Apple’s Clips app gains iPhone X support, 360° selfie scenes, Star Wars stickers & more

Aside from today’s release of iOS 11.1.1 that fixed an issue where “Hey Siri” stopped working and squashed the embarrassing “A [?]” autocorrect bug, Apple also announced a major update to its Clips social video app for iPhone and iPad.

With Clips, you can easily create personalized, expressive videos on your iOS device.

Clips 2.0: key new features

Clips 2.0 comes with a thoroughly revamped user interface, 360-degree selfie scenes on iPhone X, iCloud support, a bunch of new movie posters, effects, filters and Star Wars-themed stickers, as well as a bevy of additional features, such as a new Effects browser, 3D Touch support, 21 new royalty-free soundtracks and more.

Apple explains how the TrueDepth camera on iPhone X removes the background and places you into animated, 360-degree Selfie Scenes that surround you on all sides as you move your phone complete with environmental sound effects:

Selfie Scenes is an exciting new feature that places users into animated, 360-degree scenes when recording selfies. Using the sophisticated TrueDepth camera system on iPhone X, Selfie Scenes transports users into bustling cities, serene landscapes, abstract paintings and even the Millennium Falcon and Mega-Destroyer from “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.”

The new artistic-style transfer effects use machine learning to turn any photo or video into a moody oil painting, vibrant watercolor or elegant pencil sketch—in real time while recording.

You get more branded content from Disney, like fullscreen posters featuring Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, as well as 16 new Apple-designed stickers and 21 new royalty-free soundtracks from indie artists. Like before, these new tracks automatically adjust to match the length of videos.

And with iCloud support, you can now start a video on iPhone and finish it later on iPad, or vice versa, via iCloud. It’s especially nice that the media in your iCloud Photo Library are referenced by Clips rather than copied in order to make efficient use of iCloud storage.

Clips 2.0 changelog

Here’s everything new in Clips 2.0:

Redesigned interface

  • Easily navigate through filters, labels, stickers, and emoji in the new Effects browser
  • Photo button appears on main capture screen, so you can quickly take a picture at any time
  • Tap any filter to see how it looks on your videos and photos before applying it
  • Full-screen browsers let you see more of your photo library and posters
  • Labeled buttons make it simple to edit Live Titles, add or change filters, trim, mute, and delete
  • Updated for Super Retina display on iPhone X

Selfie Scenes on iPhone X

  • Uses the TrueDepth camera on iPhone X to remove your background and place you in animated, 360-degree scenes
  • Choose from a dozen scenes including sprawling landscapes, abstract art, and outer space
  • Transport yourself aboard the Millennium Falcon or Mega-Destroyer from Star Wars: The Last Jedi
  • Each scene includes a matching selfie filter that transforms your appearance to make you part of the scene

New stickers and posters

  • Add Star Wars characters to your videos with stickers featuring Darth Vader, R2-D2, and more
  • Create fun titles with 20 new animated posters, including more than a dozen featuring Star Wars and Mickey and Friends
  • Choose from 16 vibrant and retro Apple-designed stickers

New effects and filters

  • Choose from four new artistic effects — Watercolor, Charcoal, Sienna, and Indigo — that use advanced style transfer technology to transform images in real time as you record
  • Add warmth, impact, or drama to videos and photos with a selection of new filters from the Camera app
  • Use effects and filters while recording, or apply them to photos and videos from your library

iCloud support

  • Use iCloud to view and edit all your Clips videos on any of your iOS devices
  • Start a video on your iPhone and finish it on your iPad
  • Support for Shared iPad in classrooms

Additional features

  • Take a photo; apply stickers, filters, and emoji; then share your picture without having to create a video
  • Record Live Titles in dozens of different languages without changing the language of your device
  • Slide up on the Record button for hands-free continuous recording
  • Copy and paste existing clips to reuse them within a video
  • Browse and pick from the full set of emoji in the new Effects browser
  • Drag and drop stickers, labels, and emoji from the Effects browser to quickly position them on your photos and videos
  • Posters are now grouped into categories for easier browsing
  • Choose from 21 new royalty-free soundtracks from indie artists such as DIIV, Elohim, Cherry Glazerr, and Mark Mothersbaugh
  • Use 3D Touch on Clips app icon to quickly create a new video from Home screen on iPhone

Keep in mind that iPhone 7 or later or 2017 iPad Pro is required for some filters.

Clips is available at no charge from App Store.