Apple Confirms You Can Keep Your Old Pro Apps Alongside the New Subscription

Apple is doing something pretty unusual with its professional software. They have officially confirmed that you won't have to choose between the version of Final Cut Pro you already own and the new "Apple Creator Studio" subscription.

You can actually have both installed on your Mac at the same time. They won’t crash into each other or cause any weird system glitches. It is a smart move that lets creators try out the new service without losing the software they already paid for years ago.

There was a lot of chatter online recently about some new app icons that looked a bit different from the ones we are used to. Some users were worried these new designs would just overwrite their current apps and force a new look on them. Apple cleared this up in a new support document by explaining that these icons are basically just visual labels. If you have both versions on your computer, the different icons will help you see at a glance which one is the subscription version and which one is the classic buyout one. This is the first time Apple has ever used icon design to show how a user paid for their software.

While the apps might look similar, what is under the hood is where things really start to differ. Apple plans to save its most advanced AI tools specifically for the subscription version.

This is clearly their way of nudging power users toward the monthly plan, as sticking with the version you already bought still provides basic updates and support, though you likely won’t receive the high-tech AI features, which are now a standard for professional editing.

This change is not just for video editors. It covers a whole range of creative tools, including Logic Pro for music, as well as Motion and Compressor for special effects. Even Pixelmator Pro, which Apple recently added to its family, will be part of this new bundle, creating an all-in-one hub for creators. It’s a big shift that gives pros everything they need in one simple package.

You won’t have to wait long to see the new setup in action, as the Apple Creator Studio service will go live on the App Store on Jan 28, priced at 38 RMB per month or 380 RMB for a full year.

It is a major transition for Apple’s ecosystem, but by letting the two versions live side-by-side, they are at least making the change feel a lot less forced for their long-time fans.