Apple software subscriptions in the future?

[Bill Davis]

“Distribution is not that expensive and Apple’s MO long predates X.”

As someone who has done multiple whole videos on supply chain and distribution networks for a major national retailer, we’ll just have to disagree about this. I stand by my contention that an Apple X sale today likely drives more profit to the bottom line than a box sale of Legacy did back in the day.

You KNOW someone did an analysis on the opportunity cost of all the free updates of X. And I suspect the decision was reasonably easy looking at what the software has generated verses what the entire X initiative has cost.

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[Andrew Kimery]

[Bill Davis] “You KNOW someone did an analysis on the opportunity cost of all the free updates of X. And I suspect the decision was reasonably easy looking at what the software has generated verses what the entire X initiative has cost.”

Considering you have to buy a Mac to use the software (and Apple has very healthy margins on its hardware) I’m sure the decisions are reasonably easy.

The analysis probably goes something like this:
Will charging a low, one-time fee for X help us sell more Macs? Especially higher end Macs?
Yes.
Do it!
Will giving away OS X help us sell more Macs?
Yes.
Do it!
Will charging break-even prices on music help sell iPods?
Yes.
Do it!
Will allowing users to run Windows on a Mac help sell Macs?
Yes.
Do it!
Will allowing Psystar to sell ‘Hackintosh’ computers help sell Macs?
No.
DESTROY THEM!!!

😉

[Claude Lyneis]

With Aperture fading away, I keep thinking about Adobe Lightroom, but a paranoid voice in my head says, after you use Photoshop and Lightroom, you are a slave to that monthly bill, otherwise a lot of work could be down the drain.
So here is hoping Apple doesn’t go all subscription on us.

[Oliver Peters]

[Claude Lyneis] “With Aperture fading away, I keep thinking about Adobe Lightroom, but a paranoid voice in my head says”

Lightroom can still be purchased outright. Photoshop Elements (a very capable “light” version) can also be purchased via the App Store. So in those two cases, you are not locked into the subscription. However, if you are a power user of Photoshop and none of the alternatives fit the bill, then yes, you are tied to the subscription. In spite of that, Photoshop files with merged layers (vector objects, smart objects and layer effects are merged and/or rasterized) are compatible with Pixelmator and Affinity Photo.

– Oliver

Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com