Final Cut Pro X: The war is on

The Feldman File

Earlier today, Apple made Final Cut Pro X available in the OSX App Store for $299.99 (U.S.). Since NAB, there have been many questions about how Apple would make the other applications in the previous Final Cut Studio suite available, and the company answered the questions today: Motion is available as a separate application, for $49.99, as is Compressor, for the same $49.99. Final Cut Pro X includes much of the functionality from Soundtrack Pro, Color and DVD Studio Pro, so I assume that those applications have been discontinued.

Yesterday, I noticed a number of posts on Twitter, saying that Adobe is looking for bloggers to become Premiere Pro "ambassadors". The reason is clear: Adobe has got to be very scared by Apple's new pricing. A full copy of Creative Suite 5.5 Production Premium costs $1.699. If you just want Premiere Pro, that's $799; After Effects is $999, and Audition is $349. In other words, it's cheaper to buy the Production Premium suite. I would say that Adobe has to lower its prices dramatically to compete with Apple, but that goes against Adobe's corporate philosophy, which is to continually raise, not lower, prices.

Avid is also feeling pain; the company launched a preemptive strike against Apple by making Media Composer available to Final Cut Pro users for $995 right before NAB, only to learn that Apple planned to sell Final Cut Pro X for $300 a few days later. Again, I don't expect Avid to drop its prices to compete with Apple; the company remains in somewhat fragile condition, and a price war is the last thing it needs. read more...