iPad mini Why doesn't the new iPad mini have Final Cut Pro?

[WilliApple]

I was assuming at first that the new iPad mini could run Final Cut Pro because of the A17 Pro chip and that console level games can run on the mini, and a M series chip is required for that.

But I was let down by this new generation of iPad mini.

I may understand Stage Manager not running on this iPad because it was only comfortable to use with the dock hidden (I used an exploit to get stage manager on my mini, and its patched in 18.1 now), but why not just remove the dock in Stage Manager on the mini? I would say that Stage Manager was GREAT on the 6th gen iPad mini.

But Final Cut Pro is kinda crazy that it doesn't support. Yes a few app optimizations would need to be done, but they got Logic Pro running on the iPad mini 6 and I think the 5th one as well. Why not just make extra money by selling me a FCP subscription.

Also the dude in the chat had the guts to try to sell me a 13 inch M2 iPad Air coming from a mini 6... My theory is that Apple's long term solution is to ditch the iPad mini for much bigger models, which I personally am not a fan of at all.

And this will also make me assume that there isnt monitor support on this generation either. If I want to plug my mini into my monitor and get work done on there, having the option to edit videos on the go would be very nice. I love the idea of versatility like this, and unfortunately the new mini doesn't have this kind of versatility.

Could we see some optimization done to Final Cut Pro to run on the new iPad mini? I am disappointed that the iPad mini is not an upgrade for me because as someone who has access to Apple Intelligence, I have no use for it.

 

[Johnny365]

I think we should reserve judgement on what works / doesn’t work when the Mini 7 is in our hands. This is just one rep going off of his knowledge. It may not be accurate.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Processor power and RAM are only part of the equation. Making FCP work on the mini would require coding resources to re-format for the smaller display, plus resources for testing & maintenance.

And that requires a customer base willing to pay for the subscription in order to cover those costs. Plus it would have to be customers who ONLY use iPad mini; if they already have a sub for a bigger iPad and also use mini on the side - that’s not contributing anything additional to the bottom line, unless adding the mini is the “killer feature” that gets them to subscribe.

So I can see why Apple might be hesitant, if they think the market isn’t there.

Send feedback! www.apple.com/feedback

 

[TinaBelcher]

I don’t use Final Cut, but it’s frustrating that I’m now being forced to upgrade my second gen pencil to the pro, because the mini 7 won’t support my current one. So, I’m buying a pro supporting gadget for a device that does NOT support pro apps.

 

[ctjack]

I don’t use Final Cut, but it’s frustrating that I’m now being forced to upgrade my second gen pencil to the pro, because the mini 7 won’t support my current one. So, I’m buying a pro supporting gadget for a device that does NOT support pro apps.

As a potential new mini buyer (6 at the time) it was frustrating to shell out for high end pencil 2 that only works for mini, in case one has or tries to get 11 inch pro which works only with pencil pro.

Currently for new buyer it is one time high end purchase and that pen works almost on every latest model should one change the ipads.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I don’t use Final Cut, but it’s frustrating that I’m now being forced to upgrade my second gen pencil to the pro, because the mini 7 won’t support my current one. So, I’m buying a pro supporting gadget for a device that does NOT support pro apps.

Agreed, doesn’t seem like it would be THAT much of a technical hurdle to support both 2nd gen and Pro pencil. But ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ they didn’t, so my Apple Pencil Pro is sitting here waiting on the new mini to arrive. I arranged trade-in for the mini 6 but I expect I’ll be able to sell it to someone for the same or more pretty easily, since I’ll be throwing a pencil in with the deal 🫠

 

[TinaBelcher]

Agreed, doesn’t seem like it would be THAT much of a technical hurdle to support both 2nd gen and Pro pencil. But ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ they didn’t, so my Apple Pencil Pro is sitting here waiting on the new mini to arrive. I arranged trade-in for the mini 6 but I expect I’ll be able to sell it to someone for the same or more pretty easily, since I’ll be throwing a pencil in with the deal 🫠

The problem will be that I also use an iPad Pro M1, so I have to hold on to my gen 2 pencil. It’s gonna be a mess having multiple pencils and not mixing them up. It’s gonna feel like wasted money in the drawer…

 

[FreakinEurekan]

The problem will be that I also use an iPad Pro M1, so I have to hold on to my gen 2 pencil. It’s gonna be a mess having multiple pencils and not mixing them up. It’s gonna feel like wasted money in the drawer…

The Pro pencil is marked “pro” so they’re pretty easy to tell apart.

The M1 Pro to mini 6 was the first time that I didn’t have to buy a new pencil 😬 My 1st gen from the old… iPad Air I think? was also surplussed when I bought the M1 Pro. I shared the pencil between the Pro and mini 6 until I sold the Pro so the pencil will go with the mini 6.

Apropos of nothing… I really debated between the 11” M4 Pro and the mini 7. OLED and anti-reflective display would be super handy as a pilot. But the size, and 3x cost, dissuaded me. That M4 Pro just is so NICE to hold though 🥹

 

[TinaBelcher]

The Pro pencil is marked “pro” so they’re pretty easy to tell apart.

The M1 Pro to mini 6 was the first time that I didn’t have to buy a new pencil 😬 My 1st gen from the old… iPad Air I think? was also surplussed when I bought the M1 Pro. I shared the pencil between the Pro and mini 6 until I sold the Pro so the pencil will go with the mini 6.

Apropos of nothing… I really debated between the 11” M4 Pro and the mini 7. OLED and anti-reflective display would be super handy as a pilot. But the size, and 3x cost, dissuaded me. That M4 Pro just is so NICE to hold though 🥹

When did you get rid of your M1 Pro and how has it been living with the mini so far? I bought the mini 6 during release but I didn’t commit to it due to jelly scroll and sold it and bought the M1 Pro in November 2021.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

The more complex the software, the more it begs to be run on bigger-screen devices like Macs. FCPX is quite a complex bit of software. Screen space is key to making great use of it. Cramming it down into tiny screens would- in my estimation- make for quite a challenging editing experience... certainly a less efficient one.

I used to do most of my FCPX editing on a 27" iMac screen and that started feeling "cramped." When I went "separates" I chose a 40" ultra-wide and that feels "about right" for FCPX editing.

So while I'm a huge fan of iPad mini and use my "6" every single day, I'd have little interest in even trying to use FCPX on it if available. Basically... that's just too much app for a screen too small to really spread it out and use it well. Could it work? Presumably, FCPX could be run on an iPhone and maybe even mirrored to Watch... but at least for me, I would not even consider bothering to try. Perhaps the 40" screen has just spoiled me but even when I have to try to make do with a MB 16" screen when on the road, it feels insanely cramped. I typically want to save the FCPX editing chores until I can get back to the big screen.

OPs reference to Logic Pro makes a little more sense to me on even a Mini. Why? Because of lot of Logic is recoding and the interface being manipulated is the guitar or keyboard, etc. You could use a tiny iPad to capture new tracks and then pick up the project for mixing/editing when you can get back to a bigger screen.

FCPX is not really like that. Once it's time to use it, most of the things to be done involve using buttons/menus/etc within it- all UI elements needing to be big enough for fingers to be able to select them. It's likely the video to be edited is already shot. There is probably little equivalent to laying down a new musical passage using a guitar or keyboard. So I can readily grasp how LP could be on any size screen but FCPX might be reserved for larger screens.

But that's just my own opinion. Those who would want it on this "7", I hope you get your wish.

 

[ctjack]

The more complex the software, the more it begs to be run on bigger-screen devices like Macs. FCPX is quite a complex bit of software. Screen space is key to making great use of it. Cramming it down into tiny screens would- in my estimation- make for quite a challenging editing experience... certainly a less efficient one.

I used to do most of my FCPX editing on a 27" iMac screen and that started feeling "cramped." When I went "separates" I chose a 40" ultra-wide and that feels "about right" for FCPX editing.

So while I'm a huge fan of iPad mini and use my "6" every single day, I'd have little interest in even trying to use FCPX on it if available. Basically... that's just too much app for a screen too small to really spread it out and use it well. Could it work? Presumably, FCPX could be run on an iPhone and maybe even mirrored to Watch... but at least for me, I would not even consider bothering to try. Perhaps the 40" screen has just spoiled me but even when I have to try to make do with a MB 16" screen when on the road, it feels insanely cramped. I typically want to save the FCPX editing chores until I can get back to the big screen.

But that's just my own opinion. Those who would want it on this "7", I hope gets their wish.

And i think that is why more gimped (funny yeah cause GIMP is gimped Photoshop) apps like Lumafusion are getting popular because of tiktok and insta bloggers. Those guys do not need 5 lut layer support and 3 types of audio sync, so the interface of dedicated video editing apps for phones make the buttons bigger while cutting out the unneeded tools.

Yeah, fcpx would be crazy on a mini screen. It is not fun even on 13" laptops.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

When did you get rid of your M1 Pro and how has it been living with the mini so far? I bought the mini 6 during release but I didn’t commit to it due to jelly scroll and sold it and bought the M1 Pro in November 2021.

I used a 12.9" M1 from release for about 18 months before selling it... so bought May 2021 (trading in my iPad Air), sold around the end of 2023. I was "attempting" to make it my laptop replacement and I tried REALLY HARD to like it - but there were just too many things "only a Mac can do" and it was becoming a PITA to remote into my Mac mini for all of them, so I got a MacBook (16" M1 Max) and sold the iPad Pro.

I'd been coveting the mini 6 for quite a while. I'd had an original mini and REALLY missed the form factor. I finally bought one about a year ago. Basic 64GB Wi-Fi only, after all it was a "Secondary" iPad just for reading books mostly. Jelly scroll is a non-issue for me, I can see it if I look for it but I don't look for it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. I found that I was using it more and more for lots of things besides reading, and the Pro less and less (other than remoting into the Mac mini). Plus then I started flying again this year, and the iPad mini is AWESOME as an EFB (Electronic Flight Bag). I've been wanting to upgrade to 256/Cellular but the mini 7's been "Just around the corner" for months, so I kept waiting... I have a 512GB Cellular ordered.

 

[JPack]

Probably because A17 lacks virtual memory swap.

 

[ChrisA]

I don’t use Final Cut, but it’s frustrating that I’m now being forced to upgrade my second gen pencil to the pro, because the mini 7 won’t support my current one. So, I’m buying a pro supporting gadget for a device that does NOT support pro apps.

I use a $13 Chinese pencil. It lacks pressure sensitivity but I don't use that. There are lots of cheaper pencils.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I use a $13 Chinese pencil. It lacks pressure sensitivity but I don't use that. There are lots of cheaper pencils.

I used one for a while and frankly - it was fine. Gave it to a cousin for his iPad. The only hassle with it was that I had to plug it in to charge; and you had to turn the pencil "On" to draw. Basically NO difference that I'm aware of between the Chinese budget pencils and the USB-C Apple Pencil as far as basic writing. Maybe some of the drawing features; I don't use those.

 

[zerocharlie]

I don’t use Final Cut, but it’s frustrating that I’m now being forced to upgrade my second gen pencil to the pro, because the mini 7 won’t support my current one. So, I’m buying a pro supporting gadget for a device that does NOT support pro apps.

I have this same frustration. It’s hard to rationalize why the Pencil 2 couldn’t (isn’t) supported. I also think it solidifies the ridiculousness in Apple’s use of “Pro” in product names.

If it’s not a “Pro” device and is theoretically for consumers, let the consumer accessories work. Don’t force us to buy a “Pro” one.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I have this same frustration. It’s hard to rationalize why the Pencil 2 couldn’t (isn’t) supported. I also think it solidifies the ridiculousness in Apple’s use of “Pro” in product names.

If it’s not a “Pro” device and is theoretically for consumers, let the consumer accessories work. Don’t force us to buy a “Pro” one.

But you're not forced to buy the Pencil Pro. You can also use the Pencil USB-C.

You just can't use your OLD pencil.

A distinction without a difference, perhaps... but only for upgraders, not for new buyers.

 

[LibbyLA]

The problem will be that I also use an iPad Pro M1, so I have to hold on to my gen 2 pencil. It’s gonna be a mess having multiple pencils and not mixing them up. It’s gonna feel like wasted money in the drawer…

I used washi tape on my pencils so I know which one goes with which iPad. I have two devices that use Pencil Pro and a PP for each. Will be getting a Mini 7 and another PP. Have two devices that use Pencil 2 and I have three of those (I kept the one I bought for my dad’s Air 4 when my brother got it and he got an inexpensive clone pencil that charges magnetically).

 

[LibbyLA]

I used one for a while and frankly - it was fine. Gave it to a cousin for his iPad. The only hassle with it was that I had to plug it in to charge; and you had to turn the pencil "On" to draw. Basically NO difference that I'm aware of between the Chinese budget pencils and the USB-C Apple Pencil as far as basic writing. Maybe some of the drawing features; I don't use those.

There are budget pencils for a little more than charge magnetically just like the Apple brand pencils.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

There are budget pencils for a little more than charge magnetically just like the Apple brand pencils.

Not surprising. This was over a year ago that I tried one.

 

[Astuces iOS]

Your post is in the top lol… Ok here is actually reasons :

- The mini isn’t very performant like we think… It may have a multicore of 7100 when the iPad Air m1 has 8200… But ok this is not the main reason… Intel Macs can run Final Cut Pro…

- Too small… You have a timeline at the button, the video at the top and others things at left or right like titles, effects…. How do you want all this on a 8 inch display… very difficult to manipulate with fingers…

- Mini does not support a Magic keyboard, probably a good reason… a lot of people said Final Cut Pro on ipad with fingers is kind difficult…

- And finally a marketing trick… apple wants you to buy the ipad Air….

 

[Astuces iOS]

And for the guy who said you might get the iPad Air 13 inch well it’s kind huge when you comme from the iPad mini… Almost 3 times bigger… Not really a portative tablet… not bad but mini is lighter and good to go… you can even put it in a big pocket… try this with the iPad Air 13 inch lol…

 

[rui no onna]

I use a $13 Chinese pencil. It lacks pressure sensitivity but I don't use that. There are lots of cheaper pencils.

I have a couple of these. I keep one in the office and another one in my purse. Works just fine for notes and PDF markup which is all I use the Pencil for.

It’s pretty nice that these clones don’t require pairing. I can easily markup documents on my 11” and 12.9” 2021 Pros simultaneously without missing a beat.

I remember back when I was using the Pencil 1, I had to keep switching between two different Pencils when marking up documents on the 9.7” 2016 Pro and 12.9” 2017 Pro simultaneously.

 

[Treborray]

Final Cut Pro crashes everytime I tried to use is on my M2 iPad Pro. I couldn't imagine it on the Mini

 

[klasma]

My 1st gen from the old… iPad Air I think? was also surplussed when I bought the M1 Pro.

The Pencil 1 can actually be used with the current M4 iPad Pro (the M1/M2 probably too, not sure), using a compatible Lightning to USB-C adapter and a Bluetooth app to establish the pairing. It’s not officially supported, but it works.

The problem with the Pencil 2 is that it has no connector to perform the same trick, and for charging.