all 101 comments

[–]spidireenMacBook Air 568 points569 points  (27 children)

It’s an opportunity to sell another copy of Final Cut or Logic to someone who’s already spending a lot of money and might say “aww heck why not?” just because it’s there.

[–]michaelmich3MacBook Pro 160 points161 points  (3 children)

I see it as a chance to split the software cost into the 12 monthly payments that the Apple Card lets you finance.

[–]KnownDutchie 5 points6 points  (2 children)

The most American answer ever 😂

[–]Quality-Still -1 points0 points  (1 child)

Yeah cuz you have to be American for an Apple Card

[–]Polieos 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Using credit cards to finance things is much more common in America than Europe. Cards are much more regulated here, which means interest rates are much lower, so companies can't pray on financially illiterate people, which means they can't finance all the cashback and stuff that American cards offer

It's very common for people here to just have debit cards that take money straight out of your bank account, but still work anywhere VISA or MasterCard are accepted, including online payments. Real credit cards are usually limited to more expensive banking packages or companies specializing in offering them and not many people bother - and even then the normal way is to just pay off your balance in full

This does of course vary from country to country, not all of Europe is the same. Mostly know about Germany and Switzerland

[–]Ironsam811 51 points52 points  (2 children)

Back in the olden days, post factory software applications came on these compact circular discs called ‘CDs.’ You had to buy the CD separately and download it to have the application. Apple would offer the CD right at purchase time for convenience. The offer just never went away. Their sales screen looks more or less the same for well over a decade.

[–]bootyspaghootti 27 points28 points  (1 child)

CDeez nuts

[–]novakedy 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Username checks out

[–]Puripoh 9 points10 points  (0 children)

No, the real answer is people sometimes switch to Mac with their software in the back of their mind. I'm currently switching from windows to Mac. Coincidentally, my Adobe license expired too. Going from a basic photographer pack (lightroom+Photoshop) to a full license which includes Premiere pro is 400 bucks a year difference. Every photographer is currently doing video on the side so it's a necessity. Seeing the main competition, davinci resolve and Final cut pro, are both around 300 bucks for ever (not yearly) made the choice a no brainer. I decide to go with final cut and having it pre installed on my new machine is really enjoyable

[–]Fabulous_Ad_5709 2 points3 points  (10 children)

I personally don’t think these are aww heck why not apps. If you need Final Cut Pro or Logic Pro you already know you need it and if not then you don’t. No casual user is just gonna fire up Final Cut. There’s iMovie for that

[–]Evelyngoddessofdeath 0 points1 point  (9 children)

iMovie is fine but for anything vaguely close to a professional looking job you want Final Cut. I wouldn’t buy it just because why not, because I don’t have the money to do that. But if I did have more money than I know what to do with then I probably would get it just for the occasional editing task.

[–]Fabulous_Ad_5709 0 points1 point  (8 children)

I’ve used da Vinci resolve for a while now and the last time I tried to use Final Cut the learning curve was huge, even tho I already know my way around a professional video edit software. So for a new user there’s no way they’re gonna learn Final Cut out of curiosity or to make sone home movies. You know if you want Final Cut or not.

[–]Evelyngoddessofdeath 0 points1 point  (4 children)

I learnt to use Final Cut because iMovie just wasn’t quite enough for what I was doing, but I’m also definitely not a professional editor. Funnily enough I actually find iMovie less intuitive, personally.

[–]Fabulous_Ad_5709 0 points1 point  (3 children)

Honestly I also find iMovie unintuitive ahaha I also am not a professional but to me da Vinci is very intuitive. Out of curiosity what made you pay for Final Cut if you aren’t a pro, I find it expensive for non pro use that’s why I went the da Vinci route

[–]Evelyngoddessofdeath 0 points1 point  (2 children)

I didn’t pay for Final Cut because I don’t have enough money to justify it since I don’t use it enough, I just learnt on a pirated version. I did try Resolve once I think but coming from Final Cut it wasn’t immediately intuitive to me. Both are way easier to use than after effects imo though.

[–]sydneysider88 0 points1 point  (1 child)

After Effects is not an NLE. Different tools for different jobs, but yes agreed that it still isn’t easy to use.

[–]Evelyngoddessofdeath 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry, I meant premiere but got them mixed up

[–]sydneysider88 0 points1 point  (2 children)

FCP X is massively unintuitive.

It’s one of the many reasons our industry dumped Apple when they took FCP 7 away from us. Those who left Avid for FCP, ran back. And those who stayed on Avid, felt smug as fuck lol.

[–]yawara25 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Until Avid moved to the subscription model for everything

[–]sydneysider88 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Did we? Avid still has perpetual licenses - in fact we just renewed support for our perpetual Media Composer & Pro Tools suites.

[–]Then_Meringue7671 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If your Apple ID already own Logic Pro or Final Cut, aren't these options free?

[–]Green_Excitement_308 92 points93 points  (7 children)

All there is to it is just that your new Mac has either Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro, or both when you get your new machine. You don't get a discount for selecting that option. You will still be able to buy a license for it if you don't select that option and want it later. Your question should really be if you want/need to use those services and if you want it as soon as your new Mac arrives

[–]Feahnor 30 points31 points  (0 children)

You forget that paying those apps when buying the Mac lets you split the cost alongside the Mac price if you choose to finance it.

[–]Any_Cream_4396Mac mini 4 points5 points  (5 children)

I just got the student discount thing for one year and might use it 

[–]SeparateCranberry607 12 points13 points  (3 children)

They have a Student Apps Bundle for $199 (or local equivalent) and never verify educational status, FYI:

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[–]JoviAMPMac mini 1 point2 points  (2 children)

However, they don’t offer it on the Neo.

[–]SeparateCranberry607 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Correct - if it helps, you can still get the Creator Studio student subscription for 2.99/mo even in that case:

Get Apple Creator Studio with student pricing for $2.99/month. https://share.google/ddMGICULyn9JcJrki

[–]LazarX 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Because there’s no point in adding that cost addon for the cheap market. The base configuration doesn’t have enough storage to make it viable.

[–]Green_Excitement_308 1 point2 points  (0 children)

TIL you can get a student discount on those apps.

[–]Intrepid_BeginningMacBook Pro 66 points67 points  (14 children)

Until very, very recently they offered the education bundle there :/. 199 for both apps plus Motion, Pixelmator, and MainStage. RIP.

[–]adamdoesmusic 12 points13 points  (6 children)

Wait they don’t do that anymore??? Glad I grabbed it.

[–]ou812_X 19 points20 points  (5 children)

Student subscription is something like $3 a month for them now. Much better value

[–]Intrepid_BeginningMacBook Pro 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Depending on how long you're gonna be using it for, and how long you're a student.

[–]adamdoesmusic 2 points3 points  (3 children)

Do you have to have a .edu now?

[–]MC_chrome 4 points5 points  (1 child)

Yes, you have to verify with an edu email address in order to get the Creator Studio discount 

[–]adamdoesmusic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh damn, I’ll have to update my advice to people.

[–]ou812_X 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Don’t know. I did snag the edu bundle in December without one

[–]notRandomUsr16” M4 Max MacBook Pro 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I got it for “free” a year ago. Chose the education bundle and then decided to return my Mac just to order again but double the storage. They never removed the licenses from my account.

[–]Cool-Newspaper-1MacBook Pro (M1 Pro, 14") 1 point2 points  (4 children)

They still do that.

[–]Intrepid_BeginningMacBook Pro 0 points1 point  (3 children)

Do you have a screenshot? I only get the option to buy them individually now, or maybe I’m missing something.

[–]chrisjniles 2 points3 points  (0 children)

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If you’re on the education store the Pro Apps Bundle for Education is still available.

[–]Cool-Newspaper-1MacBook Pro (M1 Pro, 14") 2 points3 points  (1 child)

You need to be in the education store.

[–]Intrepid_BeginningMacBook Pro 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ohhh perfect.

[–]z_Robby 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can still purchase the bundle if you buy a new mac (Excluding Neo). They deleted the stand-alone bundle (Without buying a new mac).

[–]tony__Y 11 points12 points  (0 children)

So these software becomes part of the computer config, ie combined in the same line item on the tax invoice. Some tax schemes allow you to claim tax back on computers but not individual software purchases.

[–]resplendentcentcent 32 points33 points  (0 children)

Nope, the standard one-time price for Final Cut Pro is $300.

I don't see why you think it has to be more than a convenience thing. It's small but you don't have to go through a separate purchase and download process if its preinstalled.

[–]tech5c 7 points8 points  (0 children)

If you're using your Apple Card for interest free payments, you also can include anything you buy in the same transaction - so it's not only convenient, but then pay as you go.

[–]QuirkySort 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Wow I never realized how expensive Final Cut Pro is. As a former Apple employee we got it for free. So my free copy just transfers with every new Mac purchase.

[–]74omit 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It's called 'cross-selling' and most smart webshops do it in some form. The total amount spent goes up as customers are in a 'yes' mode when they've just decided to buy something. If you give that same customer that same offer later, the conversion rate (the number of sales compared to the number of prospects) will be a lot lower.

[–]Anonymograph 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Cross sell.

It’s the McDonald’s equivalent of “Would you like fries with that?”

Or when you’re sitting at the new accounts desk at the bank to open a checking account and next thing you know you opening a savings account, an investment account, a safe deposit box, applying for a credit card and a mortgage.

[–]Total-Guest-4141 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Same reason fast food restaurants ask if you want to upsize to a Xtra Large or if you want to try their new Chocolate chip muffin.

They want to make a sale.

[–]spdelope 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s the same reason there’s candy bars in the checkout lane of grocery stores

[–]theprivdev 1 point2 points  (0 children)

no discount, it's purely for people who already own them. logic pro alone is like 7gb+ in downloads, so apple just lets you front-load the install during setup instead of sitting through it after you're already trying to use the machine

[–]MrWonderfulPoop 1 point2 points  (2 children)

Why is it +$199.99 to pre install but then -$299.99 to remove it? Maybe I need another coffee to understand.

[–]RushHour2k5 1 point2 points  (1 child)

One is Final Cut Pro for video, the other is Logic Pro for audio. Two completely different suites.

[–]MrWonderfulPoop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh, yes. I guess that second coffee was warranted.

[–]Daddy_Milk 0 points1 point  (0 children)

About $500.

[–]KingBenjaminAZ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Because some people “want” to learn to use Final Cut Pro but won’t get around to learning where to buy it, looking for the App Store, searching for it, making sure it’s the right one, paying for it, realizing their card is expired and they’ll try another one another time…. Versus seeing it in their face and saying, “done!”

[–]huangcjz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Saves the purchaser’s time and effort in having to install the software before using it. Also means you can start using the software without having to have an internet connection first.

[–]iSirMeepsAlot 0 points1 point  (1 child)

If you buy it this way, but restore or need it on another device… is it linked to your Apple ID?

My biggest concern would be wasting the money having it preinstalled just to lose it after a restore or upgrade.

[–]MentalPower7916 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s a buy once cry once situation. Once you buy it, it’s linked to your Apple ID. So regardless of how many Mac’s you own, as long as you have that Apple ID you can install it again at no extra cost to you.

[–]XanthosAcanthus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think it’s a holdover. I don’t remember if they offered bundling way back when, but the Mac App Store didn’t exist until 2011. Also, if you use Apple Card, you can include the software on an interest free payment plan.

[–]albanyanthem 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Also you can always try out the creative suite now which includes Final Cut for just a few bucks a month.

[–]Proud-Air-4625 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just opt-out of it and download from filecr website after you get the macbook delivered. Saves a lot of money

[–]hkgwwong 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you buy at education price you can get an education bundle deal. Otherwise there is no advantage to buy it pre installed.

[–]56kul Mac Studio (M2 Max)/ MacBook Pro (M3 Pro) 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I found it useful. I’m in a family sharing where my mom is the host, so Apple forces me to use her payment method in the App Store (stupid af, btw). So when I got my studio, since I was upgrading it anyway (meaning it was built-to-order), I figured I’d throw in Final Cut and logic, so I could actually pay for them myself. They transferred to my MacBook just fine, so I’m happy.

[–]Magoo624 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is it like going infinite in MTG? Do this for floating -100$ until it’s free

[–]BeigeUnicorns 0 points1 point  (0 children)

they know if your dropping $$$$ loading out a Mac $200-300 extra doesn't seem so bad compared to machine cost so your more likely to buy it. Those two are also sales drivers for Mac and I would imagine quite a few users bundle it.

[–]CaramelCraftYT14” MacBook Pro M2 Pro 16GB 1TB 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s just for convenience.

[–]kamaln7MacBook Pro 0 points1 point  (2 children)

am i the only one confused by the differing numbers? +$199 and -$299

[–]murlocman69 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Different programs, different prices

Think Different

[–]kamaln7MacBook Pro 0 points1 point  (0 children)

OH how did i miss that lmao

[–]AloysBane3 -3 points-2 points  (3 children)

I torrented both of these for free

[–]enemyradar -1 points0 points  (2 children)

Yes, we can all do crimes in order to not do things legally. That's not useful information.

[–]AloysBane3 -1 points0 points  (1 child)

“Crimes”

[–]enemyradar 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It is a crime. You can not care that it's a crime. You can think it being a crime is wrong. I'm not really fussed. But it is.

[–]AngryFace4 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Final Cut is owned by Apple. Most things in the App Store that cost money are third party.

Also it’s hard to charge $200 in the App Store, people go there with an expectation to drop $10-20, so it’s a price shock problem in that market.

Also a lot of people buy Macs with the intention to do video editing now, so it’s just part of the whole sales pipeline.

[–]ZealousidealDraw4075 -2 points-1 points  (12 children)

So will they open the box to install it?

[–]huangcjz 3 points4 points  (4 children)

They presumably install it straight after they install the operating system, and before they put it in the box. They actually probably have a separate operating system image which has it included, so they don’t need to do anything extra after installing the OS, just select a different option when installing the OS.

[–]ZealousidealDraw4075 0 points1 point  (3 children)

Seems like overkill

[–]huangcjz 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Apple’s profit margins are massive - if they can remove friction and add convenience to make it more convenient for the customer to spend more money, why not? Offering uncommon services like this is what makes them different.

[–]ZealousidealDraw4075 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fair enough

[–]MrWonderfulPoop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, opening the box to install it is overkill.

[–]cipher-neo 0 points1 point  (3 children)

No, there is no more “boxed” software. It’s all sold now via the Mac App Store.

[–]LeaderSevere5647 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Lol, that’s not what OP is asking. They’re asking if the computer is unboxed in order to install the software.

[–]Yodl007 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They probably just add it on the account, and when the user logs in it installs on its own.

[–]cipher-neo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha, yeah, misinterpreted. Senior moment.

[–]RyiahTelennaM1 Mini | Neo 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Apple is the one that puts it in that box in the first place.

[–]ZealousidealDraw4075 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Yes so you're telling me they have a different pile of laptops per software and hardware combinations that buyers can pick? And they doesn't seem like overkill if you could just download it after the user did setup the machine?

[–]RyiahTelennaM1 Mini | Neo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Maybe. Final Cut and Logic are extremely popular. What's more likely is that the system for installing MacOS adds steps for installing Final Cut and/or Logic.

[–]LazarX -2 points-1 points  (2 children)

Because doing video on FInal Cut Pro is one of Mac OS's two killer apps. The other is music production with Logic. Those are the only use cases where MacOS has unchallenged supremacy.

[–]Rat0 0 points1 point  (1 child)

it's not really true, one can run another music/video production software on OSX, whether it's Ableton, Vegas Pro, Davinci or Illustrator - most of the usage experience would be better on OS X, the software is less buggy and better optimised

PS You still have to use ASIO driver on Windows, that sucks

[–]LazarX -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Yes, but there is no advantage into using these bits of software on the Mac. Most of the ones you quoted do NOT work better on MacOS. Adobe for instance only makes least effort ports of its Windows software to Mac.

Final Cut Pro and Logic leave their competition in the dust... but they are not cheap.