Darkroom is the latest app to move to a subscription model. It affects new users only, and current users won’t lose their premium features they paid for.
For new users, Darkroom will cost $3.99 per month or $19.99 per year. And there is still a one-time purchase option at $49.99. Darkroom hopes that a switch to a subscription business model will increase its revenue and thus expand development of the app.
Subscriptions are annoying, but I don’t blame developers so much as Apple. This is exactly what they wanted because it means more money for them. I don’t Apple will ever add upgrade pricing to the App Store. That doesn’t benefit them. Subscriptions are part of Apple’s new Services business, whether the apps are Apple’s own or not.
Check It Out: Darkroom Photo Editor Latest to Go Subscription
Jobs was famously was furious that developers could sell software for Apple computers, and Apple didn’t get a cut. You can see -some- logic there, and The App Store is truly his vision realised. Ka-ching!
Subscription is kinda magic.
Seems that almost no coder cannot resist to this «feature».
To find out later that the customers are pissed and move away.
Application subscription model is a deal breaker!
Agreed. I pay Overcast what is in my money $12/year, because I use it all day, every day, and it’s’ the only way support the author. All the other software I use comes at a price that I feel is reasonable for how much I use it each day and hopefully supports the developer. I don’t buy subscription software, in both meanings of the word.