Clockwise 639: I'm Saying Words I Don't Really Know What They Mean
Jan 14, 2026
Florence Ion, a freelance consumer tech reporter, and Stephen Robles, co-host of the Primary Technology podcast, dive into the latest in creative apps and tech. They discuss Apple's new subscription bundle, weighing its value and feature limitations. The pair also explores the concept of single-use devices that might thrive in the future, like e-readers and point-and-shoots. Additionally, they share their device resetting habits and express hopes for enhanced Siri capabilities with Gemini, emphasizing better understanding and improved integrations.
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Strategic Play Behind Apple’s Creative Bundle
- Apple’s new Creative Pro subscription aims to broaden adoption and compete with Adobe by offering education pricing and bundling apps.
- The bundle could spur more development attention but raises concerns about feature gating in iWork and platform fragmentation.
Keep Individual Purchases Available
- Keep the option to buy apps individually if you dislike subscriptions and want long-term ownership.
- Expect subscription bundles to attract newcomers but verify feature parity across purchase models first.
Feature Disparity Between Mac And iPad Apps
- Apple preserved one-time purchases for pro Mac apps while gating some iWork and iPad features behind subscription access.
- This creates potential feature disparity and uncertainty about which capabilities will remain free.