I just need numbers. If there is a way to buy numbers outright. I'll do it, but if there is only subscription option. I'll use freemium until it does not work for me.
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Some Apple Apps Will No Longer Receive Every New Feature Without a Subscription
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Once upon a time, developers would release paid upgrades with new features, and people could buy the upgrade if they needed or wanted it. If not, they would have access to their existing software for as long as it ran on their computer. That was a fair, consumer-friendly method that also allowed developers to make a living as long as they produced new things that people were willing to pay for.
The app is still free. You only need to get the subscription if you want the new AI features. Otherwise, it will continue to receive regular updates.
Why? The app doesn’t stop working when this new version comes out. You got a fully functional video editing app that will continue to be updated to support future versions of macOS.
The subscription is just for additional ‘premium’ features. Did you buy FCP specifically for these just-announced new features?
That's kinda killing one of your USP's good luck Apple but count me out...
I was looking forward to the iWork upgrades. Of all these apps, I use Pages and Numbers. Would have likely used Pixelmator Pro too. I don't think my usage is enough to cover $12.99/month. Maybe if they let me choose what apps I want to pay for, I'd be fine paying $.99 per app per month.
Oh well, I’m not losing anything with Pages, Numbers and Photomator's current feature set. If I need anything more, I get MS Office through my work anyway.
Oh well, I’m not losing anything with Pages, Numbers and Photomator's current feature set. If I need anything more, I get MS Office through my work anyway.
Hmm....not too sure about that?!
I think that there will always be content which is created solely by humans (with no AI help). That type of content may not be easily monetized, in light of a ton of AI slop which could be generated. However, content created by humans (alone) is what makes it special.
Personally, I value hand-drawn art (by humans), music performance (by humans), etc. much more so, compared to "picture-perfect" art imitations (by generative AI), music generation imitations (by generative AI), etc.
Other analogies.....
1. I prefer watching two human grandmasters play chess (over the board) vs. two computer programs playing chess against each other.
2. Two sports teams battling it out on the playing field vs. a (hypothetical) match between two robot teams battling it out on the playing field.
My apologies for straying off-topic to this thread!
richmlow
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I can understand Apple choosing to put some of its professional creative apps behind a subscription, such as Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage. What I find harder to understand is locking new features in apps like Freeform, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. Google offers its productivity suite without charging users, which makes Apple’s decision here feel puzzling. It comes across as another move driven by the company’s growing emphasis on services, and it makes me curious how long this approach will last before they reconsider it.
It's wild that Pages, Keynote, and Numbers are getting a subscription. They're not even on par with Microsoft Office. Most notably in my case, Pages doesn't have line number built in—TF!
LibreOffice or OnlyOffice? I have no experience with latter but LO is robust, feature-rich and free.
Affinity bundle is also free and with more than solid features (unless you heavily deal with corporate and have to operate with industry-standard file formats that require Adobe software).
I guess this is part of their agreement with Google where Apple has to pay AI features in these apps. I believe Google also aware that this will hammer Apple’s reputation.Well, it had to happen eventually…
I do understand some services cost money, but Keynote, Pages, Numbers?… These were the Apple’s flagship apps coming by default….
So the article is very WRONG about some things. Apple states clearly on their site that the subscription only allows you access to "premium CONTENT", it says NOTHING about premium FEATURES! No where does Apple state features will be limited. They actually state the apps, stand-alone or subscription, will all be updated the same. The ONLY thing you miss out on with Stand-Alone app versions are the "premium content".
*for now, and until the profit overlords demand still more sacrifice to the god Mammon
That's not what was said.
The app is still fully functional and will still get new features. You just won't get access to these so called 'intelligent' features unless you pay the subscription.
My comment about it being a business more than a charity was more in the chain of conversation about the cost to run the data centers to power the AI features at play here.
Agree on that. But I personally think Apple including 5GB of iCloud storage with a device purchase is far more egregious than charging for AI related add ons to these apps.
You are making me feel a bit better. Can you give an example of a premium feature vs premium content?
Yes they are free but the ML or AI features require the subscription. That's what I was confused about. Try to not have such a POS comment
Will this hurt Apple? Apple is not the only company to offer subscriptions for productivity as creative apps.
If you are not interested in subscribing to the new Apple Creator Studio bundle introduced today, you will officially start to miss out on some new features.
Apple said some "exciting new intelligent features and premium content" in Final Cut Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Keynote, Numbers, Pages, and Freeform will only be accessible with a Creator Studio subscription. In the U.S., a subscription costs $12.99 per month, or $129 per year, while college students can pay a lower $2.99 per month or $29 per year.
This means that if you bought Final Cut Pro or Pixelmator Pro via one-time purchase, which will still be an option going forward, you will no longer have access to all new features. However, Apple promises the apps will continue to receive updates.
From the Final Cut Pro page on Apple's website, for instance:There are some exceptions, as Apple says Logic Pro and MainStage will have all the same features whether they are subscription or one-time-purchase versions.
It looks like most if not all of the new features that will be limited to Creator Studio subscribers will be powered by AI, as Apple repeatedly describes them as "intelligent" features. The apps are continuing to receive other new features that do not require a subscription over time, so one-time purchasers are not completely left out.
As for Keynote, Numbers, Pages, and Freeform, those apps will remain free, but some new intelligent features and content will likewise require a Creator Studio subscription. This means these apps are now effectively "freemium."
Here are a few of the first new features coming to Creator Studio subscribers:
In summary, existing users of Final Cut Pro and Pixelmator Pro never had to worry about paying extra to have every new feature, but that is no longer the case going forward. And while the Keynote, Numbers, Pages, and Freeform apps never cost money, some new features will now be locked behind a subscription. These changes will undoubtedly disappoint some Apple customers, while helping to boost the company's services revenue.
- Pixelmator Pro: A new Warp tool lets you twist and shape image layers.
- Keynote, Pages, and Numbers: A new Content Hub provides access to high-quality photos and graphics, and there are new premium templates and themes.
Article Link: These Apple Apps Will No Longer Receive All New Features Without a Subscription
Microsoft has Microsoft 365 and Adobe has Creative Cloud, so I wonder how many people will subscribe to Apple’s offerings?