Apple's Challenges

Posted on June 26, 2011 by Larry

Since Apple launched Final Cut Pro X last Tuesday, I’ve had more than 3,500 emails that range from “I’m enjoying FCP X and creating useful projects,” to “FCP X will destroy my ability to make a living.” (And, ah, far worse, I’m sad to say.)

When I first saw Final Cut X, I was excited by its potential, but warned Apple that this release would be intensely polarizing to the editing community. It does not give me pleasure to see that I was right.

Worse, Apple has alienated the very people who can make a very visible statement as to the inadequacy of the program. No clearer example can be found than the public ridicule of FCP X on the Conan O’Brien show.

Or, as David Pogue wrote in his New York Times blog: “…let me be clear on this point — I think Apple blew it.”

With the possible exception of the launch of MobileMe, I can’t think of an Apple product launch which has spun more wildly out of control than this one. Apple did not just blow this launch, they went out of their way to alienate their key customer base.

Which is a shame, because FCP X has such great potential — but now, Apple has to concentrate on damage control, rather than getting people excited about the new program.

After the launch, Apple compounded their problems with three extremely poorly timed moves:

1. Canceling Final Cut Studio (3) and pulling all existing product from the market. This is devastating to shops that can’t use Final Cut Pro X. The two applications can co-exist on the same system — killing FCP 7 will not boost sales of FCP X to those shops that can’t run it. All it does is set up a black market for FCP 7.

2. Not providing – then publicly stating (thru David Pogue’s New York Times blog) that they do not plan to provide – a conversion utility from FCP 7 to FCP X. Not only does this render a HUGE number of past projects inaccessible, it sets up the obvious conclusion that if Apple is willing to discontinue support for legacy applications with no warning, what’s to prevent them from doing so again in the future? Every time you watch a movie that is more than 6 months old, you are dealing with legacy assets. Not providing a conversion utility is completely inexcusable.

3. Leaving the support for interchange formats – XML, EDL, OMF and others – to third-parties; or not supporting them at all. Yes, the video and film industry needs to move into the current century. However, Hollywood is very reluctant to change what works. Meeting deadlines is far more important than adopting new technology. Apple’s walled garden approach is totally at odds with the nature of post-production, where the editing system is the hub around which a wide variety of other applications revolve. On any editing project I routinely run 5-10 other programs simultaneously — only three of which are from Apple. I am constantly moving data between programs. This, combined with a lack of support for network-based storage, highlight grave development decisions in determining what features to include in the program.

NOTE: Apple told Pogue that they are working on providing the specs for their XML API. This is essential for any third-party developer to access conversion “hooks” in the program. David didn’t report that they mentioned when this would be available, however.

When I was talking with Apple prior to the launch, they told me that they extensively researched the market to determine what needed to be in the new program. In retrospect, I wonder what people they were talking with.

As I was working with the program, developing my FCP X training series, I often felt that the program was developed for two different audiences. Some features, effects for instance, are clearly geared for the iMovie crowd, while others, like trimming or 4K support, are geared for pros. The program sometimes felt like it wasn’t sure what it wanted to be when it grew up.

In FCP X, Apple got some things amazingly right. But they also got key features amazingly wrong. And if they don’t change course, this software, which has significant potential, is going to spin further and further out of control. At which point, its feature set is irrelevant, its reputation will be set. We’ll be looking at another Mac Cube.

Apple does not normally ever comment on future products – though they did this year, prior to WWDC, because they needed to reset expectations. Because of the visibility of this product into an audience that can cause extensive PR damage to Apple, I suggest that Apple break its usual vow of silence and do three things:

1. Immediately return Final Cut Studio (3) to the market. If it is not compatible with Lion (and I don’t know whether it is or not) label it so. But put it back on store shelves so consumers have the ability to work with the existing version until FCP X is ready for prime time.

2. Fund the development of a conversion utility – either at Apple or thru a 3rd-party – and announce the development with a tentative release date.

3. Publicly announce a road-map for FCP X that just covers the next 3-4 months. Apple needs to be in damage control mode and the best way to defuse the situation is to communicate. Answering the question: “What features will Apple add to FCP X, and when?” will go a long way to calming people down.

I have written in my earlier blog (read it here) that FCP X has a lot of potential, and, for some, it meets their needs very nicely. I still believe that.

I was also pleased to provide training on FCP X so that new and existing users can get up to speed on it quickly.

I don’t mind helping a product develop into its full potential. I enjoy providing feedback and helping people to learn new software. I don’t even mind that FCP X is missing some features; this is to be expected in any new software.

But I mind a great deal being forced to adopt a product because other options are removed, forced to lose access to my legacy projects, and forced to work in the dark concerning when critically needed features will be forthcoming.

This launch has been compared to Coca-Cola launching New Coke – resulting in a humiliating loss of market share.

With Final Cut Pro X, however, the situation is worse — with New Coke, only our ability to sip soda was affected. With Final Cut Pro X, we are talking losing livelihoods.

Let me know what you think,

Larry

253 Responses to Apple's Challenges

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Don B says:

June 27, 2011 at 10:22 am

What a mess. But wasn’t the writing on the wall?
– Apple is a consumer electronics company, not a pro user company
– everything Apple does will support their primary mission, consumer electronics
– Apple doesn’t make much money in the pro markets compared to what they make on iphones and ipads, which is clearly their future
– this isn’t a PR dust up because typical iphone/ipad users don’t care one bit what pro video editors have to say, and investors only care about the stock price, which FCP does not support (regardless of what any apologist would say)

We all knew it was coming. We all knew that FCP was dead. The only thing that survives is the name, which is meaningless because what they delivered is actually iMovie Pro.

It turns out to be a mistake to trust a consumer electronics company to take to heart the needs of video pros. I adopted FCP in 2005, invested countless hours and dollars in software, hardware training, seminars, conferences, etc., and now all of that is worthless. Should I start over and trust Apple to be the cutting edge video software company that I need? That would probably be foolish, since that is not their mission. A better strategy is probably to cut losses and look to companies that see creative pros as their market and producing software tools for them as their mission.

Furthermore, Apple has shown itself to be arrogant, secretive and unreliable with respect to pro users? Is it wise for video pros to count on them as partners? Are there any video pros who feel valued by them? Apple’s software products are designed for consumers who own Apple devices. Unless my business is based on producing work that’s shot on an iphone, they’re not my partner.

I feel especially bad for the Larry Jordan’s, Rich Harrington’s and Steve Martin’s; FCP trainers that I consider mentors and friends (though I know none of them personally). They served as guides and helped me learn the ropes, answered my questions and filled me with the possibilities of desktop video. These are great guys (and there are others) who I hope don’t get stuck trying to convince pros that this product work for them. Instead, I hope they begin training on Adobe stuff, because that’s where I’m headed. Hey, how about video software that’s 64-bit, cross platform and well integrated with a suite of quality apps that comes from a company that has supported creative pros for its entire existence? Sounds like a much better bet to me than trusting a consumer electronics company to keep me up to date in the fast changing, demanding world of pro video.
Bill Dawson says:

June 27, 2011 at 10:27 am

Apple clearly made a business decision to de-support the pro users.
I’m not happy about that but it’s their decision, not mine.

What I really don’t understand is why would they tick off people
with access to the media? After all, the pro users ARE the media.
Larry says:

June 27, 2011 at 10:27 am

As David notes in a later post, Kevin Monahan has been working for Adobe for a while. But it is true that Kevin became well-known as a Final Cut editor and co-founded the San Francisco Final Cut Pro User Group.

Larry
Ryan Ritchey says:

June 27, 2011 at 10:27 am

In the interest of calming everyone down a bit, let me offer this hypothetical: What if Apple hadn’t released this product as Final Cut Pro X? What if it had an entirely new name… Let’s say SuperVidEdit for the sake of discussion. If SuperVidEdit was a new product line (not FCP and not iMovie Pro) I think we could forgive Apple for things like not being able to import an FCP timeline (hey, this isn’t FCP, what did you expect!?) We could look at SuperVidEdit and see a piece of software with some incredible potential, but that clearly wasn’t there yet for many pro users. Fast forward a year or two, and Apple has released a few updates to FCP, and meanwhile upgraded SuperVidEdit into a pro-ready application.

It might sound far-fetched, but Apple could brand this as something else, and give us a few more FCP updates while the new software matures.

My full thoughts are here: http://bit.ly/jAQ6fv
Eyad says:

June 27, 2011 at 10:28 am

thanx for the article… we’re already looking at other editing options while we wait for Apple’s next move….

putting aside all the glaring problems with FCPx, another thing to keep in mind is how difficult it is for editors in some parts of the world to even download this software. I’m in Jordan for example which is considered a reasonably techy place in our neighborhood, but downloading 2gigs!!!! that’s like a monthly limit and super super slow… and we have a comparatively fast internet connection.
Tony says:

June 27, 2011 at 10:29 am

Well i have been an FCP user since version 1… when apple were struggling against pc’s .. the Graphics and Video users stuck by apple and helped build a market for them as we need grunty machines .. i believe it was the Avid… Media 100 photoshop illistrator etc that helped build apple… then FCP was released and most converted over the time… and was that money we poured in the helped greatly to research building ipods iphones and all these other things in about the last 8-6 years…. i went through my books and have spent $61,552 on apple products in the last 8 years.. and i have been only a 2 person company… Steve Jobs was quick to get up at a user group with all those professionals and tell people how great the new product is but not mention about dropping the features that are most needed that i listened with too with excitement… He knew the that there would be backlashs when the product was released… as after all these years steve would of known what is needed in the product but neglected to inform us of important changes … All we need to no what is the future of Final Cut… So all the people who supported FCP and apple because of there great products can do there business plan.. possible to stick with apple or port to PC… i think you owe us the much STEVE.. PLEASE EXPLAIN.. Your products are a lot about Communication.. So Please Communicate STEVE… Its just not FCP… its the other things we buy…
IPODS IPHONES LAPTOPS amd 12 Cores Etc

PS i have spent about 25 hours learning and dont like it at all
Jeff Hansell says:

June 27, 2011 at 10:37 am

Well, it does seem like Apple has just left the pro & what I’d call “advanced amateur” markets.

There is much more market share to be gained and growth potential in the consumer/prosumer market.

And frankly, with Premiere and Avid in place for many years, it’s probably a good long term move for Apple.

But those of us, myself included, who have been worshipping under the Apple tree now realize that we may not have the patience of Job(s) to wait for salvation or the next best thing from Cupertino.

Jeff
Larry says:

June 27, 2011 at 10:38 am

Richard:

Thanks for your note – it means a lot.

Larry
derek woods says:

June 27, 2011 at 10:58 am

I applaud your courage in writing this. i have watched your business grow, and have been a big fan of your newsletter. This could not have been easy.
Thanks, because you might make an impact in Cupertino more than most, and you could have taken the easy way out.
Scott Shucher says:

June 27, 2011 at 11:00 am

Thank you Larry for your very insightful FCP blogs. I too, am extremely disappointed at the release of FCPX and the subsequent moves by Apple. I have been somewhat of a Mac evangelist for all Apple products going back to my first Mac Plus(1 Meg Ram) and I’ve always tried to spread the Apple “Love”.

The current state of FCPX has me questioning long held loyalties. I am a 30 year professional in the broadcast and media production business. One of the great things about this business is the constant state of change. We never really get a chance to get bored with what we do, because the means with which we do it are constantly evolving. So it’s with great anticipation and excitement that I look forward to new hardware and software. I embrace new technologies and new techniques to improve my workflow and creativity, as well as the ability to give my clients a better product.

Unfortunately, as professional, FCPX has a host of shortcomings which make it unusable for me in a professional workflow. No need for me to detail them, as they’ve been well documented over the last week.

The bigger concern: Apple, with the release of FCPX, the discontinuation of FCS, has shaken the core of a long standing relationship. The biggest sadness here, is a feeling that I can longer trust a hardware and software partner with whom I’ve had a very successful and profitable relationship with over the past 25 years. (I can hear the laughter and celebration coming from San Jose and Burlington, MA from here–Adobe and Avid)

For the last 9 years I have been using FCP, I have touted it’s myriad of advantages over the Avid platform. Based on FCPX I can no longer do that. Among the Avid community, I’ll just have to stick my tail between my legs and walk away quietly.

I can’t, for the life of me, understand why Apple would build up a product to such a level of professionalism(FCS) and then let the whole franchise self destruct. (Which it will, along with a whole 3rd party economy) In the end, Apple will be left with a pretty nifty consumer editing application, and the rest of us who must make our living by servicing our client’s requirements, will, at some point, reluctantly, go crawling back to an inferior Avid or an Adobe Premiere platform.

Thanks again for your insightful blogs…