Color and some new features like the mixed media timeline. So caveat emptor; you gets what you pays for.

Yes, I'm sure FCE users are disappointed but it's still a great deal for the money. It's a repositioning of the product in the marketplace.

Apple seems to be setting up it's products for the major markets for video editing software.

1) Consumer: iMovie
2) Prosumer: FCE
3) Professional: FCS
4) Professional (large scale): Final Cut Server

I say "seems to be" because (as Nate said) Apple's moves are almost impossible to predict. Been an Apple user since since my first computer (Apple IIe with a smoking 64KB of RAM baby!) and I'm still surprised by most of the things they do.

Been an Apple user since since my first computer (Apple IIe with a smoking 64KB of RAM baby!)

Gee, you're just a newbie. Got my Apple ][ in 1978 and it was a stretch, but I went for 16K RAM which was the max (the standard was 4K) :-)

Gee, you're just a newbie. Got my Apple ][ in 1978 and it was a stretch, but I went for 16K RAM which was the max (the standard was 4K) :-)

Yeah, I was a late adopter. But In my defense - I was 2 years old in 1978. Spent the whole summer of 1984 picking fruit to save up the money to get my Apple IIe.

Fantastic computer. I was still using it for school papers up until 1995.

Just my opinion, but I'd expect a big, free FCS 2.5 update (something akin to FCP 4.5 a few years ago) before FCS 3.0. Between Leopard and the iPhone I think FCS 2 got the short end of the stick (ex. all the known bugs Color shipped with) and Apple will gift a healthy .5 update to make up for it.


-Andrew

The only update you should be expecting is DVD Studio next month which is rumored to allow authoring of actual High Definition discs.

Okay we are Area 51 now so I can say....

More likely than FCS 3 is "Phenomenon, the new incarnation of shake based on the motion code.

http://www.macrumors.com/2006/06/21/end-of-shake-phenomenon-in-2008/

That story is dated June 21, 2006....

...new software is not expected until 2008.

The above quote was from the Macrumors article given earlier. Funny how fast 2008 got here isn't it?

There's no chance they include this (supposed) beast in Studio3 is there? Maybe create a second Studio bundle with the usual stuff plus Phenomenon and Logic Pro for an extra $1.5k?

This isn't something I've followed so I just don't know. But considering the crazy pace of things at Apple, I wouldn't spend a lot of time looking at predictions for 2008 which were made in 2006. :-)

Boyd,
True. I'm still waiting for my easy button editing. Can you imagine FCP interface that only has a logging window and a few big glowy buttons labled, "fast-paced edit" "slow-sweet edit" "make it cooler" "make it modern" "cinematic" "make it not suck"

It might be a while before I get these options.

Okay we are Area 51 now so I can say....

More likely than FCS 3 is "Phenomenon, the new incarnation of shake based on the motion code.

http://www.macrumors.com/2006/06/21/end-of-shake-phenomenon-in-2008/
Uh, wasn't Motion based (at least in part) on Shake?

I wouldn't spend a lot of time looking at predictions for 2008 which were made in 2006. :-)

I agree totally. I just think a new incarnation of shake is more likely than a new FCS.

I agree totally. I just think a new incarnation of shake is more likely than a new FCS.

I expect three things from the Pro Apps this year...the new Shake, DVD Studio Pro 5 (Blu-Ray Support only given the recent Warner News although they might keep HD DVD authoring to regular DVD-R's), and Final Cut Server (this is a definite as per Apple's website, should be very soon actually).