The subscription model is a sustainable model because it ensures that developers can continue to make money after the product is sold. It also incentivizes developers to keep their apps updated with new features for users after its release, and this is a model that Apple is pushing its developers to adopt.In a video uploaded on its developer page (via MacRumors), Apple is highlighting some of the benefits of adopting a subscription model. The video also features developers of other iOS apps who speak about it. According to Calm developer Tyler Sheaffer, “If you’re a subscription business, your incentives are actually perfectly aligned with your customers, because they need to continue to get value out of the product in order to keep subscribing, which means that you have to continue making the app better.”
Elevate developer Jesse Germinario adds, “The value for a user is that you’re not just buying this one thing at this one point in time, you’re actually buying something that’s evolving.” Interestingly enough this video seems to confirm an earlier rumor which was that Apple had previously convened a secret meeting to try and convince developers to adopt the subscription model.
Analysts have also advised Apple to adopt such a model, and if anything this video seems to suggest that the company could very well be headed in that direction.