iPhone 4: The iMovie Experience

 Quick simple editing on the go, even in landscapeOne of the most exciting things to be released exclusively for the iPhone 4 (aside from some antenna issues), is the mobile version of iMovie. With an upgraded 5MP camera, which shoots 720p HD video, and the upgraded processing power built in to the new phone, iMovie seems like the perfect addition to the hardware.

But despite how good this idea looks on paper, is iMovie the killer app for the iPhone 4?

There is no argument that apart from the new Retina display, there is no better upgrade to the iPhone 4 than the new camera with an integrated flash. Being able to shoot HD video on the go, without having to carry a separate camera, is huge. One less device to cram into my pocket and scratch this new glass covered phone. Not even my Flip Mino HD can upload my videos directly to Youtube, let alone give me the opportunity to edit my videos on the go. That is what makes the iPhone 4 the better, more complete package. Even with the announcement that Cisco plans on releasing a Wi-Fi enabled Flip camera by this holiday season, it feels like way too little too late. At the price point they could bring it out at, you might as well buy a smartphone with a 3G connection so you could upload video at any time. 

A simple user interface keeps video editing easy

Most of the people who've made the iPhone upgrade will undoubtedly play with their camera much more, just based on the simple fact that unlike the iPhone 3G, this camera is functional. While the small flash still wont help you light up anything beyond a few feet, the digital zoom, and auto focus is a much needed change, at least for 3G users. Beyond the still camera, the video camera does decent work. It's certainly not the perfect HD camera (could use some work on color correction), but just having an HD camera with you at all times can be quite handy.

The piece that really makes the new video camera a useful tool on the go, is the addition of the new iMovie software. This is the part that will cost you a little bit extra, but at only 5 dollars in the app store, it is well worth the extra editing power it gives. It has a simple user interface with four basic buttons. One will take you to the project select screen, one to import new media into the project, one for play/pause, and another to record new video directly into the project. The iMovie timeline feels like it's made for a touch screen as you scroll through your video clips and other media with a quick swipe of your finger. You are given the option of five themes, including theme music, along with adjustable fades between clips. You can also bring in your own photos, and music to personalize your videos.

iMovie for the iPhone 4 is functional but limited. It does quick work on short videos, which is likely what you'll be shooting with your phone, so no big deal. Don't expect to edit anything long with iMovie, it just wont be what you're looking for, especially if you are a perfectionist.  As a sound guy, I'm dying for more control of the audio. Rather than just being able to add in one song for the whole clip, I want to be able to adjust the length of audio tracks, as well as the sound mix between the music and the video clip's audio. I'd also like to see more clip transitions get added, along with some way of fading out the end of your videos (don't see how they missed this detail). I think this version of iMovie is just the beginning, and I hope Apple will bring out updates that expand the amount of details you can edit with iMovie. Right now the limitations won't stop you from making great short videos on the go. I highly recommend that anyone with an iPhone 4 get this app, especially those without access to the full iMovie software.