Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Offering 'Free' Updates to All Owners of Aperture, iWork, and iLife; Not Worried About Unethical Users

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,481
30,710



iwork.jpg
As part of its efforts to ensure that all eligible software owners are able to upgrade to the latest versions of its software on the Mac App Store, Apple is intentionally allowing users with any version of Aperture, iLife and iWork installed on their system to upgrade to the latest versions on the Mac App Store -- even illegally acquired or trial versions.

In order to ensure that no legitimate software owners are left behind, according to MacTrast, Apple has eliminated its legacy software update mechanism entirely and is instead pushing all software updates onto the Mac App Store.

According to a MacTrast source at Apple:
It's no coincidence that Apple's support site doesn't have downloads for the new Aperture, iWork, and iLife updates. They aren't in our Software Update system either - and there's a good reason for that. With Mavericks, we have changed the way we distribute updates for legacy versions of our apps

Rather than maintain separate updates for these in addition to the Mac App Store versions of each app, Apple has decided to eliminate their legacy software update system for apps entirely. Instead, when Mavericks discovers legacy apps installed on your Mac, it provisions them as a Mac App Store purchase using your Apple ID. It saves us a lot of time, effort, and bandwidth. After the provision is complete, it will appear in your Mac App Store history as though you have purchased the Mac App Store version of the app.

While we are aware that this enables piracy of our apps for unethical users, Apple has never taken a strong stance or action against piracy in the past. We like to believe that our users are honest, even if that belief is in vain.
Click to expand...
When the new apps were released on the Mac App Store, many users with legitimate copies were unable to upgrade to the latest versions, though many users who were having difficulties seem to be able to upgrade now.

As a result of Apple's changes, all users with older versions of Aperture, iWork or iLife installed -- even if acquired through less-than-ethical means -- should be able to upgrade to the latest versions through the Mac App Store.

Article Link: Apple Offering 'Free' Updates to All Owners of Aperture, iWork, and iLife; Not Worried About Unethical Users
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/10/24/apple-offering-free-updates-to-all-users-of-aperture-iwork-and-ilife-not-worried-about-unethical-users/
Klae17

Klae17

macrumors 65816
Jul 15, 2011
1,227
1,577
Free software to sell the sexy hardware. I'm liking this entire week.
 
B

bikemonkey

Guest
Seriously, that's a cool move.

Maybe I'm naive, but if certain corporations didn't treat their customers with such disdain perhaps they would see less piracy (but that is not to say they have to give their products away)...
 
P

pixelpro

macrumors member
Jun 17, 2010
48
31
I was trying to buy iPhoto yesterday, and was positively surprised that it let me download it for free. Happy customer!!
 
jmgregory1

jmgregory1

macrumors 68030
Jun 24, 2010
2,993
2,949
Chicago and a few other places around the world
Great - this should help speed up my credit for rushing to update and paying for something I should not have had to do. And no, I was not using stolen software. It was the store bought iWork pack I started with and have had issues since then updating.

I've already gotten one response back from a MAS rep, but that was just to let me know he was working on it.
 
johncrab

johncrab

macrumors 6502
Aug 11, 2011
341
0
Scottsdale, AZ
Apple can see the sense in keeping users up to date. It means fewer resources needed to supper multiple aging versions and eventually having to push grumbling users into buying new versions...as another company does. It took that other company a full day and a half to come out saying that free is bad. I knew they would but this time it was a direct statement and not dribbled out through their media minions.
 
W

waveboreale

macrumors member
Sep 20, 2012
89
28
Paris
I managed to upgrade my old versions of Page, Numbers, Keynote, iPhoto, iMovie, Garageband and aperture for free :)

Thanks Apple :apple: !
 
B

britboyj

macrumors 6502a
Apr 8, 2009
814
1,086
Good. Can we stop people from making Powerpoint presentations that look like a middle schooler made them and have people start using Keynote now please?
 
Apple Knowledge Navigator

Apple Knowledge Navigator

macrumors 68040
Mar 28, 2010
3,534
11,802
If we're to believe Microsoft, all these "efforts" are because Apple's software cannot be taken seriously. It doesn't allow people to be productive, and is priced as such.

Yet the last time I checked, Microsoft didn't even produce a DAW like Garageband. Lol...
 
FreeState

FreeState

macrumors 68000
Jun 24, 2004
1,738
115
San Diego, CA
Hopefully they tell their customer service reps this - I just receive an email from them saying I was not eligible for an upgrade or a refund (I purchased them when I thought I was not eligible).

Apples online customer service has been awful for me the last couple times I have used it.
 
Squilly

Squilly

macrumors 68020
Nov 17, 2012
2,260
4
PA
Allowing unethically obtained software intentionally downloaded from users is a bit extreme.
 
Tankmaze

Tankmaze

macrumors 68000
Mar 7, 2012
1,707
351
I'm not ashamed to say that I did this with Aperture Trial :cool:,
you can't download it from apple site anymore. and I can upgrade it to the latest version.

good guy Apple.
 
the8thark

the8thark

macrumors 601
Apr 18, 2011
4,628
1,735
This is proof a few unethical acquisitions are not worth the cost involved to police it properly. Apple was always easy on this front but now they are even easier. Also proof Apple's war chest is so large they don't know what to do with it.

I know this is the way via proof of how I upgraded even though I bought all the apps originally, the app store receipt system is being phased out. I didn't just blindly believe words someone supposedly has claimed Apple has said.
 
M

magbarn

macrumors 68030
Oct 25, 2008
2,956
2,253
This is why I left Microsoft. When I needed to call Microsoft's India call center to re-register my legal copies of Windows and Office to reinstall when my hard drive died was the last straw.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom