Apple Announces Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for iPad With Subscription Models

[krspkbl]

Glad to see Apple finally putting some of their heavy pro apps on the iPad, but the subscription approach has me a bit worried, if a success, will they remove the charm of Apple Licensens on their desktop variants. Also, we already have lots of subscription both on business and the private front, so the market is quite saturated.

I though wish Apple would have provided both option, subscription for the ones wanting to try or use periodic times, and a "lifetime" like license as they currently have on the desktop app store, for the power users, willing to pay the price.

Let's see how it goes. If the sub model doesn't work they will probably try do deals for shorter periods or offer life time purchases. You can still offer those and do subs. People see $4.99/month and think oh that's a great deal and don't bother to add the cost up over so many months/years or a life time.

I just bought a piece of software the other day and it charges $4.95/month, $24.95/annual, or $39.95 for life time. Some people would happily sign up for the $4.95/month option and it'd cost them $59.4/annual. Or you'll get people buying annually. If they use it for 3 years then it'd cost $74.85. Life time is obviously the way to go unless you really can't afford a $39.95 one off payment

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

Up Next....Desktop Versions. Apple biggest growing business unit every new quarter when financial results are released is always the "Services" section which includes all the monthly subscriptions.

Well good thing I already have a perpetual license for FCP, as do many others. They try to move to subscriptions and people are gonna laugh since mostly everyone who wanted Final Cut Pro, already got it.

 

[mystery hill]

Will they preview FCP and Logic running on the AR headset at WWDC?

 

[msackey]

My only issue with subscriptions is how the subscription/activation is handled. I've been burned a few times by purchasing software that ends up not being able to start up in airplane mode, or having to "re-authenticate" at the worst possible moment, or simply hanging or crashing without any info whatsoever.

I just had that issue last year, with a MacOS app where I bought a license and when it couldn't activate through the company proxy server the support informed me that there is no alternative activation option because they actually outsourced that to a company and use their activation servers. I ended up having to go through the credit card issuer to get my money back.

So yeah no thanks, I exclusively use software nowadays that offers offline activation such as Ableton.

I don't care about the subscription pricing, I just don't want the risk of being at a customer's location and going, oh yeah hold on a minute, guest wifi doesn't support this app, need to get a hotspot going real quick, no 4g in this building, is there a room where windows open or can you walk me back to reception? Been there, done that.

EXACTLY another issue with these subscription models.

A long time ago I worked in a remote field site where internet access was very poor and unreliable and therefore I didn't use it. I would be at the remote site between several months to 9 months at a time. I didn't use subscription-based software then for back then, that model was rather rare.

In my institution, I've noticed that installations of Windows requires about every 6 months automatic reactivation where it pings some server (Microsoft? Or the institution's servers?) and if after some point it's not able to do so, it would de-activate Windows. That currently isn't an inconvenience for me. But if I were to be back doing research in a remote site, that would be absolutely a pain and may even cause work stoppage.

 

[dspdoc]

One more step closer to totally cannibalizing the Mac and macOS...

 

[krspkbl]

Well good thing I already have a perpetual license for FCP, as do many others. They try to move to subscriptions and people are gonna laugh since mostly everyone who wanted Final Cut Pro, already got it.

Apple could just decide to scrap the perpetual license or cease support for that software. It might create a ****-storm but they could do it if they wanted. They can revoke the license at any point or drop support and create a newer version. That is the nature of digital software purchases.

 

[msackey]

They’re probably doing subscriptions because the App Store doesn’t support paid upgrades.

If only the FCP and LP teams had some influence at the company that runs the App Store.

If the reason for subscription if because of the limitation of App Store, then it should be the App Store software that is upgraded so that it can handle upgrade pricing! I can't imagine that being THAT difficult, given that there are many more challenging software coding that continues to happen at Apple.

 

[DJC631]

>subscription model

And like that, you lost me.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

This was expected.

I’ve always said that once development is possible on the iPad, that’s one of the three remaining things you NEED a Mac for. One of the remaining two is Final Cut Pro, and the last one is Logic Pro.

This isn’t perfect, but it’ll be iterated and will eventually be the engine of someone’s creativity.

Only Xcode is left… and also the kind of thing I would expect would be perfect to announce at a developer conference at one point or another. And, for anyone making over $5.00 a month cutting video for others? This just becomes a business expense that happens to be far less than the cost of electricity and water.

 

[rjjacobson]

This is HUGE news. A turning point that we'll look back upon. It seems Apple got tired of waiting for developers to treat the iPad as a "proper computer", so is stepping in to do so itself.

But here's a question: Why didn't Apple wait until WWDC to release these? Could it possibly be that WWDC is going to be themed around something else that maybe shifts the needle in a big way...?

Most interesting speculation I have seen yet in this thread. Hmmmm now I might be interested in WWDC I am sure as hell not interested in the stupid overpriced virtual reality headset (I hate games and virtual reality I want live in reality not the matrix)

 

[slplss]

w

They’re probably doing subscriptions because the App Store doesn’t support paid upgrades.

If only the FCP and LP teams had some influence at the company that runs the App Store.

They can always sideload.

/s

 

[gank41]

I wish there was a little more information on this. Does this mean I won't be able to use my 2018 iPad Pro? Will Logic Pro on iPad work with current Logic Projects from its macOS counterpart? I'd gladly pay a sub for Logic Pro if it meant I could use my MBP to record a bunch of things and then my iPad to mix it down. Or would I even be able to use my Focusrite box connected to my 2018 iPad Pro via USB-C? That would be amazing.

 

[slash8slash1]

The standard iPad has an A13. That means, it can run Logic? That's less than $400.. This is really a door-opener. $50 per year is about the price of a cheap audio plugin, I think that's a really great value. Speaking of plugins though, I wonder how that will work. And, obviously, there have been a couple of audio / midi shortcomings in the OS that Apple must have taken care of in the next iPadOS. I guess Logic won't require Audiobus to work ;-) I am actually excited. Not only because of Logic, but because of all the other audio apps that will take advantage of these changes.

 

[rjjacobson]

Apple could just decide to scrap the perpetual license or cease support for that software. It might create a ****-storm but they could do it if they wanted. They can revoke the license at any point or drop support and create a newer version. That is the nature of digital software purchases.

Yeah and read the legalize on the product written by lawyers. I have not in awhile but I recall basically it says you do not own this software even if you bought it upright that the company can void and take away at any point should something you do or they change their mind about.

 

[randolorian]

Devs don't work for free.

Do you think that the Logic and FCP devs haven't been paid until now? Was Adobe unable to pay their developers until they transitioned to a subscription model a few years ago?

 

[macsplusmacs]

I wish there was a little more information on this. Does this mean I won't be able to use my 2018 iPad Pro? Will Logic Pro on iPad work with current Logic Projects from its macOS counterpart? I'd gladly pay a sub for Logic Pro if it meant I could use my MBP to record a bunch of things and then my iPad to mix it down. Or would I even be able to use my Focusrite box connected to my 2018 iPad Pro via USB-C? That would be amazing.

I get the feeling they have M1 and M2 ipads support. guess we will see.

 

[Eldaerenth Faexidor]

Finally!!! So happy ❤️‍🔥❣️

 

[Unami]

Finally. Although 4,99 a month is not too bad I probably won't buy it on principle - I don't want to support subscription models. (Truth be told, I pay for Adobe CC, but I just need photoshop/After Effects/Illustrator/... for my work. FCP and Logic I can replace with other software that's just as good and are one time purchases). I'll probably buy it for a month if I need it, e.g. while on holiday, but they won't see as much money from me as if it was a one time purchase for € 50 every couple of years.

OTOH, if it gets sicnificant more love and feature updates than FCPX on the desktop - which has been mostly stagnating for years - then I might reconsider.

 

[bababhuvaneshus]

Apple's iPad Pro and any other iPad model will not run Final Cut Pro. It is important to note that Final Cut Pro is a video editing program available only for Mac systems. You cannot use it on iPads or iPhones.

 

[CmdrLaForge]

I avoid subscriptions as much as possible whenever I can...w

 

[krspkbl]

I wish there was a little more information on this. Does this mean I won't be able to use my 2018 iPad Pro? Will Logic Pro on iPad work with current Logic Projects from its macOS counterpart? I'd gladly pay a sub for Logic Pro if it meant I could use my MBP to record a bunch of things and then my iPad to mix it down. Or would I even be able to use my Focusrite box connected to my 2018 iPad Pro via USB-C? That would be amazing.

Definitely need some clarification on what iPad models support it but I don't see why you shouldn't be able to jump between working on your MBP and iPad. Just because you've bought it on Mac doesn't mean you deserve a license for iPad. You will probably need to sub to it on iPad but iCloud should probably let you sync your projects between Mac/iPad.

 

[phenste]

Holy crap why the hell did this take so long? At least the iPad Pro can finally do pro-

"Subscription model"

Nevermind...

you stay my favorite around these parts 🤞

I can’t act like the producer in me isn’t laughing a bit at the pic of someone using Logic…with AirPods Max…definitely a realistic situation when someone can get headphones with 2x the sound quality for <$200 the price.

but wait………s—t………………those better headphones are wired 😩

 

[slplss]

I'm actually ok with the subscription model. I don't do a lot of video editing. In the past I had purchased a copy of Final Cut Pro Studio for several hundred $$$, but didn't really us it as a much as I I thought I would. Now I primarilly edit in imovie, but occasionally miss having something a bit more capable. Now, when I have the need, I can subscribe for a month, edit my video, then cancel the subscription until I need it again.

I'm sure I'm in the minority though for this. Maybe they should give you the option of a 1 time expensive purchase or a monthly subscription.

Subscription model with free trial will surely bring FCP to more users. I just wish they gave us a choice. For me, it would be an easy one.

 

[krspkbl]

Apple's iPad Pro and any other iPad model will not run Final Cut Pro. It is important to note that Final Cut Pro is a video editing program available only for Mac systems. You cannot use it on iPads or iPhones.

You can use it on iPads now.

Are you saying Apple is lying? FCP is coming to iPad. It might be a worse experience than on a laptop/desktop but the iPad will be able to run it.

 

[nosajgames]

That subscription model is a turn off to those who already paid for both versions for the Mac.