Please let’s stop comparing software subscriptions to coffee. It misses the point about the recurring cost and lock in, and not everyone lives in the USA and pays high prices for coffee every day (or ever).
App wise would this lock features since developers would have no means of shipping X versions of an app
I wonder , once the EU opens up the App Store will devs have to deal with cracked apps. Probably the full end of offline apps
Are non-paying customers no longer eligible for support?
The last paragraph is brilliant foresight. I guess apps will need to move towards the AAA gaming market where Internet connection is required to verify license, plus a bunch amazing anti-cheat/-hack stuff. Assuming EU does crack open the app stores (pun intended), it sounds like a great small business to offer some libraries that mobile app devs can use for these new needs.
I've made a living from non-subscription app sales for a decade, and revenue is pretty constant. As long as your app stays useful, people will continue to buy it.
Isn't it possible that an app is simple enough that doesn't justify getting a full salary out of it?
Again, I'm not trying to be a dick here, I'm just trying to figure out what is the reasoning behind the subscription model.
I'm a freelance web developer. When I'm done with a project I have to move to something else. Is it unreasonable to expect app developers to do the same?
And I know, not all apps are created equal, some apps require constant work. I get that. For some apps is reasonable to expect a subscription. But for all apps? I'd say no.
And this developer, from what I can see, is doing the "right thing" by working on multiple products. Which is great.
I think like many things it’s not one size fits all.
In this particular case, I think that keeping a firewall utility up to date with changes to macOS and emerging threats would require a modest sustainable income source to make it worthwhile for the developer.
- October 12, 2022 - May 2, 2022 - April 25, 2022 - November 17, 2021
Just to grab the most recent. Reading the change notes a solid % is bug fixes which is expected.
This looks like a “traditional” piece of software. Doesn’t require constant new features that could be eventually bundled in a major paid release and the updates are primarily big fixes.
And in fact the non mini version of little snitch is not a subscription. As it should.
I agree with you that if an app has running costs (cloud storage or other services) or it requires constant work then a subscription is justified. But these days developers are trying to convert everything into a subscription.
Every minor utility app wants to be a subscription. Which is just insane.