The Subscription Trend

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

You're making an assumption that companies are going to offer both subscriptions and individual purchases. While we have that option now, I suspect that's not the long-term plan in most cases. If it were, there would be no reason for Izotope to be so intentionally vague about future support for non-subscription owners of their software. If companies did commit to giving consumers the choice in perpetuity, I'd be all for it.

While Avid is still offering full price perpetual purchase software, they did end the support plan reinstatement of lapsed plans, much to the chagrin of many PT users who figured they were ahead of game, by letting their annual plans laps for X number of years, then just re upping the annual support plan at the annual rate

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by KevWind

While Avid is still offering full price perpetual purchase software, they did end the support plan reinstatement of lapsed plans, much to the chagrin of many PT users who figured they were ahead of game, by letting their annual plans laps for X number of years, then just re upping the annual support plan at the annual rate

Though technically not a subscription, the perpetual license with the annual fee feels like a subscription. I really hate what AVID has done with pricing but having used the program for 20 years, the thought of switching and learning a new program at this stage is so unappealing that I'll pay their annual blood money fee. I'm paid up through September 2027 so it's not something I have to think about for awhile.

[DupleMeter]

Originally Posted by jim1960

You're making an assumption that companies are going to offer both subscriptions and individual purchases. While we have that option now, I suspect that's not the long-term plan in most cases. If it were, there would be no reason for Izotope to be so intentionally vague about future support for non-subscription owners of their software. If companies did commit to giving consumers the choice in perpetuity, I'd be all for it.

In my communications with Izotope, I've been assured that perpetual licenses will be an option for the foreseeable future. The main reason being that their bread & butter clients (audio post houses) are not moving to subscriptions. This is the same reason Avid is keeping perpetual licenses around. The big money clients aren't moving to subscriptions.

All the other plugin companies I've dealt with are doing both. So, I'm not really making assumptions...just going on the info I have. Of course, all that info is subject to changing corporate policies.

[DupleMeter]

Originally Posted by KevWind

While Avid is still offering full price perpetual purchase software, they did end the support plan reinstatement of lapsed plans, much to the chagrin of many PT users who figured they were ahead of game, by letting their annual plans laps for X number of years, then just re upping the annual support plan at the annual rate

Yes, but you you can still buy Avid products outright & if you keep your support plan going you get updates. If updates aren't important you can freeze your system & use the version you bought forever withou tpaying another dime.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by DupleMeter

In my communications with Izotope, I've been assured that perpetual licenses will be an option for the foreseeable future. The main reason being that their bread & butter clients (audio post houses) are not moving to subscriptions. This is the same reason Avid is keeping perpetual licenses around. The big money clients aren't moving to subscriptions.

All the other plugin companies I've dealt with are doing both. So, I'm not really making assumptions...just going on the info I have. Of course, all that info is subject to changing corporate policies.

"The foreseeable future" is a vague indeterminate length of time. No company is going to make public any internal plan to cut off support for non-subscription plugins ahead of the date on which such a plan takes effect.

As I've already said, I think we're in a transition stage, and if that's true, the full implementation will take years, perhaps even a decade. I leave a little room there for being dead wrong but when companies use phrases like "for the foreseeable future," it does nothing to convince me I'm wrong. In fact, I think using purposefully vague language like that supports my contention.

I hope I'm wrong about this but I'm going to keep an eye out for evidence pointing in either direction. Right now, I don't like the direction it's heading.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by DupleMeter

Yes, but you you can still buy Avid products outright & if you keep your support plan going you get updates. If updates aren't important you can freeze your system & use the version you bought forever withou tpaying another dime.

Yes thanks , but I was aware of the current----outright purchase --yearly and monthly subscription-- and annual update /support ----options .

I was simply noting that Avid stopped the practice of customers letting their support/update plan laps, and then getting back in 2 or 3 years later (for the same price) as those who kept paying the annual support/update fees all along (which is understandable as a business policy ).

[DupleMeter]

Originally Posted by jim1960

"The foreseeable future" is a vague indeterminate length of time. No company is going to make public any internal plan to cut off support for non-subscription plugins ahead of the date on which such a plan takes effect.

As I've already said, I think we're in a transition stage, and if that's true, the full implementation will take years, perhaps even a decade. I leave a little room there for being dead wrong but when companies use phrases like "for the foreseeable future," it does nothing to convince me I'm wrong. In fact, I think using purposefully vague language like that supports my contention.

I hope I'm wrong about this but I'm going to keep an eye out for evidence pointing in either direction. Right now, I don't like the direction it's heading.

We're definitely in a transition phase. The problem is that we never "owned" software, regardless of the payment terms. We were always buying a license to use a specific iteration of the software. That was always in the EULA that no one ever reads. What is happening is that that reality is becoming a bigger factor in how the software is being "rented" to us.

The big driver to timing of companies like Avid & Izotope going to subscription only models will be the big clients. So mostly Hollywood & the TV/movie industry. At one time big studios would have been in that group, but there are so few left. I don't think they have a lot of influence on sales policy anymore.When those big clients are willing to go subscription companies will go full subscription.

This is definitely going to be a big issue for the hobbyists and the independents. They aren't likely making enough from the software to justify an ongoing payment to use it. Those that see it as "the cost of doing business" will adjust their cost structure to accommodate it & move on.

I also think that will create opportunity for some smaller players to gain a lot of traction with "traditional" software sales. Reaper, MixBus 32, and the like could gain a stringer foothold among those unwilling to enter into subscriptions. The same will be true for plugin companies. Some of the smaller ones will stand to gain a lot of ground if they can fill the void with good plugins that can be bought outright.

It will be interesting to see what happens. Wherever there is change like this, there is always opportunity for someone else to come in. The pro audio world may look very different in 5-10 years.

[tdq]

Originally Posted by godfreydaniel

If I was still working I’d definitely subscribe. But I’d just be using it occasionally, and the price of subscriptions just isn’t worth it to me now.

Slightly off topic but for the Adobe suite there are free alternatives out there. Unfortunately most of them fall short in some shape or form.
Depending on what you use it for, Krita instead of Photoshop. Although the type functions are pretty awful. Also Gimp. Powerfull but the interface used to be AWFUL. it's improved but I can't get past the old versions, mentally. For type there is Inkscape (I havent used it though)
For Premiere, DaVinci Resolve is free although it can be a bit confusing at first as it's primarily a grading tool but the editor is pretty good. Inside DaVinci there is Fusion which is a basic replacement for After Effects - sort of. Bit more of a learning curve there.
There are others - you can look at https://alternativeto.net/ but you'll need to be pretty focused when searching.

For a DAW I use Reaper, which is one price, for the current and future versions to a point. But it's cheap enough that I will willingly pay for an upgrade when needed. I haven't needed to pay for a new version in about 5 years.

[nightchef]

For me, this is more of an issue with plugins than DAW apps, because most of the latter have been on a de facto subscription basis for a long time, given the significant cost of version updates. For instance, MOTU’s Digital Performer, the DAW I know best and use most, charges $200 for new integer versions and comes out with them, on average, about every 2.5 years. So that’s a de facto $80 annual subscription. Factor in the original price of $500 and you’re talking a subscription of around $130 per year over 10 years. Sure, you can refuse to upgrade—and it’s common for people to skip versions — but unless you do a complete system freeze (i.e., never update OS or buy new hardware), this will come back to bite you eventually.

OTOH, most plugins operate on a “buy once, use forever” basis, which is why users like me can afford to pay for more than a few of them at prices ranging from $30 to several hundred $. I have dozens of 3rd-party plugins that I’ve acquired over the years, many of which I use regularly. If those were to suddenly turn from assets to liabilities, it would definitely force me to change the way I work. I’m not looking forward to it.