Brief:
- Apple upgraded its Clips mobile video editing application to include more content like cartoon characters from Disney and Pixar, TechCrunch reported. Now, iPhone and iPad users can add digital overlays of Mickey Mouse or Buzz Lightyear to their videos.
- Apple introduced the Clips app in April for users to share videos, and it now has a million users, according to 9to5Mac. This week's upgrade now includes improved "live tile" editing with a Live Title button that appears when selecting a clip with the feature.
- The addition of Disney characters to Clips follows the addition of a classic Mickey to the list of available Apple Watch faces.
Insight:
It's unclear whether the addition of Disney characters to Apple's Clips app means that brand marketers will soon have an opportunity to sponsor lenses, filters and masks the way they can on Snapchat or Instagram. Apple isn't currently in the advertising business and generally seeks to make money selling products that are more user-friendly than those of its rivals. The addition of Disney characters shows how Apple is taking steps to embrace augmented reality features that are expected to be a key part of the next iPhone, set for release in the fall. Apple founder Steve Jobs led Pixar until 2006, when it was sold to Disney, perhaps establishing an affinity between the corporate giants.
The partnership between Apple and Disney may help to revive interest in Clips, which faded from the charts of top downloads, according to App Annie cited in TechCrunch. The younger generation of "digital natives" who grew up on Disney Channel and smartphones will likely be the target group to experiment with the app. Meanwhile, Clips demonstrates Apple's commitment to rivaling user-friendly video editing features on social media apps like Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat.
