Apple Updates iMovie and Numbers for iOS 8 [iOS Blog]

Apple has begun updating its own apps for iOS 8, with iMovie and Numbers receiving the first updates. While Numbers simply brings stability, iOS 8 support and iCloud Drive compatibility, iMovie goes a bit further with brand new features like video filters, an extension for the Photos app and more.

What’s New in Version 2.1

- Support for iOS 8

- Enhance video clips in the Photos app using the iMovie extension

- Choose from 10 Apple-designed filters to stylize a video clip or an entire movie

- Slow down, freeze, or speed up a portion of a clip*

- Save videos and iMovie project files to iCloud Drive

- Send videos to other apps on your iOS device

- Create titles using bi-directional text

- Support for Arabic, Australian English, Hebrew, and Mexican Spanish

* 2x speed-up is available on iPhone 5s, iPad Air, iPad mini with Retina display, and later devices.

The new updates allow amateur filmmakers to exert even more control over their videos, with the ability to enhance videos from directly within the Photos app and apply filters to their videos within iMovie to attain a certain look. Users can also speed up and slow down parts of videos, likely allowing users who didn't shoot in the video camera's slo-mo mode to make those changes.



Additionally, users can also move their footage around easier, using iCloud Drive to move videos and projects around their devices and also allowing other video editing and post-production apps.



iMovie is a universal app that's available for $4.99 [Direct Link]



Numbers is a universal app that's available for $9.99 [Direct Link]

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Posted in 2014 at 12:13AM, September 18

iWatch May Ultimately Replace iPod, No iPod Updates Expected in 2014

A research note (via Barrons ) from Christopher Caso, an analyst with Susquehanna Financial Group, reiterates previous analyst reporting about the iWatch, saying Apple is looking to enter production with a pair of screen sizes in the fourth quarter of 2014.



Caso says Apple has production targets of 5-6 million units, but believes the iWatch will "essentially replace the iPod in the consumer portion of AAPL's product lineup" and will see lowered iPod sales as a result of customers choosing the iWatch instead. The note says the iPod is not expected to be updated this year.





Apple CEO Tim Cook said earlier this year that the iPod "is a declining business", with sales dropping to under $5 billion in 2013, down from a peak of more than $8 billion in 2008. Apple's iPod lineup has not seen a significant update since Fall 2012, other than a minor color change to match the rest of Apple's portable offerings. The iPod Classic has not been updated in several years.



Apple has worked hard to have products at a variety of price points, from the $49 iPod Shuffle up to the 128GB iPad Air at $799, and then to the various Mac products.

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Posted in 2014 at 12:13AM, April 23