Apple Creator Studio

BenB, with all due respect, you are missing the point entirely.

I never claimed the education discount didn’t exist. I said the Perpetual Pro Apps Bundle for Education is no longer available. There is a massive difference between owning a license for Final Cut Pro, Logic, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage forever for a flat $199, and being forced into a subscription model, even if it is "cheap" at $29/year. That is a shift from ownership to renting, and for students who eventually graduate, that cost inevitably goes up.

Furthermore, your claim that one "simply can not build an equivalent" to the M4 Pro chip is factually incorrect and ignores the current hardware landscape.

Let’s look at the actual performance metrics for the 2024/2025 hardware generation:

1. CPU Performance (Geekbench 6 Multi-Core):

• Apple M4 Pro (14-core): ~22,600 score
• AMD Ryzen 9 9900X: ~22,800 score
• Intel Core Ultra 9 285K: ~23,000+ score

2. GPU Performance (Rasterization/Compute): The M4 Pro GPU (20-core) is impressive for an SoC, but it roughly equals a desktop NVIDIA RTX 4060 in raw compute and gaming performance. It is not magic.

Cost Comparison: To get the 14-core CPU/20-core GPU M4 Pro Mac mini with 24GB RAM, you are paying $1,599.

Conversely, I can build a Linux tower that matches or beats this performance:

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 9900X (~$440) - Matches M4 Pro CPU
• GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4060 8GB (~$295) - Matches M4 Pro GPU
• RAM: 32GB DDR5 (~$100) - 33% More RAM than the Mac
• Storage: 1TB NVMe Gen4 SSD (~$80) - Double the storage of the Mac
• Motherboard/PSU/Case: ~$250

Total PC Build Cost: ~$1,165 USD.

That is $434 cheaper than the equivalent Mac. For that savings, I get more RAM, double the storage, and a modular system where I can upgrade the GPU later without buying a whole new computer.

Finally, why should I "stick" with macOS? You mention I should stay if I'm "upset," but my Linux PC runs distros like Fedora or Arch that are far more stable and customizable than the increasingly buggy macOS releases that focuses on making things transparent instead of fixing bugs we've seen lately. I prefer an OS that respects my freedom and hardware that respects my wallet.

Apple should focus on making Final Cut Pro the best video editor for Mac, before focusing on adding new pricing tiers. Users are fleeing Adobe now so it’s sad that Apple doesn’t take the opportunity to make FCP a solid alternative to DaVinci Resolve at this critical time.

But, at least Apple will continue to sell a perpetual license of Final Cut Pro for Mac, since they write:

Final Cut Pro for Mac is also available as a one-time purchase on the App Store

Also, worth noting is that Apple seems dedicated to keeping the option of purchasing perpetual licenses for their Pro apps (at least on Mac), since when they acquired Pixelmator & Photomator, they actually added the option of purchasing a perpetual licenses of Photomator. I think Apple is smart enough to understand that the perpetual licenses of their Pro apps is the reason consumers continue to buy Mac instead of switching platform.

And, on the Apple Creator Studio page, in the FAQ section, they write:

Can I still use my existing versions of Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, MainStage, Motion, and Compressor?

Yes. If you already own Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, MainStage, Motion, or Compressor, you can continue using them. These standalone Mac apps are also available for one-time purchase and redownload from the App Store, so you can keep working with the tools you have.

However, one thing to worry about is that Apple claims that some of the premium content in Final Cut Pro will be exclusive to Apple Creator Studio subscribers:

What is the difference between the subscription version and a one-time purchase of Final Cut Pro?

A subscription to Apple Creator Studio bundles Apple’s powerful creative apps for one low monthly payment.

A one-time purchase will still be available, but access to some of the premium content is available only to Apple Creator Studio subscribers. If you already own Final Cut Pro, it will continue to be updated.

On a personal note, I’m super disappointed that Apple still hasn’t added Text-Based Video Editing (editing the transcription to quickly assemble rough cuts). Text-Based Video Editing in Final Cut Pro for Mac would revolutionize workflow efficiency by allowing editors to cut together the video quickly by just editing the transcription text, making it faster to search, trim, and rearrange content - especially for interviews, documentaries, and vlogs. This feature, already embraced by competitors like Descript, DaVinci Resolve, and Adobe Premiere Pro, would attract a broader user base, including content creators who prioritize speed and accessibility over traditional timeline cutting. By integrating AI-powered transcription and text-based tools, Apple could reinforce its commitment to innovation while empowering editors to focus more on storytelling and less on technical hurdles. Just build this on top of the transcribe engine. But no - Apple seem to only have allocated a few minute of development time to this Final Cut Pro update 

We’ll know for sure when the updates releases on the 28th of January.

Apple reps did an interview to clear up the misinformation.

Here's clarification from the horse's own mouth.

And remember, "content" and "features/tools" are not the same thing.

https://www.cined.com/apple-creator-studio-cined-exclusive-interview-reveals-the-future-of-pro-apps-licensing/

FilipOfficial, First, the educational discount is still alive. There's not page for it, but when you go to sign up for the subscription, there's a collage (not high school) student discount. It is $2.99 per month (or $29 per year).

And your perpetual license for FCP is still good, you are not being forced to change. And you can not build a PC with an Apple M4 Pro chip, so no, you can't build the equivalent for a cheaper price. You simply can not build an equivalent at all. That "half the price" argument was never really all that valid, and I've been in IT since 1980.

Just stick with your stand-alone FCP and Logic, nothing has changed there. You're safe, it's OK. But you can keep your current Mac and use Resolve if you are upset. No one would blame you for switching at this point. Apple has done what they've done, you can't change that, make a decision to stay or go, very simple. The world is not coming to an end.

From Apple's own web page, footnotes (if anyone bothered to read the fine print);

"4. New subscribers only. Plan automatically renews at $2.99/month or $29.99/year based on plan selected until cancelled. College students and educators only. Verification required. Terms apply. Limited-time offer; offer may end at any time. Offer good for verified college students and educators only and does not extend to a Family Sharing group."

I don't see how anything changes unless you want iPad versions of FCP, Logic, etc. The way I read that article is anyone on the Mac will still be able to individually purchase FCP, Logic, etc., as a one-time fee just as we always have.

I wanted to stress this out and see how much abuse it would take. So as a test I used media from a 2 hour dog training seminar. We used 3 cameras, 2 mics, in 4K, H.264 video, 32 floating bit audio. It took a full hour to analyze/transcribe/index all of that media (not bad considering that's 10 hours of media it had to index). I did a search for every time someone said "sit." I got 159 instances, out of which about 20 of the found audio clips did NOT have the word "sit" in them at all. Finally, be aware that if you have this analyze/transcribe/index function going on, if you use FCP, it pauses until FCP is idle again. So yeah, don't do large batches like that. You can index footage AFTER import, and select to analyze only the audio or only the visuals. That'd make a much more efficient workflow. And, it's pretty accurate, but not 100%.

Now the updates are available for all users, but you might need to go into the Mac App Store and search for the app manually and go onto the app's product page for it to show the "Update" button.

Good news: I won't switch to PC and DaVinci Resolve anytime soon since all feature updates are included in the perpetual license of Final Cut Pro that I already own. 🥳

Confusing news: Interestingly, there seems to be duplicates of some of the creative apps if you click on the "DEVELOPER - APPLE" badge on the app's page. I thought perpetual license owners would just get a free in-app purchase unlock of the perpetual license, but it seems there will be two different apps?

I’ve bought up-front payment perpetual licenses of apps on the Mac App Store before, that later on switched into a subscription model, but the developers were able to ”grandfather” me in so when the app I bought became free to download and added a subscription I essentially had a unlocked lifetime license that unlocked everything automatically, and the developers didn’t have to create a separate App Store page/new app for that. So I know it’s possible on a technical level to just turn a pay-upfront app into a free to download app, honestly Apple should’ve just kept the same App Store page and just had a ”Lifetime” in app purchase option that unlocked for us automatically, just like they have with Photomator. Here in Sweden FCP on iPad is review-bombed with negative reviews due to it being a subscription, and I believe FCP subscription version is gonna get a similar fate, so it’s gonna be a free to download app with terrible reviews and a payed app with good reviews.

Honestly, the MacWorld writer probably doesn’t know for sure since he was probably only given a press release by Apple (or maybe even nothing at all).

But, if we are to really dissect the article, it’s kind of contradictory to Apple’s FAQ page for Final Cut Pro. MacWorld writes:

In addition to Pro apps, the Apple Creator Studio subscription also includes extra premium features for Keynote, Pages, Numbers, and even Freeform.

This makes it sound like Apple Creator Studio gives access to the Pro apps and also premium feature for the free apps, which makes it sound like the premium features-part is allocated for the free apps.

But Apple’s Final Cut Pro FAQ says:

A one-time purchase will still be available, but access to some of the premium content is available only to Apple Creator Studio subscribers.

My best personal guess, or at least what I hope based on what would be fair, is if this ”premium content” in Final Cut Pro’s case would be access to the “Content Hub”, which would most likely be an online service where you can download royalty free photos, videos and music. Like a Storyblocks or Adobe Stock alternative.

I’ll throw my $6000 USD MacBook Pro from my balcony if Apple seriously considers the transcription search functionality and Beat Detection ”premium” features that I don’t deserve just because I ”only” paid $299 for Final Cut Pro.

Tom Wolsky wrote:

Macworld

This has more details about subscription add ons including useable content. It seems to infer that AI features will be in the subscription versions only, but I might be misreading it.

Tom Wolsky wrote:

Macworld

This has more details about subscription add ons including useable content. It seems to infer that AI features will be in the subscription versions only, but I might be misreading it.

Apple has also stopped selling the perpetual license Pro Apps Bundle for Education, where Final Cut Pro was included. Now students are required to pay for the subscription (even though they get a very cheap subscription price).

With new releases like this I'll also recommend everyone experiencing bugs in Final Cut Pro 12 to report them to Apple via this form: Feedback - Final Cut Pro - Apple

Apple Creator Studio is a heck of a bargain for all the apps you get to use ... $12.99/ month or $129/year subscription for what would otherwise cost $680 not including the additional features in Creator Studio.

The up front one-time purchase cost of these apps has undoubtedly stopped many people from buying them. The Creator Studio is a great way to get people to start using them at minimal up-front cost. And a way for Apple to expand its market.

I can see people subscribing for a few months to do a project ... at a cost of $50-$100 ... instead of having to fork over $600 for FCP, Motion & Compressor as a one-time purchase.

Problem solved! Somehow the latest version of Safari took me to the Education Store . . . that's never happened before.