GarageBand’s iOS App Is Going Freemium

GarageBand for the iOS is one of the all time paid app success stories. However Apple accidentally revealed going into tomorrow's big show that the GarageBand iOS 7 app will be going freemium with in-app purchase options. Certainly not the biggest piece of expected Apple news by any means, still the likelihood that a free GarageBand app will get a serious response from users is quite high. Though Apple's stock is currently on the rise, they need a broad range of such hits to maintain their sparkling brand.

Apple is expected to unveil new iPads tomorrow at an event that seems crucial for them to maintain or even recapture momentum heading into the Christmas season.

While iPads are expected to be a big element, there are always an array of additional possibilities. According to Mac Rumors, GarageBand for iOS going freemium is one of them. Apple accidentally and temporarily revealed the news on its Built-In Apps page:

"Apple has revised its Built-in Apps page for the iPhone 5s to reveal the full set of new iOS 7-themed icons for the six iLife and iWork apps offered for iOS. The new GarageBand and iPhoto icons had appeared in the Settings app on some users' devices last week."

Likely of more importance to users, Apple temporarily revealed that GarageBand is going to become a free iOS app with extra sounds and instruments available as in-app purchases.

Mac Rumors' Eric Slivka notes that "licensing fees associated with some of those sounds had been the presumed reason why GarageBand was left out [of] the original move to make Apple's iLife and iWork apps for iOS free of charge."

GarageBand for iOS is currently $4.99 and ranked no. 74 on the iTunes Paid Apps chart.

[Thumbnail image of new GarageBand icon via Mac Rumors.]

Hypebot Senior Contributor Clyde Smith (@fluxresearch/@crowdfundingm) also blogs at Flux Research and Crowdfunding For Musicians. To suggest topics for Hypebot, contact: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.