Apple still doesn't get iPad pros

Final Cut Pro and Pixelmator show why pro apps on the iPad still feel compromised.

- FILIPE ESPOSITO

When Apple launched Final Cut Pro for iPad (fave.co/4viPwhj) almost two years ago, I really wanted it to work. The macOS version already serves me very well, but it would be quite nice to be able to start projects on my iPad and finish them on my Mac if necessary. I tried it back then, ran into its limitations, and moved on.

Now, with Apple Creator Studio (fave.co/3RyeP0k), I decided to give Final Cut for iPad another try. Two years later, I realize that the problem isn’t just that Final Cut for iPad hasn’t improved. The problem is that Apple still hasn’t figured out how to actually make proper “pro” apps for the iPad.

The iPad hardware isn't the problem-it's the constraints of iPadOS.

‘PRO’ APPS CONSTRAINED BY iPADOS

Even after its Creator Studio updates, Final Cut Pro for iPad still feels like a secondary, companion experience compared to the Mac app. Many core features are still missing, others are simplified, and some workflows are limited by iPadOS itself.

If you expect to have a full Mac experience on the iPad, you'll likely end up as frustrated as I did. Keyboard shortcuts, essential for speeding up editing, are inconsistent on the iPad. Some work, some don't, which ruins muscle memory for those already familiar with the Mac version.

Then there's file management, which exposes one of iPadOS's biggest limitations. On the Mac, users can freely reorganize, move, or back up their Final Cut library. You can even create multiple libraries for different projects if you want.