You are still missing the point . You keep trying to shoehorn X into a traditional hardware and NLE mindset . That ' s just not where it lives . That you even think something ' s being neutered here demonstrates some pretty serious ignorance of what X actually is . Look at the actual evidence . Apple just released a MAJOR revision of FCP X . It breaks lots of new ground in terms of metadata management for complex professional workflows . And not a single change they made has the slightest relevance to any casual , nonprofessional user . What it DOES do is not just add great new capabilities to the software TODAY but significantly reset the internal plumbing for continuing innovation Particularly but not exclusively on the audio side . Suddenly complex deliveries for things like targeted altedits , subtitle packages , alt languages , market segment specific graphics and repeatable mixes for a variety of complex turnovers become oneclick easy . The promise of Roles as a big deal efficiency driver is taking shape . This is where X was going all along . Into important places other NLEs simply can ' t not as they are currently designed . But NOT because they are at all incapable of good editing . That ' s silly to even suggest . They all cut just fine . But that ' s only one part of the story . It ' s not enough just to cut . Not today . Today everyone wants EVERYTHING . Video , audio , grading , SEO , distribution , marketing , collaboration and probably soon , sales metrics , billings , and direct proceeds deposit ! all in one tool . In 10 . 3 Apple has thrown down a gauntlet . They just said this is our vision for a chunk of where professional video software needs to be going forward . And that place is no longer defined by the capabilities NLEs all had 515 years ago . Thank God .