Pixelmator Photo and app subscriptions

terse

MobiLifer
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Ted
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iPhone 14 Pro
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Pixelmator Photo, one of my favorite apps, is now going to be a subscription app for new users (while allowing existing owners to continue without subscribing). The devs' blog post explains their reason(s) here:


The comments on the post are maybe less heated than you'd expect but still mostly negative.

The "early adopter" subscription pricing is $4.99/month, which gets you Pixelmator Photo on iOS and Pixelmator Pro on MacOS. For comparison, Adobe's Photography plan is $9.99/month for Lightroom and Photoshop on mobile and desktop both. (There's a one-time Pixelmator purchase option also for around $50.)

I'm undecided at this point. For me, Pixelmator Photo has the best resizing, very good sharpening (but no Structure or Clarity), HSL sliders, and 5-band tone adjustments -- those are my main tools -- plus other adjustments you'd expect. What it does not have is layers.

I have other apps, like ACDSee Pro, that can do most of those things. For resizing, though, I'd have to fall back to Big Photo, which is OK but not as good to my eye.

I already own Pixelmator Photo so, according to the blog post, I can keep using it without subscribing, although it's not clear if there are any conditions on that (like "for the next 2 years," etc). If I were a new user, I'd be hesitant -- so far I haven't subscribed to any apps, and the devs haven't made it clear what happens to your work if you stop your subscription.

I understand the devs' problem. The Apple App Store doesn't allow them to charge for upgrades (which seems like the obvious solution to me), so they can either go subscription or go pay-once-use-forever. If they go pay-once, the only way to have a steady income is to constantly be chasing the diminishing pool of new users, putting existing users in second place. If they go subscription, people get grouchy, with legitimate concerns about not owning the tools they use, monthly payments for apps they may use only now and then, and the fate of their work in the future. (Pixelmator Photo, for example, saves your work by default as a project in its own format. You have to export rather than save to get a JPG, TIFF, or other common format.)

As I said, I'm undecided.
 
It almost seems like eventually we’ll need to choose the apps we use the most or pay a fortune. Like watching TV, cable, HBO, Netflix…. :oops:
 
It almost seems like eventually we’ll need to choose the apps we use the most or pay a fortune. Like watching TV, cable, HBO, Netflix…. :oops:
Subscriptions would certainly reduce the number of apps I keep around, though that might not be a bad thing :D
 
But do you need to make the decision now? How likely are you to use it on the Mac if mobile is your thing? If they start charging existing users in one year’s time, well you have saved just short of $60 anyway. Buy it outright. Are you worried they may take away the outright payment too?
 
But do you need to make the decision now? How likely are you to use it on the Mac if mobile is your thing? If they start charging existing users in one year’s time, well you have saved just short of $60 anyway. Buy it outright. Are you worried they may take away the outright payment too?
No, you're right, I don't. I realize I sounded like I was undecided about subscribing, but it was mostly hypothetical, wondering what it will be like to choose apps when most are subscription. With the latest PxPhoto update today, I still have all the functions. If it continues to play out that way, I'm set. I'm pretty familiar with PxPhoto, so I have a good idea what it's worth to me. With an app I've never used before, it'd be a different story.

Much as I like playing around with apps, I could probably handle 95% of what I do with Photos, ACDSee, iColorama, SuperimposeX, Lightroom Mobile, and a couple of specialty apps.
 
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No, you're right, I don't. I realize I sounded like I was undecided about subscribing, but it was mostly hypothetical, wondering what it will be like to choose apps when most are subscription. With the latest PxPhoto update today, I still have all the functions. If it continues to play out that way, I'm set. I'm pretty familiar with PxPhoto, so I have a good idea what it's worth to me. With an app I've never used before, it'd be a different story.

Much as I like playing around with apps, I could probably handle 95% of what I do with Photos, ACDSee, iColorama, SuperimposeX, Lightroom Mobile, and a couple of specialty apps.
Really glad I bought it when you recommended it for resizing - owe you for that. I use it a lot for this. Must now spend more time looking at the other functions.

Do you tend to use Photos instead of Snapseed? Which is my number one app for tuning - just ’cause I’m used to it. I feel like I should get more into Lightroom Mobile but Adobe puts me off.

I couldn’t do without LumaFusion too. I didn’t need to buy it because I originally did a lot of testing for them but I paid for it because I believe in supporting them. I would say that they have made it almost too advanced for me. Was happy when they kept it simpler.

I’m looking at buying the iPhone 14. Had mine for 3 years now and I really want ProRaw. Seems like the Pro versions are going to have a significant upgrade although night shots might not be as good as the 13. Are you not in line for an upgrade, Ted.
 
Really glad I bought it when you recommended it for resizing - owe you for that. I use it a lot for this. Must now spend more time looking at the other functions.

Do you tend to use Photos instead of Snapseed? Which is my number one app for tuning - just ’cause I’m used to it. I feel like I should get more into Lightroom Mobile but Adobe puts me off.

I couldn’t do without LumaFusion too. I didn’t need to buy it because I originally did a lot of testing for them but I paid for it because I believe in supporting them. I would say that they have made it almost too advanced for me. Was happy when they kept it simpler.

I’m looking at buying the iPhone 14. Had mine for 3 years now and I really want ProRaw. Seems like the Pro versions are going to have a significant upgrade although night shots might not be as good as the 13. Are you not in line for an upgrade, Ted.
Yes, I do tend to use Photos in place of Snapseed. Snapseed has a better Structure, I think, and also has Tonal Contrast and Glamour Glow, so I still go to it now and then, but Photos is almost always my first attack on an image and often that's enough for a straight shot. I like the Brilliance slider in particular.

Lightroom Mobile I use on raw captures, mainly. It's got some very good tools (in Effects and Details, especially, for me), though it's a pain that it insists on keeping its own copy of everything. I haven't been shooting raw much lately, so it's been sitting idle.

I’m looking at buying the iPhone 14. Had mine for 3 years now and I really want ProRaw. Seems like the Pro versions are going to have a significant upgrade although night shots might not be as good as the 13. Are you not in line for an upgrade, Ted.

:D Me, too. I almost upgraded last year but decided to stick with the XS for one more year. I'm looking forward to the longer lens, the bigger sensor on the wide lens, and ProRaw.
 
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It almost seems like eventually we’ll need to choose the apps we use the most or pay a fortune. Like watching TV, HBO, Netflix etc.
 
It almost seems like eventually we’ll need to choose the apps we use the most or pay a fortune. Like watching TV, HBO, Netflix etc.
I hope not! I have about 150 favorite apps. :lmao: Anyway, welcome to Mobitog. Have a look around. Hope you like what you see and decided to stick around! We would love to have you introduce your self. https://mobitog.com/forums/welcome.2/

Our minority of Android users will be delighted to have another comrade.
 
From xkcd.com

universe_price_tiers.png
 
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