iMovie is moving into the cloud...

Seth Weintraub
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January 01, 2009
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Yep, it isn't just iWork.  iMovie is moving into the Cloud as well.   As Stevo said:

The MobileMe launch clearly demonstrates that we have more to learn about Internet services.  And learn we will.  The vision of MobileMe is both exciting and ambitious, and we will press on to make it a service we are all proud of by the end of this year.

Check the details at Computerworld...

We can already hear the naysayers...flame away!

Comments (26)

Benjamin Dobson | January 01, 2009 - 8:28am

I wish you wrote as well on 9to5 as you did on Computerworld.

martin@tf (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 8:58am

If this happens it will certainly move cloud computing into the public eye in a big way.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 9:01am

whith Highly compressed MPEG/H264 and Real High Speed Internet connection why not but surely not in DV, HDV, MPEG2 or AVCHD, I doubt people are ready to upload 1 or 2GB before starting to cut and Title their home movies.

Maybe with a module that would on the fly and on the new Nvidia 9400/9600* equiped Mac, Load the raw material from the cameras compress It to a rerasonable File size and upload It "in the mobileMe cloud**" (à la Première Express Beta used at some point by YouTube). and Probably with a ton of preprossesed Theme and "Magic Movie" presets
Because Editing frame by frame a Movie Online is for now a nightmare (Bandwith, reactivity of the Web Browser, Frame precision).

Unless the usage of SproutCore allow already the usage of HTML5's features like Local Data to be processed with a loaded "cloudy" tool.

*which apparently is able to transcode Vidoe on the fly to MPEG4/H264)
** "In the cloud" still sound kinda wrong

Hypothesard (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 9:10am

whith Highly compressed MPEG/H264 [...] continuing
=>
Ok My bad,
You've got the same kind of approach, with the cloudy tool usable on Local Data, but you didn't talk about What would be uploaded (Raw Material or preprocessed video and on what Hardware generation)
and forgot to mention that Local Data usage "à la Google Gears" is part of the Future HTML5 specifications (and Apple is certainly more inclined to use now Future Standard than using some marked 3rd party Solutions even OpenSourceOne)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 9:20am

While web based computing is an interesting idea, I think that it will be an addition to the existing platform rather than replacing the existing format. To replace the existing format with web based computing altogether will somewhat limit the computing platform due to storage problems, subscription costs, bandwidth and connection speeds. Time will tell...

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 9:34am

I hope this is an optional feature because I'm totally NOT interested.

My bandwidth is slow enough as it is and I can see ISP's charging more.

MK (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 10:02am

Apple wants to sell hardware. Moving resource hungry app from computer to web takes away a reason for people to upgrade their machines

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 10:07am

Nice idea... for a 15 year old kid wanting to add a cover to his mobile phone video of a skateboarding dog, but come on... is imovie really moving the amateur way?

I really dislike this whole "cloud" thing. I have 3tb of storage at home and don't see any reason why I'd pay 100$ annually to get 10gb online... which I also already have on my own server by the way.

Curious to see how they will do it exactly but not at all excited about this one.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 10:20am

THIS IS INSANE! Is Steve trying to destroy Apple before he dies?

andrew. (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 10:31am

You really must be noob. Never diss the Steve. And say iMovie does move into the cloud, it probably be for the amateur user who doesn't want to fill their hd space with video clips and such. But who knows?

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 1:22pm

The Shadow Knows.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 02, 2009 - 12:34pm

Who on earth wants to upload GB's of rushes to some server in order to edit their stuff? Die hard fanboy might... but the again they are insane.

Jensonb (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 10:42am

Well now I need to buy a copy of Final Cut Express...Hmm, and I'll need a more powerful Mac to run that I guess so...

Dammit Apple, that was your plan all along! You crafty devils! Make iMovie a Web App rendering it consumer only and force us humble prosumers to use the prosumer product!

I tip my hat to you Mr. Jobs. You are indeed a clever one.

But joke's on YOU pal, I was gonna buy a MacBook Pro with Final Cut anyway!

Kev Orng (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 7:04pm

"rendering it consumer"

I hate to break your plate, but imovie is already consumer!
I tried to use it over Christmas and it drove me round the bend.

Although I think it's awesome that so many people are learning about editing video, (it makes those family vacation movies more tolerable) iMovie was never intended for anyone above a semi-serious hobbyist. I even find FCE a little limiting, but i'm in the production industry; I can see that FCE is a great tool for the prosumer or the serious hobbyist.

But iMovie is for my parents.

Patrick (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 10:42am

As long as these "cloud" moves are value-add type moves, like putting mail online but still maintaining a mail app, or putting calendar online but maintaining a calendar app, I'm alright with it.

Getting rid of the iMovie and iWork stand-alone apps and moving them to the "cloud" is one of the more retarded ideas I've ever heard. The only time I want to use web based apps is when I'm on my phone (scratch that, I want to use native iPhone apps on my iPhone, web apps only if a native app isn't available, even then, I'll usually wait until I get home).

I can't remember the last time I wanted to cut and edit a movie from my phone over a web connection. If you want the app available on all your platforms write a native version for all your platforms.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 3:55pm

This is ridiculous. iMovie is already bundled with every Mac. How can moving it to the cloud benefit anyone? It doesn't increase performance nor convenience.

Who comes up with this nonsense?

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 4:31pm

Maybe using iMovie as a free app that is downloadable to your Mac for use to do some quick editing but to have it access your video that is uploaded into the 'cloud' will never happen. Average Joe Consumer doesn't have the patience to wait for gigabytes of data to be uploaded so he can edit it and then wait while it is downloaded again. Although the ISPs who are capping their service would love the idea so they can charge outrageous fees for anything over the cap.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 4:53pm

this is really insane, if true

You simply CAN'T hack in javascript, no matter how good javascript framework - sproutcore - you have, what you CAN do in Cocoa. That's why all Google Docs suck, compared to office, that's why there is no web photoshop (inb4 photoshop express, that is more like "woohoo, lets play with images"), that's why there is no good video editing software online

apple wont change it ... there are boundaries of what you can do with javascript (and xml) in a browser. thats simply bullcrap.

Some part online? OK, I got it, but 100% online? no way...

by the way ... iWeb sucked from day 1.

DW (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 6:14pm

I would like it if iPhoto had integrated Flickr uploading the way Windows Photo Gallery does. The Flickr Uploader is pretty good, but not as quick and easy as an integrated solution.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 6:53pm

The "CLOUD" is the new code word for RENTAL SOFTWARE.

Rent software for an annual fee. NO THANKS!

Sounds like a Microsoft move to me.

Thank god for open source software.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 7:04pm

If iMovie and iWork move to the cloud to COMPLEMENT each other, I'd be super happy! If either application moves to the cloud without a standalone app on the side. I hate having to pay good money for the "promise" of use of an application, where NOTHING is in my control but in the control of the app provider, their servers, their ISP, my ISP....

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 7:12pm

WTF? After I just spent $71 to have iWork preinstalled on my new iMac, now you tell me iWork standalone apps are now legacy?? Is this what "the cloud" means to Jobs and Apple - fuck your hardware buyers over in order to run with the Googles and the M$ofts, at $100/year. I have just got the feel of iWork apps under my belt and I like - not perfect by any means, but worthy. A web app "iWorks" tied to iWebMailCal...never!!! I'll use Neooffice and the hell w. all of them.

I think it won't be quite as bad as all that when it finally comes out, but still, the concept sucks.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 8:20pm

So are you saying that if I want to continue to use iMovie, I have to shell out $100/month for Mobile Me? Um, sorry, I think I'll switch to Linux, if that's how you want to play it, Apple.

Anonymous Guy (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 8:48pm

I'm sure all will be fine. Have you ever known Apple to make the transition to anything overnight? They are still supporting PowerPC. I see this as being an option, not the be all end all. Some of you need to calm the EFF down.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 01, 2009 - 8:53pm

everyone chill out....OBVIOUSLY this would just be a supplement to the computer application. do you guys really think they are getting rid of the apps in favor of web apps? get real!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 02, 2009 - 1:07am

filling HDs is what Apple does best (time machine, intermediate codec anyone?) and real time scrubbing of video requires a lot of bandwidth. So it would make NO SENSE AT ALL to make iMovie an ONLINE app (I say NO TO CLOUD!)