Apple surprised creative professionals this week with its new Creator Studio. The bundle combines several apps, including Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Pixelmator Pro, into a single subscription. Even if you don’t use every app, it’s a pretty good deal.
But while Apple sells the idea that Apple Creator Studio is a cross-platform bundle, the reality is that most of the tools offered are either made or only available on the Mac, which makes the bundle much less appealing to those who prefer to work on the iPad or even the iPhone. In an age with iPads that have desktop processors and iPhones that will soon unfold into tablet-sized screens, it doesn’t make sense.
On the Mac, Apple Creator Studio delivers on its promise
On the Mac, Apple Creator Studio makes perfect sense. For just $12.99 per month, you get access to all of Apple’s Pro apps. That includes Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage, which would cost nearly $700 separately. The subscription bundle also adds some extra features to Keynote, Pages, and Numbers.
It’s hard to find arguments against subscribing to Apple Creator Studio if you’re a Mac user. Final Cut Pro alone costs $299, which is enough to pay for two years of Apple Creator Studio. If you were to buy all the apps individually, you would spend around $700. Also, it’s much more compelling than paying $70 per month for Adobe Creative Cloud.
Apple Creator Studio is an incredible value if you work mostly on a Mac.
Apple
On the iPad, however, subscribers won’t get the full experience. That’s because only Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Pixelmator Pro will be available on the iPad – and when it comes to Final Cut Pro, the iPad version still lacks many features available on the Mac. And Apple doesn’t offer standalone versions of any Creator Studio apps for the iPad, so you have to subscribe (either individually or as a bundle) to use them.
Of course, some people only use their iPad as a companion device to their Mac, but Apple itself sells the idea of using the iPad as a computer replacement. In that case, if you only have an iPad, you won’t be able to use all the apps available with Apple Creator Studio. Yet, you’ll still pay the same price.
iPhone users are also creators
One group of creators Apple has almost completely overlooked is iPhone users. Don’t get me wrong, I know that many pros work from their Macs, but in the age of social media, I also know many people who shoot, edit, and publish directly from their iPhones. And not offering anything new for the iPhone is a missed opportunity.
CapCut has become one of the most popular mobile editors due to its simplicity and built-in AI features. At the same time, even Adobe has created a mobile version of its Premiere video editor, focusing on people who shoot and edit with their phones.
Adobe offers strong mobile companions for its pro apps. Where are Apple’s versions?
Foundry
Unfortunately, the first version of Apple Creator Studio ignores the iPhone. Apple wants to sell Creator Studio as a creator-focused bundle, but it largely ignores the reality that many creators today are mobile-first, not Mac-first.
The situation gets even worse when you think about Pixelmator, which was acquired by Apple last year. Apple confirmed this week that Pixelmator Classic, which works with the iPhone, will soon be discontinued. As for Pixelmator Pro, it will be exclusive to the iPad and Mac, another missed opportunity with creators who work exclusively with their phones.
Photomator, on the other hand, is available on iPhone, and Apple says it will continue to offer the app on the App Store. For those unfamiliar, Photomator is a photo editor from Pixelmator and was also acquired by Apple. It’s perfect for Creator Studio but not part of the initial release.
Therefore, it’s not hard to imagine that it will eventually meet the same fate as Pixelmator Classic, and iPhone users will lose another tool for creating on the go. Apple hasn’t explicitly said Photomator will be shuttered, but it also hasn’t done much to convince users that it won’t.
Apple Creator Studio doesn’t offer much to users who don’t use a Mac.
Apple
A strong bundle with an unresolved future
None of this means that Apple Creator Studio is a bad product. In fact, I’m really excited about the idea of creators having access to a suite of professional tools at a very affordable price. But Creator Studio also makes it clear that Apple is still not exploiting the full potential of its mobile platforms for professionals.
Until it does, mobile creators are left in an uncomfortable position, paying like Mac users, but creating with tools that feel less complete. And if Photomator’s current limbo is any indication, that uncertainty may be the most troubling part of Apple’s creative future.
Still, if you have a Mac, you should definitely give Apple Creator Studio a try if you’re looking for alternatives to Adobe apps or even if this is your first time working with pro-level creativity apps.
Author: Filipe Esposito, Contributor
Filipe Espósito is a Brazilian journalist who has been covering tech for over 10 years, and has become known for publishing exclusive reports on Apple's plans – such as the launch of the first titanium Apple Watch. He has worked for 9to5Mac and also co-hosts the tech podcast “A Fonte” in Brazil.