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Report says dramatic, ambitious Final Cut Pro update coming in spring 2011

Apple will release a "spectacular" update to its Final Cut Pro professional video editing application this spring, a new report claims.

As reported by TechCrunch, a long-overdue update to the software will represent “the biggest overhaul to Final Cut Pro since the original version was created over 10 years ago” when it is released this spring. The Final Cut Suite saw its last major upgrade in July 2009 when Apple released Final Cut Pro 7.

According to people familiar with the matter, a "small group of video editors" visited the Apple campus to preview the new version of the software and provide "pro user feedback." Once source claimed the new release will include "low level architectural changes" as well as a "complete redesign of the user interface." The report also notes that the upgrade will most likely jump to 64-bit as well since users have been clamoring for it.

People who have previewed the unreleased software called the changes "dramatic and ambitious" with a pro-oriented focus, which should allay concerns that Apple had neglected Final Cut Pro in favor of its consumer video applications, namely iMovie.

The report's source claims that Apple plans to release the new product in spring 2011, possibly coinciding with the National Association of Broadcasters conference in April.

Last May, AppleInsider reported that Apple's Final Cut Studio suite was being retooled to better meet the needs of the company's mainstream base of prosumers and advanced home users. However, after Final Cut Pro users expressed concern over the prospect, Apple issued an official statement claiming that "the next version of Final Cut Pro will be awesome and [Apple's] pro customers are going to love it."

In September 2010, reports emerged that the next version of Final Cut Studio had been delayed until 2011 after Apple ran into some snags on the project. According to the report, differences of opinion between the teams working on Shake and Motion regarding an ideal unified interface for the suite "hamstrung" part of the project, causing several features to be deferred to a 2013 version of the software.

A "structural issue" also reportedly caused problems for Apple, especially since the company had reportedly diverted several key engineers to its iOS mobile operating system team.

Last month, reports surfaced that Apple plans to release the video production suite in March or early April of this year.

"Two versions are already running at beta level, one for Snow Leopard, and one for Lion," said one report. "Some new features will only be available on Lion's version, due to the changes made on QuickTime layer."