To say that the response to Apple’s all-new Final Cut Pro X was mixed would be putting it mildly. While users of the new version are still waiting (im)patiently for a first update to that app, Apple has quietly slipped the previous Final Cut Studio 3 back onto the radar, which is again available for sale -- if you know where to look.
MacRumors is reporting that the legacy Final Cut Studio 3 bundle carrying the part number MB642Z/A is once again back on the market after having its knees capped when Final Cut Pro X hit the Mac App Store in June. However, don’t expect any kind of blowout pricing -- the full suite remains at $999, with educational customers getting a $100 discount, and you won’t find it online or even in retail stores.
You may recall the firestorm of controversy that erupted when Apple released Final Cut Pro X in June, alongside new Mac App Store only versions of Compressor 4 and Motion 5. Reaction ranged from mixed to downright hostile, particularly with Apple’s announcement that the legacy Final Cut Studio was immediately discontinued without warning -- leaving pro users with no way to buy additional seats and essentially forcing new users down the X path.
The move also brought a sad end to other components of Final Cut Studio, including Soundtrack Pro, DVD Studio Pro and Color, although some of that functionality has been rolled into Final Cut Pro X. So what made Cupertino change their minds about selling the costly bundle once again? According to Jim Dalrymple at The Loop, it was simple economics.
“As we’ve done before with many end-of-life software products, we have a limited quantity of Final Cut Studio still available through Apple telesales to customers who need them for ongoing projects,” an Apple spokesperson explained to Dalrymple.
No word on whether or not users of earlier Final Cut Studio 1 and 2 bundles can get upgrade pricing, but if you’re in the market for the classic Final Cut Pro (which actually runs better than ever under OS X Lion, ironically), we’d suggest picking up the phone and dialing 800-MY-APPLE -- it’s not available online or at retail unless you can find an authorized reseller who still has inventory.
Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter
