Apple’s acquisition of Emagic just made the world of computer-based audio production a whole lot more interesting.

(Click here for the official Apple/Emagic announcement.)

Will Apple end up dominating the market? How will they go about trying to achieve this? Plenty of questions, plenty of conjecture, indeed. For starters, check out Ken Berger’s detailed analysis of the possible implications.

And what of the 70,000 or so Windows folks around the world who will be left out in the cold by Apple’s stated plan not to support the Windows format as of October, 2002? (Emagic's most popular product, Logic, has an estimated 200,000-plus users around the world. Macintosh-based products account for over 65 percent of Emagic's current revenues)

Andrew Orlowski, writing for The Register, a UK-based publication covering the computer world, notes “the move effectively hands the PC sequencing business to Steinberg’s Cubase - although Cakewalk users are sure to disagree - and we hope they’re right.”

Seva, a pioneer developer with Waves plug-ins, mastering engineer with Soundcurrent Mastering of Knoxville, TN, and moderator of the “Tao of DAW/Audio things considered” forum in PSW’s Rec Pit, offers “Logic Windows will not be a big issue. People will bitch, but so what? Caveat emptor.”

Meanwhile, Sam Berkow of Walters Storyk Design Group and founder of
SIA Software Company, notes that the acquisition is a sign of the times. “Large companies are taking market segments that were once considered "niche markets" much more seriously than in the past,” he says. “The war over operating systems and major biz applications is over. Microsoft has won the "office" war, with Word/Xcel/Powerpoint dominating and becoming ubiquitous. So Apple and others need to win the smaller, niche market segments, particularly those with power users who buy high end platforms to run their apps to survive. For Apple this is an opportunity to sell products that sell at a premium, still have margins, and provide opportunities for future upgrade and additional add-on product sales.”

“Apple is effective in all markets they are targeting already, and are winning the Windows users with their new campaign,” Seva adds. “Apple will likely always be smaller, but they are getting the frustrated XP users and the business people who find it interesting they can run Windows AND Apple at the same time.”

The Digidesign Pro Tools business model was based on buying their hardware to run their software, and the new HD System is quite locked into proprietary hardware. In contrast, the Apple mode could likely be to build standard software with open standards (like VST), plug-in architecture and open hardware interface, something the Steinberg and Emagic camps have supported.

So the move could open the door for smaller companies to build products that simply plug into the Mac hardware and work with Apple software architecture, opening the market to more add-on products .It could also lead to standards for protocols and file formats.

“Emagic’s Logic is the MAIN platform for serious composers to use TDM hardware. Only recently have Pro Tools had the type of features needed for Logic users to abandon it,” Seva explains. “But now, Apple has all the cards in their hand, and Digidesign will probably either get their team to tie quickly to Apple/Emagic, or they will sever the relationship and drop TDM support. The latter would seem to be a very poor business decision.”

He further notes that current plug-in developers will have much interest in continuing their relationship with Emagic. However, the major DAW players might end up “crying foul” but keeping up with new developments or directions.

To Berkow, the logic of the Apple/Emagic move is self-apparent, a continuing natural evolution toward where DAW technology has been moving. “This action supports the conclusion that PCs really have the ability to serve the music and film production communities,” he states. “The current level of machines is, in fact, becoming powerful enough to provide most of the features that the various production communities require. The ability of PCs to provide NATIVE processing that can provide audio effects, loops, samples, and general processing has made products like Logic, Nuendo and others serve entry level, pro-sumer and professional users. For Apple, this range of users represents a wide enough market to justify the cost of entry into the market.

Will the Apple/Emagic union impact distribution? “The landscape is already whacked, with musicians, consumers, and pros all using the same gear, bought through overlapping distribution chains,” Berkow says in explaining that it’s not likely to change from the current situation.

And as for Windows/Logic users, Orlowski says stay tuned. “It's unthinkable that Apple will not introduce some form of rebate program to lure PC users to the platform, but it's still early days.”

What’s your take? Go to PSW’s Rec Pit to share your view and see what others are saying. And jump into Rec Pit threads in Nika’s forum and Fletcher’s forum, where they’re already talking about this news.