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iMovie for iPhone 3GS – there’s a hack for that

By , Tuesday, Jun 29, 2010
14

iMovie on iPhone 3GS

iMovie has been modified to run on iPhone 3GS, making the previously iPhone 4 exclusive app just a tad less exclusive:

David Romhan Torres: I just make iMovie for iphone 4 run on an iphone 3GS, it’s very simple just download it from iTunes, modify info.plist file and change the Minimum system version to 3.0.0 and front-facing-camera to false

If iMovie can run on an iPhone 3GS, why did Apple make it iPhone 4 exclusive? Probably for the same reason there’s no video recording or wallpaper on an iPhone 3G. Apple is very quick to cut off older hardware when they think it will have any impact at all on user experience. iPhone 4 has double the RAM and a faster processor and that’s what Apple decided to make the cut off point.

And just like 3rd parties came up with video recorders for the 3G, iPhone 3GS has had video editors for a while already (ReelDirector, obviously), and will obviously continue to do so. Just not Apple’s. It’s how they roll.

Taimur over at Redmond Pie gave the iMovie for iPhone 3GS port a whirl and you can check out the results in the video below.

[Redmond Pie]

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  1. Sterbuck says:

    Now we need a hack to export videos larger than 1 minute

  2. Daniel says:

    The main reason they hold things back is nothing to do with the impact it will have on the user (although this may play a small part in it). They have to make the newest products as exclusive as possible and only providing apps and features to the newest versions supports the theory that the consumer just HAS to upgrade. Anyone who’s used Backgrounder on a 3G knows it works perfectly well. Still……can’t wait to get an iPhone 4G!! :)

  3. Oldandintheway says:

    What about for the iPad. While I’m waiting for mine I’d like to find some photo and video editing apps for it.

  4. Tom says:

    Multitasking kills performance on my 3G. I can imagine the 3GS is powerful enough for now but as the software evolves I am guessing the 3GS will show it’s weaknesses. I honestly hate multitasking on the 3G but don’t know how to disable it without doing a full restore an rejailbreaking

  5. AnotherBrian says:

    @Tom the 3GS is pretty fast, I never had a complaint on the speed of the 3GS. I can see a little difference in the iPhone 4 from the 3GS but not much. It will probable start showing more when the games upgrade their graphics and if more apps are built to edit video.

  6. Dionte says:

    I’m tempted to try it but reeldirector works fine for me for now, I’ll prob get imovie when I get an iphone 4.

  7. CaptainYoshi says:

    I have to agree with Daniel on this one, they’ll always have features that are ONLY available on their new devices to give people more reasons to throw away money on a new device. I find it hard to believe that any iPhone could have trouble having a picture for a background.

  8. SurferDude says:

    How come my app store shows iMovie for purchase. Is that random? I have a 3GS on 4.0

  9. thatsme says:

    they deleted the instructions how to do this

  10. zero credibility says:

    to be honest, although imovie is nice ., reel director beats it on transitions and features at the moment. iMovie does have themes which are nice but the editing is lousy at the moment.

  11. George Welsh says:

    You think iBooks can be done the same way for 3.1.2?

  12. David says:

    TOM, i think there is something in cydia that disables multitasking on 3g from the sinfuliphone repo

  13. Michael says:

    @Tom There is a jailbreak app in Cydia or Rock for that. Just search a little.

  14. Michael says:

    What David said. Add the source sinfuliphonerepo.com

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