Notability 11.0 : Converted to Freemium and Subscription based

Today Notability officially becomes a FREE app! You heard that right. We're updating our pricing so that more people can use Notability, and we're offering an optional annual subscription with unlimited editing and fresh content. Although, if you've previously purchased Notability you can continue using it uninterrupted until Nov,1, 2022.⁠

Announcement from Notability Instagram

Based On announcements on 2 Nov, Notability is now changing their pricing model, from one-time payment U$9.99 to annual subscription U$14.99/year. This is a hot topic being discussed within Digital Note-Taking sector since announcement made by Notability last night. I have gone through few stages of mood when I'm reading this announcement.
1. What? it's free now? I just purchase like 3 months ago!
2. What? it become a subscription based now! I just purchase like 3 months ago!
3. Oh okie, it seems a necessary move.

Notability announce new pricing model along with few 'big' updates, but up to now there's no equal quality discussion happen to the new updates, yet. Consumers are now in anger due to being force into subscription based model, out of sudden.

Why the negative wave

They hit few points that trigger -ve voices,
1. Out of sudden - The changes applied without any prealert. Consumer feel cheated, especially users that just bought it recently.
2. Downgrade experience - Well, human always looking for improvement, and yet now force to a limited features after paid. They may remain the experience unchange, but downgrade is never acceptable.
3. They are already in negative ratings - There are tons of issue remain unsolved, consumer paying to get a stable apps and now they are getting into a subscription based without any valuable exchange.
4. Vague pricing models - On the new pricing models, free version will get limited amount of edits and icloud sync not available. There is no answer/threshold about 'limited amount of edits' clearly stated; iCloud storage are paid by Apple user, and Notability basically utilizing user's iCloud storage subscription to offer an iCloud sync as a paid service.
5. Paid ads from unknown influencer - There are few influencers promoting the new updates, and they are mostly unknown influencers. Which in the meantime causing some 'famous' influencer angry and booing for an app switch. There are influencers even started to share reel about uninstallations.
6. Subscription fatigue - A subscription based model means a monthly static expenses, ones feel stress by looking at the static expenses regardless the amount.
7. Illogical pricing - the new annual subscription price is even higher than 1 time payment. My brain: ?????

What would it be

Undeniable, they'd failed in positioning existing customers with this new pricing model.

It's just a transition. There are users commented that they already enjoy the apps through one-time purchase for 9 or 6 years, as a software developers I feel misery for this statement, but as a consumer I'm jealous that they had grab the value back for 9 years at U$12.

A trial apps actually leading negative impression before one convert into a paid customer, as you playing around but keep getting prompt "this tools is only available in Premium version", it's really annoying. I do give up proceed with the apps after 5 minutes testing. So, good game.

With this decision, they should do better, with stable income to form a better team, and better team to provides a better roadmap.

I own GoodNotes too, but I'm using Notability for some reasons which those are the "value" that help me to consider a subsequent subscriptions with Notability later. There are tons of free apps and still this paid apps is making sales, there must be strengths behind.

UPDATE: Notability made a further decision

On 3 Nov, Notability again announce that existing customers will remain lifetime access. When I'm reading the newsletter, I was shock that they are making this decision which cutting off their future decision, fully.

We heard you all and want to make it right. We made changes to our subscription so that our existing users will have lifetime access to their current features and content.

Anyway, I remain the life time access now, which is a good news for me, but I wonder how much updates will they be releasing for lifetime users. And people are wondering if they are making this adjustment due to outcry from users or due to violations of Apple Appstore Developer Guidelines.

App Store guidelines section 3.1.2 (a): "If you are changing your existing app to a subscription-based business model, you should not take away the primary functionality existing users have already paid for."

Long story drama. Seems these are still a hit to their business reputations. They maybe getting an increase on number of download due to a freemium, but how much the conversions?