C|Net Reports That Apple Will Charge For iMovie/iDVD/iPhoto Update

I n a move guaranteed to anger a large segment of the Mac community, Apple is reportedly planning on charging for updates to some of the current free iApps. That, according to a C|Net report from Joe Wilcox that was published today. According to the article, an effort to shore up lagging revenues is at the root of the plan. From the article:

Apple Computer next week will announce a plan to charge for upgrades to some of the companyis highly acclaimed "digital hub" software, a move that could anger customers accustomed to receiving free updates.

According to sources familiar with the plans, Apple is expected to announce at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco Tuesday that consumers will have to pay for new versions of iDVD, iPhoto and iMovie, which will be sold together as a bundle. Previously, Apple had offered upgrades to its digital media, or "i" applications, for free.

iMovie is used for digital movie editing, and iDVD burns the final product onto a DVD. iPhoto is used to organize, edit and print photos. The move to charge up to $50 for the software trio is potentially the first step in charging for all six "i" applications, which would continue to be bundled for free with new Macs, sources said.

ZDNet says that Apple wouldnit comment on the report, and that the details could well change before next weekis keynote. There is much more information in the full story, including comments from several industry analysts.