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Apple Justifies iLife Price Tag
CameronWolf writes "Just in case there was any doubt about Apple computers decision to sell applications they used to give away, I got this response, via email, from Apple upon my enquiry: 'As the iLife applications have become increasingly integrated it has become more and more important for a user to have all of the "correct" versions on their Mac at once, working together, giving a unified user experience. This is one of the main reasons we've decided to offer iLife in suite form only. In addition, for iLife users who want the latest and greatest applications on their Macs, the iLife suite is priced very affordably.' Apple are running an upgrade scheme for those who bought a qualifying Mac after Jan 6th. Too bad I just had to have the iBook G4 the second it was released!" For those who used only the free iLife apps before -- those without SuperDrives -- this reason doesn't make any sense. If the goal were really to make sure you had the latest versions, they could simply make the latest iMovie require the latest iDVD.
I just don't understand what the poster is talking about.
1) Apple now sells software which used to be free beforehand.
2) Poster asks for explanation from Apple
3) Answer explains why they sell the software in a suit as opposed to single apps, but now why they are now selling what used to be free
4) Story gets on Slashdot
So why is Apple charging for these products? Where's the news here?
My Stack Overflow user
The minute they released garageband.
T Money
World Domination with a plastic spoon since 1984
OK, first of all, unconfirmed submission: can someone point out where on the web Apple actually said this? And second of all, it should be pointed out that iLife comes bundled with every new Mac at no extra charge. And third of all, what's the big deal?
I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
so people are complaining they are offering 5 apps in a bundle for 50.00, when apple COULD go and sell them individually for 30-50 dollars. Yes they were free, but 50 dollars is nothing to complain about.
...for four applications (since iTunes is free) that do as much as these do. I think most people would be willing to pay $40-50 for just one of these apps(if they needed it).
Also, if you have more than 1 computer that you want to install iLife on, you can buy a 5 user family license for $79.
Anyway, the real story should be that iLife is a bargain.
My other sig is extremely clever...
I don't really see what's to complain about. Given it includes an entirely new application, and iDVD now doesn't require a SuperDrive...
(It's not even like Apple are preventing you from using the old versions. You can even still download the older versions. Nothing is being taken away.)
You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
...nope, can't do it.
As a software person I just can't manage to work up any ire that Apple wants to be paid for some of the work they do.
So, Apple charges the user for updates to its operating sytems and applications, but delivers capabilities that are attractive to the users.
This is typical for Apple. Not to bash MS, but it's useful to contrast Apple's situation with Microsofts. Apple's customers are its users, MS's customers are the OEMs and large IT operations.
Consequently , Apple updates have to pay for themselves, and give end users a sense of value received for their upgrade fee. MS updates simply have to keep the monopoly rolling so its core business continues to make money. MS would like home users and hobbyists to pay for upgrades and be happy with them, but in the grand scheme of things it is not all that important. Which is why you get update series like 95->98->98SE->ME.
In any closed source application, you can't have every possible permutation you might wish for. The owner has to package things so maintenance and marketing costs are reasonable, and that it provides a good value for its most important customers. It would be nice that if you only needed one tiny slice of the update you could buy it a la carte, but you have to accept that Apple is going to package their software in a way that maximizes revenue and reduces costs.
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Because, don't you understand EVERYTHING HAS TO BE FREE!!!!!! We can't let 73h 3\/i|_ C0|2P0|247i0|\|5 have money. I paid once, so I should be entitled to FREE updates forever and ever and ever. ME ME ME ME MINE MINE MINE.
T Money
World Domination with a plastic spoon since 1984
I don't see a problem spending $50 for iLife, or for that matter, $130 (or so) for every next major OSX release. We pay for the latest and greatest video card, CPU, TV, Car, portable MP3 player, etc.. Why shouldn't software be the same?
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2B1ASK1
That the new iDVD supported external non-Apple firewire DVD writers (I haven't checked whether it does or not, but the old version didn't). It would be well worth it then....
That Apple's consumer software has huge educational discounts. The student price on the iLife DVD is $29.
"Reality is just a convenient measure of complexity" -Alvy Ray Smith
This should be at least downloadable free for us .mac subscribers. It would make me want to continue my subscription.
Lalala
Dude. Chill. It was sarcasm.
I'm reading a lot of "that's okay, the apps are great" Mac apology here, and as a Mac user, I gotta say that it's a bad attitude to take.
Personally, I chose a Mac because I demanded more out of a computer. You pay more at the start, you pay more for system upgrades, but you get a machine that does exactly what you tell it (for the most part) and doesn't break for no reason.
I found the "yearly OS upgrade" strategy for Mac OS X pretty suspect. And now that the "iApps" are being pruned from the OS, how could they possibly justify $130 per annum?
Mac users, you don't have to take this. I recommend contacting Apple and telling them exactly how you feel about this. The OS price should drop to $50 if they're going to pull this, or there should be free upgrades to the iApps for at least a few years with the price of system software.
Then again, let's not forget the "chilling effect" that iApps have had on competitors. Safari kills MS internet explorer, iPhoto kills Photoshop Elements, etc...maybe charging for them will open up another window of opportunity for companies other than Apple to produce great Mac software. It seems like it's been awhile...
(-1, Raw and Uncut is the only way to read)
If you think you can find something better out there for free, use that instead.
If you don't, you can (a) buy apple's software, or you can (b) write some yourself and give it away!
What's the gripe? They owe you nothing.
Except you're not paying to use it. iTunes still works for me. As does iMovie, iDVD and iPhoto. You're paying for the latest and greatest versions. And you can even DOWNLOAD the old versions FREE. And if they start charging for the latest Safari and the latest iCal, so what? it's not like my version of Safari will stop working instantly. I will use th eold version untill I decide the new features are worth the price. NO ONE IS FORCED TO BUY SOFTWARE.
T Money
World Domination with a plastic spoon since 1984
Too bad I just had to have the iBook G4 the second it was released!
Dude, it's only $49. If you can afford to run out and buy an iBook G4 the second it's released then you can afford $49.
It's not like the old software has stopped working - it will continue to work just fine. If you want the updated software then you buy it.
1. Apple never said that the iLife apps would be free for the duration of YOUR iLife.
.Mac. People bitched and complained because it was no longer free, but the cost of the service (a little over $8/mo.) pales in comparison to its benefits and features. For instance, currently .Mac members get a free $80 photo editing program. .Mac only costs $99/year. And that isn't the only free software they've given away with .Mac. Plus you still get the email account, the 100MB online server space, the integration w/ iPhoto, Virex, Backup, etc.
2. iMovie 2 was a $20 upgrade from iMovie 1, so the precedent to charge for iLife upgrades has already been set.
3. iDVD has only ever been available as either a pre-installed app or as part or the iLife bundle, it has NEVER been a free download. The fact that the price point for the new iLife is the same but they've added a whole new (and fairly incredible) app called GarageBand goes to show that they are ADDING VALUE, NOT ADDING COST.
4. If you buy a new Mac, its free. And chances are that on the next OS update, these apps will be included. I can't say that for certain, but when you buy Panther, all the then-current iApps are included.
5. $50 for the functionality you're getting is a bargain. I doubt it covers the R&D they put into it, let alone the packaging, distribution, etc.
6. They haven't removed the free ones from the distribution chain. You can still use the current versions for free ad infinitum. No one promised free updates for life.
This reminds me of when they started charging for
Whenever Apple decides to charge for something, trust me, its usually well worth the cost.
I do not find it acceptable that Apple is now charging for the latest version of iPhoto, even if they include it with new Macs. The reason is a very simple one that I think will make sense to anyone who has worked in software development...
iPhoto 4 is a big fix release.
I will say it again. The latest version if iPhoto, 4.0, is a bug fix release. The most appealing feature of his version is that it fixes a problem that has been present in iPhoto since version 1.0, the ridiculously slow speeds with large photo libraries.
It is common practice that major bugs should be fixed as part of free, bug-fix releases. It just isn't right to release buggy software, and then charge people when you make it work the way you promised all along.
Unless Apple makes a revised version of iPhoto 3 available, that works with reasonably-sized photo libraries, it is unethical for them to be charging for iPhoto 4.
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I remember all the shrieking back when Apple started charging for the yearly OS updates, then people began to realize just how much progress Apple was making with each of the updates and many of those folk (including me) started to accept that the cost may be worth it (and then some). I'm hoping the same holds true for the iLife apps -- if everyone is going to have to start contributing some $$$ for them, we should be assured of a fairly quick upgrade cycle with some significant improvements for each new donation.
HOWEVER, since these are no longer free, I think it's reasonable for Apple to start supporting DVD writers other than built-in Superdrives. Quite frankly, I don't have a couple grand to drop on a new G5. I'd love to spend a few hundred, tho, on a DVD burner ... and I'd be more than happy to kick out an extra $50 for the latest iLife suite. Apple might want to think about talking to some third-party drive manufacturers about bundling drives and iLife for sale at the Apple Store. I imagine there are a good number of others out there like me who aren't in the market for a new desktop (so Apple isn't going to cut its throat by doing this) but would be willing to purchase a bundle like this (getting Apple some extra cash and making their 3rd-party developers happy).
... otherwise, I really don't see the need to pay for an upgrade where many of the major changes benefit people with DVD burners.
I don't understand how people could have not expected this to happen. The previous version of iLife was $49 mostly due to iDVD's included media. The other iApps were available for download, including iMovie and iPhoto's very large updates. It seems just as likely now as it did then that the "free" iApps will be available for download at some point. If they aren't the old versions will not delete themselves from your hard drive. These new programs have been out for a couple days now and iPhoto imported pictures off my camera just fine. They've all yet to self destruct.
I'm also having trouble seeing how the new iLife suite isn't worth the price. The educational discount cuts the price down to $29 which will set you back a couple Frappucinos for the month. If it isn't worth the upgrade stick with the old stuff. I ordered it because GarageBand seems like an awesome app to play around with. I liked what I saw of SoundTrack but really do not need all of its features nor do I want to spend that sort of money. Even the full retail price isn't too bad considering what's included. It didn't bother me too much paying $50 for a suite of programs I use all the time.
I'm a loner Dottie, a Rebel.
In a related story, Apple reported that
"For the quarter [ended 27 Dec 2003], the Company posted a net profit of $63 million, or $.17 per diluted share. These results compare to a net loss of $8 million, or $.02 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter."
Capitalism. Learn to love it. Hint: net profit = more shiny toys later. net loss = fewer shiny toys.