Apple Introduces Final Cut Server

Besides, Final Cut Studio 2, Apple also had another little surprise in store for the "Lights, Camera, Apple" presentation at the 2007 National Association of Broadcasters... Final Cut Server. This new server application provides media asset management and workflow automation for post production and broadcast professionals, and obviously integrates perfectly with Final Cut Studio 2.

A scaleable server application that supports workgroups of any size, Final Cut Server includes a cross-platform client that enables content browsing, review and approval from within a studio or over the Internet. Final Cut Server automatically catalogs large collections of assets and enables searching across multiple volumes via an intuitive user interface. Final Cut Server is designed to manage the flow of work, as assets and projects move from producer to editor to artist through the entire production process.

"Final Cut Server's powerful media asset management capabilities simplify managing the thousands of assets that make up a typical edit," said Rob Schoeben, Apple's vice president of Applications Product Marketing, in the press release. "And Final Cut Server's sophisticated workflow automation tools ensure projects flow smoothly through an organization, enabling everyone to be more productive."

"Apple has done it again-they've taken media asset management, simplified it and made it affordable, and most importantly, it works right out of the box," said Jeffrey Birch, vice president, Engineering, CBS Television Stations, in the press release.

Final Cut Studio 2 made Apple a serious competitor, but with the introduction of Final Cut Server, competitors like Avid must really be feeling the heat. Final Cut Server will be available this summer through the Apple Store, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of US$999 for one server and 10 concurrent client licenses, and $1,999 for one server and unlimited client licenses.