Apple terminates world-wide Emagic distributors
Opting to sell its music production software exclusively through its own channels, Apple recently issued walking papers to several international distributors.
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.
30 Comments
Talk about paranoia. Got issues?
It looks to me like these distributers were abusing this XKey, and keeping it a secret. Now that they have been cut off they are trying to turn the table on Apple by accusing them of foul play.
If anything Apple might, and should just give the XKey the A.X.E.
Hmmm. Shouldn't the current distributors have seen the handwriting on the wall once Apple acquired Emagic?
Also, ProBand is a horrible name to replace Logic. I would bet that a considerable amount of people who have used Logic over the years (self-included) are solo producers/artists. It's a great brand name already. Leave it be.
Apple's going to use the XKey to take over the world! They're going to implant a mind-control device in every iPod so when they send the "instructions" out their minions will spring into action! The sky is falling!
LOL.
("ProBand"? Please be joking.)
ProBand and GarageBand. They say consistency is king, after all.
We had to expect that previous Emagic distributors would be cut from the loop. It makes no sense for Apple to continue to support a redundant, inferior distribution network.
The XSKey by its very nature obsoletes the concept of on-the-shelf shrinkwapped software. It is possibly the ultimate copy-protection device, as it is unobtrusive and, to my knowledge, not cracked (?) Emagic did not use it as such however, and continued to frustrate software buyers with no stock and long wait times for new products. In Canada the wait for Logic 5 and Logic 6 was absurd.
Let's face it: software packages worth hundreds of dollars don't belong in stores. They should be downloads. The XSKey makes it possible to authorize downloads to only run on systems with that key connected.
I anticipate Apple's other pro apps will be moved to the XSKey for copy protection.
I also highly doubt Apple will rename Logic "ProBand". It's a horrid name, industry professionals know Logic, and it would be unprecedented -- it did not rename "Shake"! (Well ClarisWorks got renamed AppleWorks, but that doesn't really count).