Apple terminates world-wide Emagic distributors

[guru007]

I just caught this on appleinsider.com

Always interesting to see Apple on the move...

- guru007

Opting to sell its music production software exclusively through its own channels, Apple recently issued walking papers to several international distributors.

Apple Computer this month began sending letters to its world-wide Emagic software distributors, informing them that their services would no longer be required.

Emagic--creator of the Logic music production software suite--was purchased by Apple for a rumored $30 million in 2001, and has since operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of the computer company.

Frustrated by the most recent move, some former international Emagic distributors are crying foul play. They claim that the Xskey--once used to protect Logic applications from piracy--is now being abused by Apple to solicit customer information to the exclusion of the ex-distributors and dealers; the same people who previously made their living selling and supporting the software.

"If this were to reach customers ears that their information can now be used [by Apple] to dominate and control the music industry, I say there should be a Law protecting [this] flow of information," one former distributor said.

Dealers also fear that Apple may exploit some of the customer information once provided innocently to Emagic through it's Germany-based website. Armed with this data and the power to require additional customer info through future releases of Logic, dealers claim that Apple will soon be capable of dominating the software side of the global music production industry.

According to Apple, Logic is used by over 200,000 musicians worldwide and is the industry-leading audio production software for professional musicians, audio engineers, producers and film composers.

Around the same time that Apple began dismissing world-wide Emagic distributors, the company also registered for a trademark on the word "ProBand." Some insiders have speculated that the company will eventually re-brand the Logic product line under this new name.

[cl516]

there've been endless talk on this over at osxaudio.com.

'proband' sure sounds..... i dunno. lame.
maybe it'll just be a new EQ plugin, proband.

now would you pronouce it pro-band,
or 'probind' lol

[Jules]

Interesting stuff!

[guru007]

Originally posted by cl516
there've been endless talk on this over at osxaudio.com.

'proband' sure sounds..... i dunno. lame.
maybe it'll just be a new EQ plugin, proband.

now would you pronouce it pro-band,
or 'probind' lol

Or ProBand = DAW formerly known as Logic and now functions as the step-up from GarageBand?

guru007

[diaspora]

OR,

trademarking 'proband' is a hedging strategy to protect against opportunist competitors from sliding into adjacent territory using similar nomenclature...i.e. trying to slide into a pro-sumer parallel territory somewhere beneath logic pro, logic express and above garageband...

i can't believe their marketers would be so careless as to abandon pro market sensibilities by re-badging with 'pro band'...after all, does all pro audio/recording involve bands?

[enharmonic]

Hmmmm...and hmmmm.

Proband...I hope it's an eq, because that name is the gay.

If they would actually change a cool name like Logic, to something like "proband"...might as well call it Lap Band "because our DAW is phat, yo!"

Then again, they could call it Applesauce for all I care, if it sounds good and makes audio and MIDI production a joy to behold.

I've not so secretly wished that Apple would use some of its fabled cash position to purchase Magix, and merge Sequoia and Logic into one monster application. Too much like right though.

[Albert]

Emagic distribution was weird though. It was awkward to upgrade their software, you had to go through a regional distributor which was not necessarily where you bought it. I had to email Emagic asking for directions on how to update SoundDiver because the process was not obvious or transparent at all. It was a screwy system, I'm sure Apple will do it a lot better, at least as far as the software.

I agree, "ProBand" is pretty lame, let's hope that's not the new name for Logic. I think it's more likely to be the name for a fancier version of "Garage Band".

[fifthcircle]

Originally posted by enharmonic
I've not so secretly wished that Apple would use some of its fabled cash position to purchase Magix, and merge Sequoia and Logic into one monster application. Too much like right though.

Oh god... Let's not go down that road again.

Emagic DID buy the distribution of Samplitude and they were going to make a whole new broadcast division based around Sequoia. Logic was going to be the midi app and Samp/Sequoia were to be the audio apps...

Then Apple came in. About a month after the deal, they bought Emagic and subsequently tried to kill Samplitude and Sequoia. Sequoia existed as an unofficial beta version (well 7 or 8 different beta versions came out- there was no official release of 6. It went from 5.9x to 7.x). Samplitude didn't have any new versions for quite awhile... No new copies were shipped when ordered. Eventually, Magix took over the program again and the program is flourishing better than it ever has.

--Ben

[enharmonic]

Originally posted by fifthcircle
Oh god... Let's not go down that road again.

Emagic DID buy the distribution of Samplitude and they were going to make a whole new broadcast division based around Sequoia. Logic was going to be the midi app and Samp/Sequoia were to be the audio apps...

A beautiful thing it would have been...emagic understood that...which tells me that they also understand the benefits of that arrangement .

Then Apple came in. About a month after the deal, they bought Emagic and subsequently tried to kill Samplitude and Sequoia.
--Ben

That IMO, is where Apple screwed the pooch...but we'll know soon enough, eh?

[faeflora]

YAHHHHHHHHHHHH DIE EMAGIC DIEEEEE!!!!


HA HA AH HA HA HA HAAAAA

[drewchowen]

I have it on good authority that Apple squashed any deal that would partner Emagic with any other company that was potential competitor to Digidesign. Sales of Macs for Digi systems accounts for some big numbers for Apple. Apple grabbed up Emagic BEFORE Emagic unleashed hardware of their own... yada yada yada...

In regards to the Emagic distributor thing, Emagic SUCKED in distribution. Apple, while being big and somewhat un-friendly in upgrade isues from older revs, always has current product ready to ship. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE LOGIC and Emagic, but their distribution scheme was awful before.

[jajjguy]

Okay, so is the thinking that apple didn't actually want logic, the just wanted to prevent a potentially threatening partnership with samp/seq? And that they are more interested in preserving the relationship with digi than in creating their own digi-killer?

[hmurchison]

Originally posted by jajjguy
Okay, so is the thinking that apple didn't actually want logic, the just wanted to prevent a potentially threatening partnership with samp/seq? And that they are more interested in preserving the relationship with digi than in creating their own digi-killer?

Sounds strange doesn't it? Everyone likes to pretend that Apple wants to knock Avid and Digi from their perches. The truth is a bit closer to this.

Avid is safe on the high end where the margins really are. Final Cut Pro is basically grabbing the low hanging fruit.

Digi TDM- is safe. Apple will never compete on this level. But however Apple will chase Digi products at $2k and less. Therefore Digi still sells Macs and has unfettered access to the high end.

[guru007]

Originally posted by drewchowen
I have it on good authority that Apple squashed any deal that would partner Emagic with any other company that was potential competitor to Digidesign. Sales of Macs for Digi systems accounts for some big numbers for Apple. Apple grabbed up Emagic BEFORE Emagic unleashed hardware of their own... yada yada yada...

I would've thought the same was true of Apple's beneficial relationship with Avid, that is, before they went ahead and bought Final Cut and then proceeded to pull the rug out from under Avid's feet - at least marketwise. Yes, FCP targets smaller editors and filmmakers, but I've seen with my own eyes the damage wrought upon video post-houses.

Those same indie filmmakers have spent their $$ on individual copies of FCP for their own individual iMacs, Powerbooks, and PowerMacs and INSTEAD of on Post-Houses that would have spent that same $$ on fewer Apples and Avids.

Simply, Apple will make more $$ by selling more software & hardware to more folks than if they kept things status quo and relied on only hardware sales via Avid or Digidesign.

Just an observation,
guru007

[Sobe]

According to AppleInsider, Apple filed for a trademark on the name 'ProBand' suggesting a professional-end version of GarageBand, currently an iApp bundled with iLife 04. The underpinnings of GarageBand and Logic are fairly similar, and begs the question if Apple is planning to rebadge Logic as ProBand, anApple-branded pro audio app. According to the filing, Apple describes ProBand as "Computer Software."


AppleInsider has noted that Apple has dropped several internation distributors of Emagic's Logic:

Emagic--creator of the Logic music production software suite--was purchased by Apple for a rumored $30 million in 2001, and has since operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of the computer company.

Frustrated by the most recent move, some former international Emagic distributors are crying foul play. They claim that the Xskey--once used to protect Logic applications from piracy--is now being abused by Apple to solicit customer information to the exclusion of the ex-distributors and dealers; the same people who previously made their living selling and supporting the software.

Dealers also fear that Apple may exploit some of the customer information once provided innocently to Emagic through it's Germany-based website. Armed with this data and the power to require additional customer info through future releases of Logic, dealers claim that Apple will soon be capable of dominating the software side of the global music production industry.

[mersisblue]

Originally posted by jajjguy
Okay, so is the thinking that apple didn't actually want logic, the just wanted to prevent a potentially threatening partnership with samp/seq? And that they are more interested in preserving the relationship with digi than in creating their own digi-killer?

But if apple let out a competing product with digi that Only sold On macs

then this wouldnt effect their mac sales

[guru007]

Originally posted by mersisblue
But if apple let out a competing product with digi that Only sold On macs

then this wouldnt effect their mac sales

Exactly. In fact, wouldn't there be more incentive for the mass market (newbies/hobbyists) to purchase more Apple hardware if Apple offered a one stop solution?

A user-friendly Logic (possibly rebranded) paired with plug and play I/O & DSP hardware could end up being the killer app Apple needs to get the kids to buy Apple (in addition to the iPod) instead of the Dell and AlienWare boxes that have been flying off the shelves and into kids bedrooms, dorm rooms, and Starbucks.

It's a smart biz-move for driving major sales. But then again, I don't know any Post-Audio or Video folks that I've encountered that prefers Final Cut Pro to an Avid. In fact, they complain about having to deal with all of the limitations inherent in a product that is focused on a mass-market and not a Pro market...

In my view, since FCP has been a smash for Apple, it's the model for what will happen to Logic.

guru007