Apple's iMovie Will Work Only With iPhone 4, Not iPad

The upcoming mobile version of Apple's video editing application, iMovie, will - at the time of the app's launch - work exclusively on iPhone 4, and will not be compatible with the iPad. At least that's what we've been told to believe by TidBITS writer Jeff Carlson, who stated that "sources within Apple" have noted that the video editing app will not be working with iPad. This is surprising, considering that iMovie requires Apple's superfast A4 processor, which is present both within the upcoming iPhone 4 and the iPad. Carlson stated:

I suspect the app is tailored to the iPhone 4's higher-density screen, and therefore wouldn't work within the iPad's pixel-doubled compatibility mode.

However, a more likely explanation is that iMovie requires iOS 4 to run - and the operating system isn't due to reach the iPad until later this fall, explaining why the app won't be available on the device initially. Carlson also stated that iMovie projects created on iPhone 4 won't transfer to the desktop version of iMovie for additional editing, even though the movies it renders are in the same format. Movies can also be exported to YouTube, MobileMe galleries, or can be sent as an email or MMS message in Medium 640x360, Large 960x540 or HD 1280x720 formats. Personally, I don't think it's worth ruling out iMovie for iPad until iOS 4 has been released. Running iPhone 4 apps on the iPad isn't going to be much of a problem because both devices have similar resolutions - the only legitimate reason behind iMovie's supposed absence from iPad seems more likely to be the lack of iOS 4 on Apple's iPad device. I guess we'll just have to wait a couple more months until we find out. [via AppleInsider]

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