I would like to purchase rather than subscribe.
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Obscura Camera App Gets Major Update
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Why Subscription ? Because the app needs to maintained, supported and improved. Otherwise it's fair for the developer to ask for paid upgrades.
It's just today's reality where users expect constant bug fixes, improvements and support for every new OS release. This makes it difficult to estimate a correct price for a one-time purchase.
It's just today's reality where users expect constant bug fixes, improvements and support for every new OS release. This makes it difficult to estimate a correct price for a one-time purchase.
This reminded me to look for it, as I hadn't used it, except as a trial. Now, I have a bit more space available.
I sense everyone’s deep love and adoration for subscriptions here….
Hey I'm Ben, the maker of Obscura.
I agree that the model of subscribing for new features while retaining old features is a great one, and if it were more practical, I would strongly consider adopting.
There's a couple of issues though, both for Obscura specifically, and more generally.
For Obscura, a big selling point is the whole interface. Most of the work on Obscura is in building camera controls, and (hopefully) making a top-class interface throughout the app. That's not really something that can go behind a paywall, as I can't maintain different interfaces for different users. It would be virtual impossible to maintain.
A lot of the ongoing maintenance of Obscura is in adopting features of new devices, especially new iPhones. And again, for the most part, all that just has to work for every user each time a new iPhone launches, and can't really sit behind the paywall either.
So I have to hope that people appreciate that when they're paying for features like RAW capture, or filters, really what they're paying for is the work that goes into the entire app.
Lastly, when it comes to subscriptions, the App Store is mostly just telling you information about whether or not a subscription is active, and when it is set to renew or expire. If I wanted to maintain info on what period of time a user *was* subscribed for, I think I'd have to set up my own account system, and have users sign up and sign in, etc. That's not impossible, but it's a lot of overhead, and is just not a responsibility I would want to take on unless absolutely necessary. You can imagine how many new users would bounce off Obscura during onboarding if they saw they had to create an account, and explaining it to existing customers would also be challenging.
It's possible, though they're a little awkward to deal with (especially when it comes to applying filters and editing), which is probably why most apps don't.
Why is that? All cameras are camera obscura really, it's just that people mostly use it to refer to pinhole cameras.
I think it's a name that makes sense, is easily recognisable, and sounds cool.
If anyone should have a problem with it, it's the Spanish speakers who think the app is just called "Dark"!
It is not about one solitary annual payment of $9.99, it is about the volume of $9.99's that you have to pay, weekly, fortnightly, monthly, annually that add up to a $hitload of money, which, in my opinion and situation, does not represent good value nor sense.
Because the greedy hand wringers don't make enough money out of it.
You lost me at subscription. This **** needs to end and the only way it will happen is if people stop doing it.
Because Apple pretty much forces it upon developers.
There's no way to release a major update: e.g. from MyApp v1 to MyApp v2. You can either do subscription, or one time purchase, once.
And since there's a $99/year entry fee, which where I live requires almost $300 in sales to break even after taxes, the only option is a subscription, or for me to subsidize the apps out of my own pocket.
I'm working on an app for iOS, that is going to have a subscription, in hopes that I can break even. For comparison, I have the same app in the Windows Marketplace. It cost me $7 to register as a student about a decade ago, and I keep it in the store, for free, because I don't have any ongoing expenses for it.
That's just the nature of Apple's app store.
There is a way to do it with bundle pricing, but subscriptions are simply the more realistic and fair option in terms of work v. price.
This has less so to do with the monetization options in the App Store and more so to do with software being severely undervalued by users due to the initial race to the bottom when the App Store started.
It's just not feasible and sustainable to create software for a one time $5 price and since users nowadays aren't even willing to fork over $5 up front, its nigh impossible to have them pay a more fair price of say $30.
So charge a one time amount for V1, and if V2 has enough going for it people can think about buying it, just like cars, digital cameras, etc.. Subscriptions are unnecessary and expensive collectively.
Well I for one disagree. If your app is worth thirty bucks to me because it’s good value for the features and benefits it provides then it’s a no brainer and I will buy it. The race to zero is real, but those are probably not really the clientele you want anyway if you’re building work that commands a premium. Not everyone drives Hyundai’s, Great Wall’s or Mazda’s, and if those people don’t want to fork out for your quality app then so be it, but I won’t do subscriptions anymore, no matter how good the app is.
Howdy Ben, Jason here. Mate, I’m on the buy it once and use it to death side of the fence. If I’m going to buy something then I buy it with the features it has at that time, and is bug free, or at least moving in that direction. As a consumer it is a reasonable expectation that a product is fit for purpose.
Updates or upgrades, I.e. features that become available in later releases, will drive sales to upgrade from V1 to V2, where the new version offers new and/or updated features.
With a subscription model though, I expect a consistent stream of new features and error free use, consistent with my regular stream of money to you. Each month I pay that subscription feels like I’m purchasing the service again, so what am I getting for my money this month? If it’s no different to last month then there is no further value.
I always applaud developers who are willing to put work into making a top-class interface. I hope your efforts are rewarded.
The last time I saw a name like that, it was the Italian for "photographic enlarger".
Is Procreate subscription based?…. Ans: No.
Does it sell well?… Ans: Yes
If Procreate went subscription there would be a vast number of ‘casual’ users that would run.
And here lays the problem……. To the many ‘casual’ users who just want to take a nice photo, they look at either the default App or dip their toe into a different camera App. They are ‘casual’ users and there is no way on earth a ‘casual’ user is going to buy a subscription.
Which then leads to the question: If you make an app subscription you had first better make sure that the majority of your user base are NOT ‘casual’ users.
Does it sell well?… Ans: Yes
If Procreate went subscription there would be a vast number of ‘casual’ users that would run.
And here lays the problem……. To the many ‘casual’ users who just want to take a nice photo, they look at either the default App or dip their toe into a different camera App. They are ‘casual’ users and there is no way on earth a ‘casual’ user is going to buy a subscription.
Which then leads to the question: If you make an app subscription you had first better make sure that the majority of your user base are NOT ‘casual’ users.