Audio apps you would like to buy but think are too expensive (overpriced apps)

lovadamusic

@brambos said:
Just for the sake of the discussion I'd be interested in hearing what you feel is the difference between "finished" and "abandoned" when it comes to music apps?

It's up to the developer. Nothing is ever finished unless the developer stops working on it. I think if an app has some significant bugs, and the developer isn't going to fix them, then I'd call that abandoned. Otherwise, if I get what I paid for, the dev can call it done, and I don't expect more.

mannix

@syrupcore said:

@mannix said:

To those I want to make the following points. Through the years I bought over 100 audio apps. And from my experience "the must have" apps of today could easily become tomorrows abandon ware.

Think the main difference in perspective here is that I do not believe there is such a thing as a "must have" music app. The device itself isn't even a must have so how could an app on it be categorized as such?

We've all bought duds on (and off) the app store. Sucks, no doubt. That's not the fault of app pricing models. Some devs disappear. Sucks, no doubt. I think understand what you're saying: that's a clear and present risk for us consumers and you'd like that risk to be accounted for by lowered app prices. Unfortunately, that does make sense for devs who stick around. Instead, if the money/risk is important to you (it is to me) I think the only option we have to account for that risk is via purchasing practices (buying fewer apps).

Thanks, I think you really have a point here. And that is just what I'm doing at the moment, buying less apps. But maybe it's just my curiosity wanting to try things out, and although some remarked that just read and/ or watch youtube reviews there's in the end nothing that can match playing around with the apps yourself. As said if apps were priced lower I would buy more just to try and if I'm really satisfied with them I would gladly support the dev with a larger sum. That said, I really am not aware of how large the audio app market is and how much the sales figures are of individual apps or iap and what the price influence is on marketshare, so maybe this strategy is more of a personal ideal. Would be interesting to know marketshare and sales figures though.

Shazamm

@lovadamusic said:

@ErrkaPetti said:
For me Abandonware is the same as the synth Alchemy...

Will we ever see an future for Alchemy on iOS from Apple (the new owner of Alchemy Synth)?

I bought iOS Alchemy and have loved it. At least it can still be used. It's awesome in Logic, so for Logic users, Apple buying Camel was a good thing. Maybe it'll end up on iOS in some form, but if not, there are many other synths to play with.

There are so many apps available on iOS, and it's not a particularly stable platform for music. Apple is not making iPads simply for us musicians or the developers who make music apps. I buy stuff with the knowledge that there are no guarantees. Apps are going to stagnate or go away all together. I count on it. I'm going to get my use out an inexpensive item even it's only for a short time and then move on with my life.

Alchemy is on IOS. Im lost i know Apple took over but they didnt delete the app

lovadamusic

What is "overpriced?" How is this being measured? The market has to determine the price. Developers have to determine what best sells their product, and consumers decide to buy or not. Can you tell I'm not an economist? We have to go with a layman's common sense. If iOS devs could make more money selling even cheaper than they are, they'd do it. All the comparisons to other platforms and situations is pretty meaningless really. iOS is a different system. We usually can't try things out before buying. Instead we pay a lot less for the app and take our chances. That's the reality created and controlled by Apple.

Samu

@Shazamm said:

Alchemy is on IOS. Im lost i know Apple took over but they didnt delete the app

Well, considering how many of the sounds in Logic Pro X are based around Alchemy it would not surprise me at all if Apple 'baked in' Alchemy into Garageband at some point...

I don't know Garageband technically inside out but I do play with the thought that the instruments in Garageband are already AU but 'Private AU' meaning they are not published so other apps can use them...

Think about it, all Garageband Instruments useable as AU in our favourite apps??
This would be one amazing 'AU Technology Demo' from Apple

[Deleted User]

@ErrkaPetti said:
For me Abandonware is the same as the synth Alchemy...

Will we ever see an future for Alchemy on iOS from Apple (the new owner of Alchemy Synth)?

I see Alchemy as a finished app rather than an abandoned app. Those who purchased the app had the opportunity to know many months ahead of time that the company had been sold and that they wouldn't be able to support it past a specific date. We had the option to download all of our purchased packs and to archive them.

I purchased an iPhone 6 and an iPad Air 2 which are both running iOS 9.3.2 all created long past Alchemy's close date and Alchemy still works with IAA and Audiobus as expected. It works great in AUM, an app created long after Alchemy went out of business. There are recently released apps that don't function as well in IAA and Audiobus as well as Alchemy does.

I can use all of the IAP sound packs I purchased.

Do I wish Alchemy were still being developed? Yes
Would I like an option to get new sound packs? Yes
Do I think the company who bought them out made a mistake by stopping its development on iOS? I'm not in a position to know that as I have no insight into their business plans nor its effectiveness. I wish they would have continued and that at some point they decide to continue developing it even if it's as a new iOS app.

BiancaNeve

I think abandoned is if the developer has gone out of business or won't provide any support

Finished is when an app still works, and in fact updating it will break some of the existing functionality. A good example being Midibridge. If it were updated I wouldn't still be able to use it to continue to allow my midimobilzer 1 and synthstation 25 limping along.

[Deleted User]

I'm sure we can all think of more apps that would better exemplify an abandoned app than Alchemy.

lovadamusic

iOS Alchemy is basically the player version of Alchemy. The sounds are deep, and the morphing between patches is very cool. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if Apple made this player version an instrument in GB. I'm a little surprised they haven't already but, of course, they have many and much higher priorities, and everything always moves at a pace contingent on that. The full version of Alchemy is huge beast of an app. I'm not holding my breath for the day iPads can run desktop level stuff, but someday...

ErrkaPetti

@InfoCheck said:

I'm sure we can all think of more apps that would better exemplify an abandoned app than Alchemy.

The abandon is my feeling of the situation around Alchemy (iOS)...

But, on my Mac and in Logic Pro X the new Alchemy 2.0 is fantastic! And free... Thank's Apple!

Will

@mannix said:

@syrupcore said:

@mannix said:

To those I want to make the following points. Through the years I bought over 100 audio apps. And from my experience "the must have" apps of today could easily become tomorrows abandon ware.

Think the main difference in perspective here is that I do not believe there is such a thing as a "must have" music app. The device itself isn't even a must have so how could an app on it be categorized as such?

We've all bought duds on (and off) the app store. Sucks, no doubt. That's not the fault of app pricing models. Some devs disappear. Sucks, no doubt. I think understand what you're saying: that's a clear and present risk for us consumers and you'd like that risk to be accounted for by lowered app prices. Unfortunately, that does make sense for devs who stick around. Instead, if the money/risk is important to you (it is to me) I think the only option we have to account for that risk is via purchasing practices (buying fewer apps).

Thanks, I think you really have a point here. And that is just what I'm doing at the moment, buying less apps. But maybe it's just my curiosity wanting to try things out, and although some remarked that just read and/ or watch youtube reviews there's in the end nothing that can match playing around with the apps yourself. As said if apps were priced lower I would buy more just to try and if I'm really satisfied with them I would gladly support the dev with a larger sum. That said, I really am not aware of how large the audio app market is and how much the sales figures are of individual apps or iap and what the price influence is on marketshare, so maybe this strategy is more of a personal ideal. Would be interesting to know marketshare and sales figures though.

Same. Another thing that sucks is Apple not allowing trial versions. Makes this whole thing more complicated and full of guesswork/finger-crossing for both developers and consumers. Indeed, part of the reason prices on iOS are relatively low, according to some postings from developers here on the forum, is that they feel like they have to price things low enough to make the risk we're talking about palatable to would-be customers. That skews things for their business though—now they have Nx the amount support to do for the same amount of money (100 customers * $50 or 1000 customers * $5 == $5000 no matter what). We also can't ignore that the abandon rate probably usually correlates with revenues. I'd much rather see pricing go up accompanied by good trial version policies (no saving or time limited or whatever makes sense to let users give it a good work out and protect devs from cheapskates).

Nkersov

@lovadamusic said:
The work and expertise put into making an app like that is substantial. I think that's the point.

I feel sure that you are NOT saying the work and expertise put into other less expensive apps in the same category is necessarily inferior.

The point for me is that Moog uses its hardware history when setting a price. Like any other product, that price will appeal to some more then others. Apple does the same trick more than any other company, and with great success. Other products may offer better value, but they're not Apple (or in this case Moog) and known quality is another factor in determining what price can be achieved.

amarok

@u0421793 said:
Hang on, you have to include the cost of the iPad if you’re comparing like that. For me to start using Moog Model 15 the app, which simply doesn’t, cannot and never will run on the iPad I own, I’d have to somehow find the money to buy an entirely new iPad, despite the fact that I already own one [snip]

Ah, ok I did not notice the part in the title of this thread that said "apps you would like to buy but think are too expensive when you include the price of the iPad and can run on everyone else's iPad even if they have older iOS". My mistake, sorry.

lovadamusic

@Nkersov said:

@lovadamusic said:
The work and expertise put into making an app like that is substantial. I think that's the point.

I feel sure that you are NOT saying the work and expertise put into other less expensive apps in the same category is necessarily inferior.

The point for me is that Moog uses its hardware history when setting a price. Like any other product, that price will appeal to some more then others. Apple does the same trick more than any other company, and with great success. Other products may offer better value, but they're not Apple (or in this case Moog) and known quality is another factor in determining what price can be achieved.

Moog has a long history, an earned reputation, and the Model 15 is a classic. Those who appreciate the app understand that special care and expertise went into making a really convincing virtual model. I'm sure you're NOT saying that musicians paying 30 dollars for it don't know enough to spend their money wisely.

[Deleted User]

@lovadamusic even musicians without a knowledge of Moog modular synths can hear the quality of the Moog Model 15 app sounds and appreciate their value relative to other iOS offerings. They can look at the ways in which the app produces sounds and what's needed to learn the app and factor that into their purchasing decision. Their decision making process can be independent of insight or appreciation for modular synthesis and the process/effort needed to develop an app with its functionality and sound qualities. For these individuals, their experience of learning about the Moog Model 15 app might be similar to those of early users of Moog modular synthesizers who didn't know what it was or how to play it but were drawn in by the performances of those who did.

theconnactic

Except for the rare exceptions(1), there's no "overpriced app", or any overpriced good/service for that matter: there is some things that we cannot afford(2), and others we don't really need/want enough to fork the money for it, but either others do.

(1)- even for these, bad pricing never lasts long: either the seller readjusts the price or goes bankrupt.

(2) - with iOS, there is another factor, luckily for the developers: no significant software piracy!

MusicInclusive

My piano tuner had this. He said he loved it and it was worth every penny! It would save me paying him... OTOH...

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cybertuner/id490451741?mt=8

MusicInclusive

^^^^ For real! He paid that for it. BUT, he says he's earned back more as a result of having it. So, for him it was worth it.

JohnnyGoodyear

@MusicInclusive said:
^^^^ For real! He paid that for it. BUT, he says he's earned back more as a result of having it. So, for him it was worth it.

As a hedge against going deaf it might have been a smart investment....

amarok

@MusicInclusive said:
^^^^ For real! He paid that for it. BUT, he says he's earned back more as a result of having it. So, for him it was worth it.

But when will they add AudioBus support?

fjcblanco

I think abandoned is when an app won't get future updates, even if it need them to work properly or have been promised.

MusicInclusive

@JohnnyGoodyear said:

@MusicInclusive said:
^^^^ For real! He paid that for it. BUT, he says he's earned back more as a result of having it. So, for him it was worth it.

As a hedge against going deaf it might have been a smart investment....

You know, that is a very interesting thought! However, he's currently doing OK. Teaches MIDI as part of a series of courses in music at a local university as his main job.

[Deleted User]

Mosaik released in March of 2014 goes straight to my Abandonware Hall of Lame. Endeavor's app was hyped as an iOS version of Ableton Live. After its release, the developers failed to update the app as planned, it was pulled from the App Store, their website was shutdown, and no explanation was given to their investors about what happened.

To be fair the abandonware writing was on the wall in the description of the app.

@Endeavour_Dev via Synthtopia said:
Mosaik is still in the early stages of development, so Endeavour is releasing it with drastically reduced introductory pricing, which will remain in place until the next major update. But they are describing Mosaik as “Ableton Live on your Sofa”.
Plans for the next update include AudioBus support, real-time audio recording, user-definable warp-markers and more.

Fortunately the investment was only 99 cents, though it goes to show that if something doesn't make sense it's probably not true. Hopefully the developers learned from this boondoggle and are more cautious about how they take on and execute projects.

funjunkie27

I think that without knowing the financial situation of those who comment, feedback on this matter isn't that valuable. If you're unemployed, all apps are too expensive.

MusicInclusive

@funjunkie27 said:
I think that without knowing the financial situation of those who comment, feedback on this matter isn't that valuable. If you're unemployed, all apps are too expensive.

(Or, referencing the Garageband thread, a school)

Shazamm

@funjunkie27 said:
I think that without knowing the financial situation of those who comment, feedback on this matter isn't that valuable. If you're unemployed, all apps are too expensive.

LOL you just talked about 80% of musicians lol #sidejob

funjunkie27

@Shazamm said:

LOL you just talked about 80% of musicians lol #sidejob

Maybe true, but to a matter of degree still.

mannix

@funjunkie27 said:
I think that without knowing the financial situation of those who comment, feedback on this matter isn't that valuable. If you're unemployed, all apps are too expensive.

Korg 50% off sale.
https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/14440/korg-50-off-sale#latest

Already 40 comments and 1000 views in a very short time on this new Korg discount item shows that price really matters for a lot of people on this list.

Of course I agree with your last sentence "If you're unemployed, all apps are too expensive."

Nkersov

Setting aside wether this or that app is worth the price, the most obvious conclusions to be drawn here by developers who may be interested are:

1) Everybody appreciates quality and to a reasonable extent is willing to pay for it.

2) Sweetening the deal for higher priced apps with sales is good for business, 'cause we all like a bargain.

3) Telling prospective customers how much more expensive the desktop/ hardware version would be cuts no ice if that customer thinks an app costs more than they are happy to pay. Result, lost sale.

Will

@MusicInclusive said:
My piano tuner had this. He said he loved it and it was worth every penny! It would save me paying him... OTOH...

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cybertuner/id490451741?mt=8

Wow! I've heard of strobe tuners up in that range (and beyond) but wow. I imagine it does more than most strobe tuners, features wise, but it's really hard to imagine investing that much on top of iOS! At least it's universal.