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Notability Users Frustrated By Switch to Subscription Model Claim Violation of App Store Guidelines
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Paste did the same thing! I paid $10 for the app but last autumn they locked me out of using the app entirely until I paid them $10/yr. They were holding all of my tagged and organized snippets that I use for work everyday ransom behind a paywall! Usually on principle I wouldn't pay it but I use this tool all the time for my work and I've got it setup just in the way that I need it. They said they need more money to add new functionality, but I like it the way it is. It's simple and effective and not bloated with crap. And in the past year they haven't even added a damn thing! It was just a money grab and it worked because they sucked me in. If anyone can offer a solid replacement, please let me know. I need to try to research it at some point. I have no problem paying developers for their work, but this is ridiculous how they handled it just locking my paid app one day. I hope Apple sherlocks their ass! This seems like it would be easy to add to macOS and just include it with Continuity to hold all iCloud pasted items in the pasteboard history, except for things copied from sensitive apps like 1Password, the way it works now.
Yesterday App store rules were bad because they didn't affect me but today they are good because they do affect me.
I understand that subscription is the better revenue model for the developers. However, they should’ve done what some here suggested, ie. feature freeze the current app, rename it to version 1 or classic or something, and then do a new separate version with the subscription model from the get go. That way there will be no confusion. Purchasers of older version can still use theirs fully functioned as they bought it, while at the same time, they and new users can use the new subscription version if they want new features.
Seems like an easy move to avoid backlashes. Hopefully it’s just a lapse of judgement (ie thinking it’s easier to just maintain one version of the app)
Seems like an easy move to avoid backlashes. Hopefully it’s just a lapse of judgement (ie thinking it’s easier to just maintain one version of the app)
It is reasonable for new users, but to take away features that was already paid for is not cool. Imagine you paying for you $800 device and a year or so later you have to start paying a fee to use port to charge the device?
Release a new app and keep the old one in people's purchase history to download with all the features. Or create a grandfathered plan tied to people's Apple ID's like Day One (journaling app) did. Multiple apps have switched to subscription models without affecting those who already purchased a full version of the app. There's numerous ways to do it. You should push people to the subscription model by offering incentive to do so, not by trying to force their hands.
Ah the usual subscription model greed. Great for developers, bad for users. There should be a Tron sequel about it.
This is why I use Apple notes. I’m a notes freak and it does everything I need very well.
For music production, even though I was a huge Pro Tools user, them pigeon holing me into a subscription has forced me to go to Logic and each day I am happier with my decision. It’s always compatible with the latest OS, and they never have asked for an upgrade fee or subscription.
Then there’s Adobe. They can suck on their outrageous subscription prices. I have Affinity Photo now which I like much better.
This is why I use Apple notes. I’m a notes freak and it does everything I need very well.
For music production, even though I was a huge Pro Tools user, them pigeon holing me into a subscription has forced me to go to Logic and each day I am happier with my decision. It’s always compatible with the latest OS, and they never have asked for an upgrade fee or subscription.
Then there’s Adobe. They can suck on their outrageous subscription prices. I have Affinity Photo now which I like much better.
I had a long wait as well. For several months, Notability has taken minutes to open a new note at times. App opens as if no notes have been entered until it takes a long time to re-sync with iCloud and rebuild. Further, crashes during notetaking causing lost data. This all makes it difficult to take notes when I need to and to rely on them. Contacted support, and they kept asking me to delete the app and reinstall it — several times — with no change in results. Meanwhile, I was losing data. After over a month trying to resolve with them, I gave up on support. Lost a critical note with info about a person whose life was and is literally in danger. That info is gone. They’re in a foreign country and can’t get a response. Told them about it; they never referenced the statement or provided any guidance in recovering the note (checked the trash).
Have entered app feedback and tweeted back at them today. Tried to enter fraud case with Apple but Apple keeps showing an error “Something went wrong.” Will keep trying.
I paid for handwriting recognition and expected I wouldn’t have to pay for it again and again annually.
Good luck with your support ticket.
i paid for the app years ago.. probably when it offered a sale (I tended to jump on sales back in the day). I rarely use the app even though I have it installed and I‘m not part of their customer base that will be willing to pay for the subscription.
But I think the people that are outrage about it are the ones who absolutely abhor the subscription model. Because those that actually use the app will gladly support the developer.
In my opinion, subscription based systems are a scam because we are supposed to believe that a subscription based system helps developers keep their app updated. The thing is, a lot of updates are either bugs found in the app or security flaws, things that should not exist if the app developer did a better job of programming and testing their app. Moving to a subscription based system means that customers will now be paying for errors and screw ups that are the fault of the dev but it will be hidden away under the guise of 'update'. Also, many updates are not worthy of being paid for because they are very minor updates but a subscription base system hides that fact.
Customers should only pay for new content and not for things that were broken and needed fixing anyway.
Customers should only pay for new content and not for things that were broken and needed fixing anyway.
It depends on whether or not the developer has recurring platform costs and/or is able to create new "value" which justifies the money you periodically spend. It's not like if you develop a successful app then you can expect to live off of it for the rest of your life.
The features they introduced, IMHO, do not justify the price of 13$/year, and it seems to me that there is no clear vision of the future.
The mail client Airmail went a similar route to this. One day, a fully functional (and my preferred) mail app, the next day its charging you for basic email client functionality and thrusting intrusive ads in your face to purchase a sub. This was through an update, not a new app and is still the case to this day. So I very much doubt anything will happen here with regards to forcing Notability to go the new app route.
A shame. To the bin you go.
A shame. To the bin you go.
I hear ya. Even as someone who works for a monthly pay, I shy away from subscription models as much as I can because these things can add up quickly.
And here’s an issue with human behavior. Once you get hooked to something it’s hard to change course. A subscription model, in a sense, banks on this weakness in human behavior. Once they get you hooked on and once you‘ve figured out how to build a routine around using that tool/device/application/service, there is a lot of behavioral resistance to stop using it.
Thinking through subscriptions that we have (not counting things like water, electricity, and sewer service):
- Netflix
- Cell service
- iCloud+ (it’s a trial but I may adopt it since it’s only $1/month and it I like its privacy features)
- NY Times digital subscription
- Washington Post digital subscription (going to unsubscribe after the year is up)
That’s it! I try to avoid any more subscription as much as possible. They are hard to keep track of, they balloon in time, and of course they can change one’s behavior in a way that at some point when you THINK you want to stop paying, human behavior may make it hard to do so!
Nope. Nope.
Let me get this straight. I pay for an app upfront at a price they set to use their features. But all along I’m just “free loading” because I didn‘t spend more money than I originally did???
Not a heavy user of the app, but I think the move is underhanded. Should have gone the new app route and gave the current app the "classic" treatment.
Yes - Apple are responsible for the drive to subscriptions because of their lack of support for paid upgrades.
That does not excuse Notability though. It isn’t Apple that forced them to go subscription at an annual cost HIGHER than to previously purchase outright. It isn’t Apple forcing them to not offer Family Sharing with their subscription. It’s GREED.
That does not excuse Notability though. It isn’t Apple that forced them to go subscription at an annual cost HIGHER than to previously purchase outright. It isn’t Apple forcing them to not offer Family Sharing with their subscription. It’s GREED.
You're correct, these companies need to survive somehow. I don’t think subscription is greed either. How Notability handled this is not good. I don’t mind paying for a subscription, as long as its well kept and I do get new features. Notability is actually taking features that users already paid for. If they want to charge users for future features with a subscription or charge new users, that’s fine.
This is becoming way too common. BRIDGE BARON just updated their paid app so it suddenly no longer works without a ridiculously high monthly subscription.
Notability users have been left frustrated and annoyed after the developer of the popular Mac and iOS note-taking app revealed on Monday that it has switched to a subscription-based model, and that key features included in original app purchases will stop functioning after one year.
Previously available as a one-off $8.99 purchase, Notability for iPhone, iPad, and Mac is now free to download on the App Store, but not all the features are available in the "freemium" version, and those that are included have editing limitations.
To get "the full Notability experience" offered by version 11.0 of the app now requires an annual $14.99 subscription, which includes unlimited note taking and access to additional features that are otherwise available as in-app purchases.
As far as it affects current users who purchased the full app, key features will become non-functional after one year, after which they will have to subscribe to retain the feature set they originally paid for. In other words, no grandfathering scheme is currently being offered. Addressed to those users, a Medium post from the Notability Blog explains:
Thousands of Notability users have taken to Twitter and Reddit to express their frustration with the unexpected change.
As many users have pointed out, on the face of it, the change appears to violate Apple's App Store Review Guidelines, which state "if you are changing your existing app to a subscription-based business model, you should not take away the primary functionality existing users have already paid for." We've reached out to both Notability and Apple for comment.
Notability has garnered an Apple Editors' Choice spot and is regularly a top-ranked app worldwide on the App Store. The app has gained widespread popularity with students and teachers alike, as it includes a variety of note-taking, journaling, and drawing tools, and can be used to mark up imported documents.
The other popular note-taking app for iOS and Mac that Notability is often compared to is GoodNotes, which remains available as a one-off $7.99 purchase on the App Store.
Several popular apps have switched to subscription models in recent years as a way to stave off dwindling income after years of free updates, but some developers have taken a different and less divisive approach.
For example, just over a year ago the developers of popular paid-for camera app Halide released Halide Mark II as a whole new app, and gave it to all users of the original app for free, with all the new features and updates free for a year. After the year is up, the app continues to work, but to get additional features requires an optional subscription or a one-time purchase.
Article Link: Notability Users Frustrated By Switch to Subscription Model Claim Violation of App Store Guidelines
I don't use the app because... well.. I just use Notes.
I myself would not be subscribing to this change and I'd therefore be out an an app.
I'd be looking for a replacement app but also worried the same thing would happen to the app I choose to replace it.
But, if Apple makes the app, I have zero worry they'd pull some sh*t like this.
But because of this, the whiners complain about Apple and anti-competitive behavior. It's a lose lose for everyone.
I think I read a few years a go, on this site, that Apple was encouraging developers to go subscription-based. Well, this is what happens. I don't like it!
I myself would not be subscribing to this change and I'd therefore be out an an app.
I'd be looking for a replacement app but also worried the same thing would happen to the app I choose to replace it.
But, if Apple makes the app, I have zero worry they'd pull some sh*t like this.
But because of this, the whiners complain about Apple and anti-competitive behavior. It's a lose lose for everyone.
I think I read a few years a go, on this site, that Apple was encouraging developers to go subscription-based. Well, this is what happens. I don't like it!
Wow, 11 pages of comments for a nine dollar note taking app....
Everyone: Including your comment, right?
Me: Yes!
Everyone: Including your comment, right?
Me: Yes!
Nope. Customers have a take it or leave it proposition whether they choose Android or iOS or any other product. It has nothing to do with the “walled garden” approach anymore than I am “oppressed” if I freely choose to go to a theme park rather than a city park. If you don’t like Apples “walled garden” you are free to not get an iPhone to begin with, it’s not a secret. You are free to switch, people do it every day. You don’t know what oppression is if you think iPhone users are oppressed.I don't know what a "side loading zealot" is, but a walled garden encourages oppressive behavior toward customers because the customer is put in a "take it or leave it" position. The Apple ecosystem is called a "walled garden" for a reason.
One of the common arguments used as a positive for the Apple ecosystem is that it is selective... quality over quantity. It keeps the riff-raff out, but it keeps the customers in. If side loading was permitted, there would be a ton of open-source apps that would be made available for iOS/iPadOS.
There's the accusation of Android users being cheapskate freeloaders who will pirate software at the drop of a hat but in the Apple ecosystem, people are willing to pay good money for apps... until a developer changes their purchase model and then anyone who complains is labeled as a cheapskating freeloader.
NONE of which has to do with this developer violating both the AppStore rules and likely the law with their bait and switch approach. A bait and switch approach that would still exist if they didn’t go through the AppStore. There is only one party to blame for this, the developer.
I'm surprised - most apps charge $30-40/year (think Ulysses) - I thought $11.99/year ($14.99/year for new users) was fairly reasonable for something I use daily but I had people screaming at me on reddit for just mentioning that.
That is essentially Apple Arcade. So some form where apps could have direct sales as well be part of the bundle would need to be set up but, conceptually, there is a model in the App Store already.