Apple is taking its creative subscription to the next level: A comprehensive update brings new AI tools to Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro, integrates Pixelmator Pro more deeply with other apps, and adds long-awaited features to Keynote, Pages, and Numbers. Much of this runs directly on the device.
With Apple Creator Studio, Apple bundles its professional creative apps into a single subscription – a model the company has been continuously expanding since launching the creative subscription earlier this year. The newly released update is the biggest step since the launch and impacts all included programs. The focus is on new AI features, many of which work on-device, as well as tighter integration between the individual apps. The update is available free of charge for existing subscribers.
New AI tools in Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro, Apple's video editing app for Mac and iPad, receives the biggest feature upgrade. Two new AI tools perform on-device processing: "Generate Captions" automatically transcribes audio and places the subtitles appropriately in the timeline, including options for animation style, font, color, and position. "Edit Detection" analyzes an already rendered video and breaks it down into its original clips – useful for refining edits or quickly compiling a highlight reel for social media without having to manually search for previous edit points.
On the Mac, additional tools are available. "Auto Mask" isolates individual image elements by using AI to automatically recognize subjects like skin, hair, sky, foliage, or clothing - a mouseover displays a live preview of the recognized element, eliminating the need for manual tracking. This is complemented by "Magnetic Mask," which gives you full control over what is identified and tracked. A revamped "Color Matching" feature more naturally blends colors across different shots and lighting conditions, and enhanced cropping allows for precise fine-tuning of incoming and outgoing frames. Apple also provides new content in the form of "Creator Themes," which support multiple aspect ratios, dynamic titles, and customizable backgrounds.
Motion, Compressor and Final Cut Camera
The accompanying apps are also being updated. Motion now natively supports vector graphics that remain sharp at any resolution and significantly speeds up the creation of complex animations with its "Distribute Layers" feature. Compressor receives an immersive metadata viewer, support for 180-degree content in the Apple Projected Media Profile for the Apple Vision Pro, and an anaglyph view for previewing stereoscopic videos.
Final Cut Camera, the free recording app for iPhone and iPad, learns "Clean HDMI Out" and thus outputs a clean video signal to external monitors and recorders. It also includes enhanced ProRes support, including ProRes LT, and the ability to disable digital zoom so that every frame is recorded at full optical resolution.
Pixelmator Pro takes center stage
With this update, Pixelmator Pro is now accessible in many locations where it wasn't previously directly available. From Final Cut Pro, you can send a selected single image directly to Pixelmator Pro, process it into a thumbnail or social media graphic, and then place it back in the timeline. In Keynote, Pages, and Numbers, you can select any image within a document, open it directly in Pixelmator Pro, and edit it with the full toolkit; changes are automatically saved back to the document.
Across Pixelmator Pro, Keynote, Pages, and Numbers, vector shapes can be generated, freely customized, and saved in a personal collection for later use. Enhanced image generation and the Content Hub are also coming to Pixelmator Pro: images can be created and edited using natural language, and the Content Hub offers a curated collection of photos, graphics, shapes, and illustrations.
Keynote, Pages, Numbers and Freeform
The productivity apps are getting several frequently requested features. Keynote is receiving new transitions and builds, Pages on iPhone and iPad is adding automatic hyphenation and the ability to show invisible characters for more precise work, and Numbers allows users to hide or color-code individual worksheets – making it easier to navigate large spreadsheets.
Freeform is following suit with iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27: The app will then also be able to generate shapes and open images in Pixelmator Pro. Additionally, a dark mode, folders for organizing boards, and the ability to draw on the Mac will be added.
More intelligence in Logic Pro
In Logic Pro for Mac and iPad, the "Chord ID" has been rebuilt and now analyzes harmonies more accurately – including extended chords and inversions, even when played on a distorted guitar or a slightly out-of-tune piano. Session Players benefit from this, enabling faster and more confident chord changes.
A new "Producer Project" lays bare the complete Logic Pro session behind producer Khris Riddick-Tynes' track "Shoulda Never" - every multitrack recording, every MIDI performance, and every vocal track is preserved, offering a rare glimpse into a professional production. For Logic Pro and MainStage, a new granular sync mode in the Alchemy sampling synthesizer opens up new sound design possibilities, complemented by the matching Granular Alchemy Sound Pack. Finally, Beat Breaker arrives on Mac and iPad with new filter and pan modes, as well as randomization controls that simplify finding fills and rhythmic variations.
Prices and availability
The update is available now and free for existing subscribers. New subscribers pay €12.99 per month or €129 per year, including a one-month trial; with the purchase of a new Mac or qualifying iPad, Creator Studio is free for three months. For students and educators, the price is €2.99 per month or €29 per year. The subscription is a universal purchase, and Family Sharing allows up to six people to share all included apps and content.
As at launch, the distinction between subscription and one-time purchase versions remains, which Apple distinguishes via separate app icons. Final Cut Pro (€349.99), Logic Pro (€229.99), Pixelmator Pro (€59.99), Motion (€59.99), Compressor (€59.99), and MainStage (€34.99) are still available for individual purchase in the Mac App Store. The free versions of Keynote, Pages, Numbers, and Freeform remain available and continue to be pre-installed on every new iPhone, Mac, and iPad.
The requirements warrant a closer look. "Generate subtitles" requires a Mac with Apple Silicon or an iPad M1 or later and is initially only available in US English. Image and shape generation requires an Apple Intelligence-enabled device and an Apple account with iCloud enabled. Some of the intelligent features rely on third-party models and may be subject to usage limits and restrictions depending on the region. The Freeform innovations, in turn, will only be available with iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27.
Apple's creative suite is becoming an AI platform
The update reveals the direction Apple is taking with Creator Studio: away from a loose collection of individual programs and toward a tightly integrated suite where images, videos, documents, and music seamlessly blend across app boundaries. It's striking how many of the new features operate on-device - an approach that combines speed and data privacy and strengthens Apple's Silicon platform as a key selling point. Pixelmator Pro is becoming the central hub of the entire suite. For a subscription service competing against established professional tools, this integration is potentially a more decisive factor than any single new AI gimmick. (Image: Apple)
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