By Daniel Eran Dilger
Sunday, April 23, 2017, 12:59 pm PT (03:59 pm ET)

Apple has hired Tim Dashwood, the author of a series of 3D and 360 VR plugins for video editing software. Dashwood has since made his existing plugins for apps such as Final Cut Pro X free to download.

News of the hire comes from Final Cut Pro community site fcp.co, which notes that Dashwood is currently attending the NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) event.

The developer’s 360VR Toolbox package–for working with immersive, surround video used with Oculus Virtual Reality headsets–was formerly $1000, but is now free to download. A series of other FCPX plugins are now free as well.

Apple identified video editing as a primary group of strategically important users in the development of macOS and new professional class Mac hardware.

The company recently–and uncharacteristically–outlined a roadmap for more powerful iMac models later this year followed by a redesigned, more modular Mac Pro that will likely arrive next year.

Apple also recently hired developer Wes Plate from Automatic Duck, to an apparently new position as a Product Designer within its Pro Apps.