New subscription type method for Xara - no version 12

[browj2]

Magix has announced a new subscription type method for its products and I already have one of them (Audio & Music Lab Premium - no date, no number). See this announcement in the Magix newsletter.

Thus, there will be no version 12 of Xara. There will only be the product name, like Xara Web Designer, no number, no date. There will likely be Xara Designer Pro X, but not X12, etc.

The subscription is good for a year. If you don't renew, you can keep using the product but get no new updates.

This should solve problems of having to set up everything each time a new version was purchased, and maybe new features will come out as they are developed.

Comments?

John

[pauland]

I think that's excellent.

[gracehjs]

I am not sure that I gain anything by this. As I , in essence, have been doing this for years. I always buy the new version at a "Special price". I look forward to the new product announcements each year.
It is not clear if new features would come out in dribs and drabs, or in a new release as today.

[pauland]

Grace, I think that's the point. With a subscription model Magix can do continual updates rather than a load of features once a year. It won't make any real difference when you buy the subscription because there is no single time when everything happens.

Currently everyone waits until the new software version is released so there's a massive spike in income around the release and probably a massive dip just before it - the software income will be somewhat seasonal.

It's a good thing, I think. It should mean getting feature updates much quicker. Even if Magix still did make releases once a year, you know that a purchase in January will make you eligible for a new release in August (or whenever), even though you bought in January. It would flatten the sales and reduce the spikes and troughs.

I should add that the post above refers to Magix. It's unsafe to assume Xara will necessary switch to that model, though they may well do.

[browj2]

Paul,

The message interestingly states: "From now on, new editions of MAGIX software will be published without version number or year. Program names like MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2016 or MAGIX Web Designer 11 are a thing of the past."

As far as I know, there is no MAGIX Web Designer 11, only Xara Web Designer 11. I checked on the Magix.com site and it says Xara.... I wonder if Magix is intending on dropping the Xara name.

[pauland]

I wonder if Magix is intending on dropping the Xara name.

Who knows?

In any event, the posting of the announcement by Magix is somewhat irresponsible without proper clarification. It's somewhat sad that you pointed this out rather than someone from Xara. Very unprofessional.

[mwenz]

I think that's excellent.

It's a small step from this Magix model to full-on subscription (ala Adobe). That is what I would be concerned about.

[pauland]

I think Magix would never dare replicate the Adobe position. Adobe only managed it because they had the professional market by the short and curlies..

[mwenz]

The bulk of Adobe's CC subscribers are institutions (governments, organizations), not creative professionals. In fact, if one were to categorize creative professionals as independents plus small and large agencies, the non-professionals are a higher percentage of CC users than they are.

There are 12 million plus users hanging onto their perpetual licensed versions of Adobe desktop applications. CC is a relatively small percentage if you subtract the institutions--many of which we the taxpayers carry the subscription costs so to them it's "free."

[pauland]

I think the point is that the Adobe user-base is substantially different from that of Magix. It's mostly a professional user-base that isn't as price-sensitive as that of Magix and is locked-in to a substantial degree.