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Apple says goodbye to the Clips app
Apple has officially discontinued the Clips app, removing it from the App Store and ceasing updates as of October 10. Existing users can still use and re-download the app, but are encouraged to save their videos, as future functionality may decline. Launched in 2017 as a competitor to Snapchat and Instagram Stories, Clips struggled to maintain relevance in the face of newer generative AI video applications.
Key points
- Apple removed Clips from the App Store and will not provide future updates as of October 10.
- Existing users can still access and re-download the app but are advised to save their videos to devices.
- Clips was launched in 2017 to compete with Snapchat and Instagram Stories but fell out of favor.
- Recent updates were limited mainly to bug fixes rather than new features, indicating a decline in active development.
- Users on Reddit expressed familiarity and disinterest with Clips, hinting at its diminishing popularity.
Why it matters
- Clips aimed to showcase Apple's editing software capabilities but was outpaced by apps like OpenAI's generative AI video technologies.
- The rise of AI-generated content in media signifies a shift in user preferences towards more advanced editing tools over basic applications like Clips.
- By 2025, the tech landscape is expected to continue evolving towards AI-driven solutions, likely leaving behind simpler applications.
Apple's discontinuation of the Clips app reflects changing consumer preferences in video editing towards AI innovations, marking a significant shift in how content creation tools are perceived and utilized.