I have seen a couple of posts from people here saying that the platinum yearly membership is still available in its current form (including 'extras')  should you not wish to take up the lifetime updates. On the other hand,  I thought Cakewalk stated that the the rolling updates will be identical regardless of the membership plan you are on, which  I presumed meant that everyone would receive only core updates, and extras would be purchased as desired.
 
Could someone please put me out of my confusion and confirm which is true.
 
Thanks:)

Lets clarify what extras are. You buy Platinum it comes with a lot of Pro Channel modules. However it does not come with Concrete Limiter that is an extra. The real problem is the term core program. This implies no extras just what is coded for that version. I believe that if you have life time updates and it is for Platinum  all extras that would normally come with Platinum will also be included. Otherwise CW would be offering a different version that couldn't be called Platinum. 
 
This this my understanding. 
 
The things included are listed in the version comparison. 

Thanks John. So just to be clear, from here on all platinum memberships, regardless of type, are identical and reduced to core only? 

No.  What you get now with Platinum you will still get under life time membership. Keep in mind this offer is only for some CW users and for a very limited time. 

Sorry John - now I am completely confused! I received the email and qualify for the deal. The new lifetime update offer is for core program updates and improvements only isn't it? The yearly membership previously included add ons like Drum Replacer etc. Unless I have misunderstood,  many new add on features such as these will now be extras.
 
What is unclear is that people have said if you like the current model you can continue with Yearly subscription including all the bells and whistles. My impression, however, is that there is no longer any platinum plan that will include future add ons, such as those that were included over the past 18 months. 
 
None of this is criticism - I only ask because I am quite happy to continue with a yearly subscription if it does remain unchanged and include add ons.  Obviously if it does not, the lifetime deal is a no brainer and I shall happily walk that road:) 

For a limited time, we're offering Lifetime Updates for SONAR Platinum. That means...

• No more paying for future upgrades, updates, or renewals
• Always have access to the latest fixes and enchancements
• Continue to enjoy all the content included in our Rolling Updates

The last part of the above is the part that matter here. I read that to mean no change. 

I must say, I agree that this is all very unclear.
 
It's been said that there is to be no difference between the lifetime updates and the monnthly / annual updates. OK, get that.
 
It's also been said that some kinds of things that would previously have been in rolling updates now won't be. Cakewalk cited Drum Replacer as an example of something that would probably have been a paid for add on if the new model had been running at the time.
 
OK, so that's all fine. And is cool if you're on the lifetime updates.
 
However, if you don't go for the lifetime update deal, they've basically just said "we are planning to reduce what you get for your monthly / annual payment".
 
Not saying I think that turns it into a bad deal or anything; the thing is still remarkably cheap no matter how you slice it. But, you know, that has just happened.

The other thing is that everything slated as upcoming on the rolling updates page is for all three versions, Artist, Professional, and Platinum.
 
I think Cakewalk should try to come up with a good reason for people to pay a Platinum (non-lifetime) membership. As far as their own publicly stated plans go, it currently doesn't offer very much.

John
The last part of the above is the part that matter here. I read that to mean no change. 

I see what you mean John! On the other hand, somewhere in one of the seemingly endless announcement threads, drum replacer and vocal sync were used by someone from Cakewalk as an example of the type of feature that would probably be an add-on extra under the new scheme, hence my confusion. My love of life will not allow me to plumb the depths of those particular threads to find it though:)
 
The long and the short of it is that all I need to know is that platinum inclusions, reduced or not, are the same under all plans. That would seem to be the case. Posts saying that you can continue with the current, all inclusive yearly payment model appear to be incorrect. Makes sense - imagine the uproar at splitting the content for different plans!