Final Cut updates due in March or April, Steve Jobs still sour on Blu-ray
Hardmac has kicked off the new year with some more rumors about Final Cut Studio being updated. We already knew (since the app wasn't updated last September) that Final Cut Studio has been due for some streamlining, and Hardmac says that, indeed, there are multiple beta versions running around. There are reportedly both versions for Snow Leopard and the new OS X Lion being tested at Apple, with the Lion version taking advantage of some new video magic made available in QuickTime. Apparently, the feature set isn't completely nailed down yet, but Hardmac reckons that both new versions should be available by March or April.
Hardmac's rumor report also mentions the Xserve, but before you get too excited, all they're saying is that there was a wave of strong feedback after Apple discontinued the hardware, including some from an Apple board member. The feedback reportedly says that the issue with Xserve wasn't ever the hardware -- it was the way Apple sold it. But it remains to be seen if that will change anyone's opinion about bringing it back in Cupertino, especially since a lot of that feedback was public anyway.
And finally, Hardmac claims to have read an internal memo from Steve Jobs himself about Blu-ray, and he reportedly holds his position that Blu-ray's DRM and licensing deals are far too restrictive for Apple to get involved with the standard. That's nothing new -- Jobs also says that without DRM on iTunes, Apple was able to hit sales records and even finally get the Beatles, and that the future of media is in digital distribution and streaming, not a physical medium. All solid thinking, if you ask me.
[via AppleInsider, MacRumors]
