I am considering upgrading my Poser from an embarrassingly old version to the latest and greatest. Rather than just run out and buy Poser Pro 2014, I was wondering when Smith Micro tends to announce new versions, and when they appear. Looking over the last several versions, it seems they are on a 2-year release cycle, and 2014 actually came out in May of 2013.

Can those of you with more experience with Poser and Smith Micro shed some light on this? When should we expect a new version, and should I wait for that or just go get PP 2014?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

just wait for SM to start discounting 2014 then you'll know it's coming soon.

Depends on how big of a hobby Poser is for you, how much money you want to spend, how much time you spend playing with the software.

I bought Poser Pro 2010 at full price about 4 months before PP2012 came out, and I felt it was still worth it. 1. I got the upgrade price for PP2012, which I wouldn't have gotten from my very old prior version. And I got 4 months of a stable 64 bit software that didn't crash every time it ran out of memory. For me, it was a fair deal. Others would have felt differently, of course, and would have preferred to wait those extra few months. Only you know if that's an issue for you. 

I read the forums here and at RDNA regularly, and I haven't heard any whispering about a PP2016. In fact, it was just last year that we got the Game Dev version of Poser (an upgrade to PP2014). So who knows when the next big release can be expected?

 As always with software upgrades the only people who really have an idea on the release timeframe are not allowed to say.  The promotional video that went with the Game Dev version released implied that Poser 10/2014 will be around for a while yet. 

In your position and the 'activation' method that was introduced with the introduction of Game Dev I think I would hedge my bets and go for Poser 10/2014, but that is just me, others will clearly have a different view.

 "As always with software upgrades the only people who really have an idea on the release timeframe are not allowed to say.  The promotional video that went with the Game Dev version released implied that Poser 10/2014 will be around for a while yet." 

That is my understanding also and considering that the SRs are up to 5.1, I don't think a new version will happen this year.  Unless there is a major overhaul to the software.

Pick up Pro 2014 on the next decent sale.  Beware of the Game Dev version.  It has a little hidden "gift" (all sarcasm intended).  One, it requires and internet connection as the app has to phone home every six months or it deactivates. 

Yes, do pick up PP2014.  At least, you will be eligible for the upgrade at half price when it becomes available.

Pick up Pro 2014 on the next decent sale.  Beware of the Game Dev version.  It has a little hidden "gift" (all sarcasm intended).  One, it requires and internet connection as the app has to phone home every six months or it deactivates. 

PP2014 with SR 5.1 isn't the same way?

Pick up Pro 2014 on the next decent sale.  Beware of the Game Dev version.  It has a little hidden "gift" (all sarcasm intended).  One, it requires and internet connection as the app has to phone home every six months or it deactivates. 

PP2014 with SR 5.1 isn't the same way?

According to the present information from Smith Micro no.  You need the serial number when you download and install Poser 10 or Poser 2014 and that is the end of the matter.  If you purchase the Game Dev version the extra features of that version, over and above those supplied in Poser 2014, need to be activated.  That I think was fairly well understood.  What has come as a shock to users is that is Game Dev then needs to 'Phone Home' so if you do not have your computer connected to the internet the Game Dev version will deactivate (six months appears to be the time frame) and need to be connected to the Internet to re-activate.  It is unclear as to whether all future version of Poser will go this was, hence my suggestion that buying 2014 might not be a bad idea. 

According to the present information from Smith Micro no.  You need the serial number when you download and install Poser 10 or Poser 2014 and that is the end of the matter.  If you purchase the Game Dev version the extra features of that version, over and above those supplied in Poser 2014, need to be activated.  That I think was fairly well understood.  What has come as a shock to users is that is Game Dev then needs to 'Phone Home' so if you do not have your computer connected to the internet the Game Dev version will deactivate (six months appears to be the time frame) and need to be connected to the Internet to re-activate.  It is unclear as to whether all future version of Poser will go this was, hence my suggestion that buying 2014 might not be a bad idea. 

Ridiculous. Essentially to make the program useful for the purpose for which I was interested in returning to it, I have to install a trojan. Literally the only difference is that I would be doing it voluntarily, and the information it is allowed to transmit is (supposedly) limited.

     A trojan is slipped in surreptitiously  and retrieves sensitive personal info for malevolent purposes.  This one had a sign hung on it.  It was in the eula to which you had to click "agree" in order to continue installation, and in the manual PDF.  Granted that SM did not specify just how their copyright protection worked.  What company does?  The sign was clear enough for the intended market - game builders and academic settings, where this type of copyright protection is the norm.  I agree that it was insufficiently detailed for the general population, and that has since been corrected.  It only re-validates the license.  Anyone who runs pro-level software already has similar -often more stringent- copyright protection in place.  Adobe PhotoShop Extended and Creative Suite (56 phone-home processes!), 3dsMax, Maya, modo,  Vue Infinite/Xstream, et al.

     There is also an optional feature on all Poser versions which, if you choose to enable it, sends anonymous non-personal use/crash data to SM for the purpose of bug diagnostics and marketing decisions (What features are used a lot? Which are not?  What operation caused this crash?)

     I agree that if this method of copyright protection makes you uncomfortable, then you should stick with P10/Pro2014;  but if you want the ability to step into a larger world and interface with the gaming/visualization builders, then get GameDev and accept the licensing. 

Poser Pro 2014 GameDev licensing/re-validation details

The only worry for me with the need for reactivation is the possibility of deactivation. Now clarified, it isn't an enormous inconvenience, unless you are intent on keeping your production machine completely offline (or worried that SM might stop supporting Poser at some point in the future).

When I got my new machine, I considered keeping it offline and using the other for my web browsing, etc. Then I thought back to the multitude of malware and viruses and other unwanted intrusions I've suffered since 1991 -- exactly 1 (almost harmless, and got while running an OS for 2 years with no AV at all). I decided that I could probably handle the "risk" of letting my production machine online. :D

I don't know what people are doing to expose themselves to so much malware, viruses, etc that they're afraid of even connecting to legitimate servers. Apparently I'm missing out on a lot of fun.

 SM have now provided a link for a more detailed description on the Game Dev activation process.

  http://blog.smithmicro.com/2015/01/09/poser-3d/license-activation-for-poser-pro-game-dev/

I'm really glad I just switched to Daz Studio - Bye Bye future Poser versions.

I'm really glad I just switched to Daz Studio - Bye Bye future Poser versions.

Well I guess, as Daz Studio is free, no one wants to pirate it.  It is not clear yet if future versions of Poser will have this form of activation or if it will be just be upgrades of the Game Version, who knows. As it stands it is not an issue for me as I am connected to the internet and can revert to Poser 2014 if Game Dev were de-activated.  I do understand though that others might dislike this process and vote with their feet/credit card and only SM can decide if the loss of some customers is out weighed by restricting the pirating.
It is not a

Read the blog post carefully.  You only get 3 "unique" activations.  Not sure what defines unique.  If it's simply you can only reactivate it 3 times or you can only reactivate on 3 different system configurations.  This can pose a problem if you upgrade since if the activation is tied to your system's configuration and you make changes, it may deactivate and require you to reactive.  Also can be a problem if you regularly have the opportunity to upgrade your system.  If it is tied to your system's configuration, this, at least to me, is a bit excessive.

The only reason it's just unique to Game Dev is because it's currently the last version of Poser released.  I've asked over in the official Poser forum several times if this is how it's going to be from now on but I don't get an answer.  I'm going to take their silence as a big "yes".

I laughed when I read the line about transparency. 

Well, in the other forum it has been made very clear that SM will not make any comment as to whether this form of activation will be introduced in all future versions of Poser but they profess to listening to feed back.

I would therefore suggest that anyone who does not like the way the activation process works in the Game Dev versions make their views quite clear.  From my point of view I am not against the activation process but strongly against the requirement to 'Phone Home' and the ability to automatically de-activate. 

I have always been a strong supported of SM, as any of my earlier posts will show, however I have to say I am bitterly disappointed with the fact that this new procedure was introduced without it being made very clear to purchasers of the Game Dev Version before they purchased.

I got Poser Pro 2014 on sale for about 200. I thought that was an excellent deal, so definitely wait til its on sale again and grab it if so inclined.

I also have the Game developers update. Looking forward to doing some animation with kinnect--or at least trying. I got that on sale as well and am very happy with it.