Apple ’s release ofLogic Pro Xhas fetch users of the society ’s audio authoring software a batch of fresh feature article . By all accounts , it seems to be an fantabulous update to a very pop app used by thousands of artists , famed and otherwise .
One affair that’snotincluded in the package , though , is an choice for live customers to upgrade from Logic Pro 9 for a reduced toll . no matter of whether you ’re approaching system of logic for the first sentence , or you ’re a long - operate user of the app , get your hands on this latest variant will set you back a nerveless $ 200 — no exceptions .
Mouth where the money is
In a sense , this was to be anticipate . Logic , like almost every other opus of software Apple offer , is now distributed solely through the Mac App Store , which does n’t make tolerance for any rise mechanism — something that developers and usershave complained about almost from the minute the store was announced .
Until now , many of Apple ’s consumer apps have receive liberal updates — the one notable exception being OS X. This approach , however , can not work for higher - priced “ prosumer ” computer software , which reach out a small-scale market and can not easy be rationalize simply as a way to incentivize customers to buy the company ’s hardware .
And , while the folks in Cupertinocouldhave probably made a one - time change to the way the store works for their own benefit , it ’s likely that the uproar over giving its own software discriminatory treatment — while drive all other developers to livesansupgrades — would have been meaning , and rightfully so .
Wither the upgrade
One manner or another , it ’s been light for some time that Apple has set its sight on paid - upgrade cycle , and that the technical school hulk is intent on make those cycles a matter of the past times .
There are at least a couple of reasons why this makes sense from the party ’s head of view . The first is that upgrade pricing introduce disarray in the customer ’s mind : Ifsomeonecan grease one’s palms a small-arm of software at a lower price , why can’teveryone?In addition to indicate that software is worth less than its full Leontyne Price tatter call , upgrade create an artificial roadblock to entry for young customers , pass to decreased adoption and higher support costs .
Obviously , the want of pay up upgrades also pushes developer to provide more liberal update , which plays into Apple ’s endeavour to create an ecosystem where software for its devices is inexpensive and plentiful , making it easy for consumers to swallow a insurance premium monetary value for its hardware .
Good or bad?
consumer have benefited from Apple ’s scheme by enjoying mostly - lower prices . Just a few year ago , Logic Pro be $ 500 — which means that , assuming that the novel pricing holds , you now would have to buythree versionsof the software before you ’d pass as much money as just one at the old Leontyne Price . The same goes for many of Apple ’s consumer - level apps as well , including OS X , which will now put you back a fraction of what you would have pass just a few versions ago .
For developers , the bag is decidedly more mixed . match with the App Store’sgenerally depressed ( and depressing ) prices , its deficiency of funding for paid upgrades makes biography very severely for companies that have an established client base long accustomed to incremental pricing . And even those who are publish their app for the first time straight on the Mac App Store face an rising battle assay to trade customer on the idea that they should furcate over the entire purchase priceagainto get their hands on a newfangled release .
Setting a trend?
This make Logic Pro X ’s liberation that much more relevant , peculiarly if the lack of upgrade pricing becomes part of a style : The fact that the world ’s largest tech company may have foregone the traditional approach towards upgrade can only signal to customers that a fairly - priced app is a sound thought even if you have to pitchfork over the full damage every time a major update come out .
And there is reason to believe that this will trickle down to third - party developers , who can jump on the bandwagon and adopt a distribution strategy in which small update are destitute , and major outlet are priced severally as separate ware . In the long test , this might mean both high revenues and a customer base that is more centripetal to toll that are sensible for both sellers and buyers .
