For those iOS developers who want to provide more information to potential purchasers in the iOS app store, Apple suggest using video-based ‘app previews.’

Apple have provided resources for developers who want to create app previews using iMovie 10.0.6 and Final Cut Pro X 10.1.3.

New in OS X Yosemite is the ability to record what happens on an iOS 8 device attached to your Mac. Here’s an excerpt from Apple’s instructions:

Capture Screen Recordings with QuickTime Player

1. Connect your iOS device to your Mac using a Lightning cable.
2. Open QuickTime Player.
3. Choose File > New Movie Recording.
4. In the window that appears, select your iOS device as the Camera and Microphone
 input source.

Once you use the Record button, perform the actions on your iOS device that demonstrate the features of the app, you save the recording on your Mac.

Final Cut Pro X app preview settings

There’s a PDF of instructions for those new to Final Cut Pro on how to create new projects and which custom size to use for each app preview:

• iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c,
 iPod touch 5th generation: 640 x 1136 for portrait, 1136 x 640 for landscape
• iPhone 6: 750 x 1334 for portrait, 1334 x 750 for landscape
• iPad Air, iPad 4th generation, iPad mini with Retina display: 900 x 1200 for portrait, 1200 x 900 for landscape
• iPhone 6 Plus 1080 x 1920 for portrait, 1920 x 1080 for landscape

App previews must be set to a frame rate of 30p.

11 free titles

As well as the short PDF guide Apple also provide a set of free title plugins (12.2MB ZIP) to provide useful information in overlays on top of screen recordings:

The ZIP includes installation instructions.

A new market?

For writer/editors, creating iOS app previews might become a marketable skill: “Sales for this app were low, but after using the services of AppPreview4D, everything changed!”