Following Adobe’s decision to drop Mac support from its Premiere video editing software, Apple on Wednesday announced a promotion designed to ease the transition from Premiere to its own competing Final Cut solutions. Trade in Premiere, and you can get a free copy of Final Cut Express or upgrade to Final Cut Pro 4 for half price. Final Cut Express is normally US$299 and Final Cut Pro is normally $999.
Calling Final Cut Pro “the defacto standard for video editing on any platform,” Apple vice president of Applications Marketing Rob Schoeben noted, “There has never been a better time for Premiere customers to make the switch.”
Apple is also encouraging Windows users to make the switch to Final Cut Pro, which runs on Mac OS X only — the special deal is available to them as well. And what’s more, users who buy a new Mac can get Final Cut Express for $99.
Final Cut Express is aimed at video enthusiasts and others looking to capture, manage and edit digital video with more professional results than what’s available with iMovie, Apple’s mainstream consumer video editing application. Final Cut Express offers the same interface as Final Cut Pro; Final Cut Pro adds a slew of functionality like support for third party SD and HD video cards, EDL i/o, timecode display, RS-422 deck control, batch capture and export and much, much more.
Adobe Premiere users interested in taking advantage of Apple’s deal can fill out a coupon available on the Web site; when they mail in their Mac or Windows install discs, Apple will send out the free copy of Final Cut Express. The Final Cut Pro 4 deal is available through Apple retail stores and authorized retailers and requires a rebate to be submitted. Visit the site for more details.