Third-Party Apps To Enable Cinematic Mode Video Editing On iOS 17 And macOS Sonoma

Starting from iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma, Apple will enable users to modify Cinematic mode videos using third-party applications. The Cinematic mode, initially launched with the iPhone 13 series in 2021, is essentially the video equivalent of Portrait mode for photographs. It produces a shallow depth of field effect, commonly referred to as bokeh, by separating subjects from their surroundings.

Currently, the only way to edit Cinematic Mode videos is to do it in Apple Photos or with Apple’s own editing software – iMovie or Final Cut Pro X.

As discovered by 9to5Mac, Apple has introduced a new “Cinematic API” with iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma. The API allows developers of third-party video editing software to add support for editing videos in Apple’s Cinematic mode – for both playback and editing.

When you shoot a Cinematic Mode video on iPhone 13 or 14, it’s saved as two files—one with depth information and other metadata, and a separate video file that can be shared with most apps. Until now, third-party apps could only read a separate video file, but they can access depth data using a new API.

This means developers can add support for Cinematic mode videos to their apps, allowing users to change depth (the level of background blur) and focus. As mentioned earlier, this is currently only possible with Apple’s Photo app, iMovie, and Final Cut Pro X.

The iPhone 13 series, including standard and Pro models, and the entire iPhone 14 series support Cinematic mode video. However, the iPhone 13 series is limited to 1080p video, while the iPhone 14 series can record 4K resolution at 30 frames per second.

In theory, this opens up opportunities for developers like Adobe and Black Magic to bring native support to professional video editing software, including Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve. In addition, this will help the Cinematic mode to become more popular, as video editors and content creators widely use Adobe’s editing suite.