Apple exploring more ‘novel editing tools’ for Final Cut Pro, iMovie

Apple has filed for a patent (number 202200284) for a “media-editing application with novel editing tools.” It hints at future features for Final Cut Pro and iMovie.

About the patent filing

These apps — the first for video professionals, the latter for consumers —  allow users to edit, combine, transition, overlay, and piece together different media content in a variety of manners. However, Apple says that, in many cases, the designers experience inconvenience in manipulating graphical representations of the media content because of the shortcomings of the existing applications. 

Also, it’s often not possible to view the desired result until the designers finish manipulating the graphical representation. Apple wants to incorporate an in-line precision editor that can be opened in a composite display area.

Summary of the patent filing

Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent filing: “Some embodiments provide a media-editing application with novel editing tools. The media editing application provides an in-line precision editor that can be opened in the composite display area. In some embodiments, a selection of an edge between two clips expands a composite lane into two lanes, a first lane and a second lane. 

“The first lane is then used to perform edits to the left side of the selected edge, while the second lane is used to perform edits to the right side of the selected edge. In some embodiments, the first lane shows the additional media content available for the clip on the left side of the edge to include. The second lane shows the additional media content available for the clip on the right side of the edge to include. The additional media content is in the source media file, of which a clip represents a portion.