Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2013/10/21/apple_announce_free_garage_band_sale/

Whoops! Apple drops kimono, flashes 'FREE' GarageBand for iOS7

Soz fanbois... you'll probably pay for the synths

By Jasper Hamill

Posted in Software, 21st October 2013 14:54 GMT

Apple looks set to adopt a freemium* model for its App Store apps after accidentally revealing plans to give away GarageBand, its Mac OS X and iOS music production software, free of charge.

The fruity firm is expected to unveil new versions of the iPad and perhaps beefed-up Macbook Pro models tomorrow. But ahead of its announcement, Apple accidentally let the following statement slip onto its iPhone 5S website, before quickly removing it:

GarageBand is free on the App Store for all iOS 7 compatible devices; additional GarageBand instruments and sounds are available with an in-app purchase. iPhoto, iMovie, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote are free on the App Store for qualifying iOS 7 compatible devices activated on or after September 1, 2013.

Fanbois with a musical bent probably won't get an entirely free ride as the blurb reveals they'll be asked to cough for extras, such as new sounds and instruments. GarageBand is packaged into OSX, although proper musicians are invited to make the upgrade to Logic Pro, which is better equipped.

Tomorrow, Apple is also expected to unveil updates to the iLife package. It has already unveiled new icons for this software suite, which includes the film production programme iMovie and the word processor Pages. If Garageband for iOS is given away for free, it looks likely that these apps could be set to follow.

According to Apple Insider, a further piece of deleted text read:

iPhoto, iMovie, Keynote, Pages, and Numbers are free on the App Store for qualifying iOS 7 compatible devices activated on or after September 1, 2013. See www.apple.com/ios/whats-new/ for iOS 7 compatible devices.

Speaking as someone who paid about a tenner for Pages and just under a fiver for Garageband on iOS, this reporter is one of the many who will be grumbling about Apple's decision. ®

* Not heard of freemium? You lucky sod! It's a <cough> mashup </cough> of "free" and "premium". In the model, a product or service is given away for "free", but a premium is attached for special goods, useful features, or functionality. – Sub-Ed