Apple launches Creator Studio to expand professional services and AI features

Apple has introduced Apple Creator Studio, a new subscription bundle that combines its professional creative software into a single monthly or yearly plan. Priced at $12.99 per month or $129 per year, the package includes Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Pixelmator Pro for both Mac and iPad. The bundle also features Mac-only utilities Motion, Compressor, and MainStage. This launch marks a significant expansion of Apple's services business, providing a recurring revenue stream while offering a lower-cost entry point compared to individual one-time purchases or competitor suites.

The subscription introduces several new "intelligence-based" features powered by Apple silicon and on-device machine learning. Final Cut Pro gains Transcript Search for locating dialogue within footage, Visual Search for pinpointing objects or actions, and Beat Detection to sync video cuts with musical rhythms. Logic Pro receives an AI-powered Synth Player and Chord ID, which assists musicians by transcribing chord progressions from audio recordings. Additionally, Pixelmator Pro—recently acquired by Apple—makes its debut on the iPad with full Apple Pencil support and advanced layer-based editing tools.

The Creator Studio bundle also extends to Apple’s productivity suite, adding "premium content" and AI features to Keynote, Pages, and Numbers. These include a new Content Hub for curated stock media and generative tools that can draft presentations from text prompts or generate complex formulas in spreadsheets. While these productivity apps remain free for standard use, the advanced AI capabilities are locked behind the new subscription. The service is scheduled to launch on the App Store on January 28, with special education pricing available at $2.99 per month.