Final Cut Pro trademark hints at possible subscription offering

Specifically, Apple has added a Nice Classification 42 listing to its trademark for Final Cut Pro in Europe.

The 42 classification, which is used by platforms like Microsoft Office 365, includes software-as-a-service (SaaS). It covers "software rental," which was not a part of the original registered trademark back in 2016. The change to the trademark is a specific one, and hints that some sort of change is coming.

Final Cut Pro is currently offered as a one-time purchase software available for a flat fee of $300 on the App Store.

At this point, it isn't clear if Apple will do away with the one-time purchase and opt for a subscription-based model like Adobe Creative Cloud or Microsoft Office 365. It's possible that any SaaS option for Final Cut Pro could be offered in addition to the one-time purchase, and may include additional cloud-based features.

Patently Apple spotted the listing this week.

Apple has taken steps to expand its services offerings in recent years, launching individual services like Apple Fitness+ and Apple TV+ and bundling various products in its Apple One subscription.

The company is also eyeing new areas in which to expand its services. A report from January suggested that Apple is mulling the release of a paid subscription platform for exclusive podcast content.