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Final Cut Pro X versus Premiere Pro CS6 by Oliver Peters
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[Craig Seeman] “Adobe has said they well make features available to subscribers before purchasers.”
Although so far that doesn’t seem to have happened with PPro (unless I’ve missed something!)
Steve Connor
There’s nothing we can’t argue about on the FCPX COW Forum
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[Michael Hancock] “Apple has bucked that trend and isn’t charging for any updates with X, but is that because they’re being generous or are reinventing software development, or have they been playing catch-up by adding in features like multicam, which was available in 7 but not X?”
Adobe has said they also won’t charge for upgrades for subscribers.
Granted we have to see where Apple goes with their feature upgrades but, to date, no developer using the Mac App Store can charge for upgrades through that delivery medium so unless we hear otherwise, status quo free feature upgrades (catch up or not) continues.
If I were to guess wildly I do think Apple may consider Logic Pro X a new app and will charge for that though.
Also my wild guess is it will be some time before Apple charges for a new version of FCPX.
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[Craig Seeman] “Adobe has said they also won’t charge for upgrades for subscribers.”
True, but that’s because you’re always paying. When you stop paying your bills, you don’t get access to their software until you pay. So you’re licensing or renting the software, not buying it. And it only makes sense, then that you always get the upgrades. Who rents old software?
It will be very, very interesting to watch what Apple does with FCPX and upgrades, and the cost of those upgrades if they do come. If it’s a whole new purchase of the app ($299), I wonder how people will respond.
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Michael Hancock
Editor -
[Craig Seeman] “Adobe has said they also won’t charge for upgrades for subscribers.”
That’s not really true. Via the subscription model you are paying $600/year at retail. For that it stays current, because you are only “renting” the software. This is about what upgrade costs have been in the past for the standalone bundles, if you ignore the initial purchase price. So it’s really a wash.
[Craig Seeman] “no developer using the Mac App Store can charge for upgrades through that delivery medium so unless we hear otherwise, status quo free feature upgrades (catch up or not) continues.”
No, but a) Apple can alter the rules for itself, and b) if a new version is sold, that can be charged full price. In theory, Apple could sell FCP XI as a new product and charge $299 all over again. We simply don’t know at this point.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
[Steve Connor] “Although so far that doesn’t seem to have happened with PPro (unless I’ve missed something!)”
It hasn’t happened yet but I do believe they’ve announced it. I think Dennis R. mentioned as much on this forum when talking about the value of having a subscription.
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[Craig Seeman] “It hasn’t happened yet but I do believe they’ve announced it.”
I believe there have been some updates along the way. These came to CC first and then standalone users shortly thereafter. Since the first release of CS6, there have been numerous updates including to Premiere Pro and Speedgrade. These aren’t big feature updates, though.
But remember, if you have CC, you have access to all of the Master Collection plus Lightroom. That’s all of the video, web, photo and design software. There may be updates that come along in some of the other programs, so it’s not just Premiere Pro. I dare say the Adobe portfolio dwarfs what Apple has to offer, so it’s a completely different beast, once you step outside of the editors’ perspective.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
[Michael Hancock] “It will be very, very interesting to watch what Apple does with FCPX and upgrades, and the cost of those upgrades if they do come. If it’s a whole new purchase of the app ($299), I wonder how people will respond.”
A new paid version may happen eventually. I suspect they’d have to have a much stronger offering if they didn’t want a big drop off in people moving to a new full paid version.
Adobe and Apple do have very different business models. Apple sells hardware which you must buy to use FCPX. If changes in FCPX force you to buy a new computer they’d make money assuming FCPX really can drive computer sales.
I can imagine Apple including features in an FCPX upgrade that really demands a new Mac. Consider the scopes in the current version. Perhaps, in an FCPX upgrade, you’d have multiple real time scopes but it would require the new MacPro with one GPU on the motherboard and a 2nd GPU in a 16x PCIe 3 slot. Obviously just wild speculation but it might be an FCPX driving computer sales (attempting to at least ) rather than a paid upgrade for FCPX itself.
Or imagine an “iLife for Pros” model. When the time comes you pay for the new FCPX version or it’s included with the purchase of a MacPro (possibly needed anyway for some optimized features).
I’m just throwing out some wild ideas where Apple might go if they eventually do charge for a full version upgrade.
I don’t think they’d charge for a full version upgrade in the near future though unless they want to shoot themselves in the foot (which is a possibility after all).
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[Oliver Peters] “That’s not really true. Via the subscription model you are paying $600/year at retail. For that it stays current, because you are only “renting” the software. This is about what upgrade costs have been in the past for the standalone bundles, if you ignore the initial purchase price. So it’s really a wash.”
I agree with you but it’s a bit of the psychology behind the marketing.
Personally I don’t like the idea of software rental but I certainly see how it’s a very good business model for Adobe.
[Oliver Peters] “No, but a) Apple can alter the rules for itself, and b) if a new version is sold, that can be charged full price. In theory, Apple could sell FCP XI as a new product and charge $299 all over again. We simply don’t know at this point.”
Sure they can change the rules. With that thinking one can throw all reasoning out the window because any company at any point can always change their business model. The only thing I can say is that since the start of iOS apps, they’ve never had an upgrade option. Yes “past performance is not an indicator of future results” as the disclaimer goes but that is all I have to go on at the moment.
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[Craig Seeman] “Personally I don’t like the idea of software rental but I certainly see how it’s a very good business model for Adobe.”
Agreed. Me, either.
[Craig Seeman] “The only thing I can say is that since the start of iOS apps, they’ve never had an upgrade option”
Not a valid indicator. The precedent has already been set by moving the OS X updates to the Mac App Store.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
[Oliver Peters] “Not a valid indicator. The precedent has already been set by moving the OS X updates to the Mac App Store.”
… which are full price. There’s no separate upgrade price.
I don’t think OS updates drive new Mac sales either whereas I do think Apple hopes that FCPX will (eventually) drive some Mac sales.
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