Apple Acquires Popular Instrument and Effect Plug-In Maker Camel Audio [Updated]

MacRumors · Feb 23, 2015

Apple appears to have acquired popular music plug-in and effect maker Camel Audio, based on information found on corporate registry site Companies House [PDF]. Camel Audio's address has been updated to 100 New Bridge Street, which is Apple's London address, and the company's sole director is now listed as Apple lawyer Heather Joy Morrison, suggesting the company is in the possession of Apple.

Camel Audio is known for its range of plug-ins, synthesizers, effects, and sound libraries, which were available via the company's Alchemy software. Previously available for $249, Alchemy included more than 1000 sounds, 5.5GB worth of samples, a powerful additive resynthesis engine, spectral resynthesis, a virtual analog synthesizer, and more. Its powerful engine was highly useful to those who liked to create and manipulate audio for unique sounds.

Camel Audio first shut its doors on January 8, 2015, removing all access to its software from its website. At the time, the company did not divulge why it had suddenly ceased selling its content, but Camel Audio fans speculated about a potential takeover.

We would like to thank you for the support we've received over the years in our efforts to create instruments and effects plug-ins and sound libraries. Camel Audio's plug-ins, Alchemy Mobile IAPs and sound libraries are no longer available for purchase.

We will continue to provide downloads of your previous purchases and email support until July 7, 2015. We recommend you download all of your purchases and back them up so that you can continue to use them (Instructions: How to Download and Backup Your Products).

It is not known what Apple plans to do with Camel Audio, but it's possible the company's technology could be incorporated into a future version of Logic Pro X, Apple's software designed for professional musicians, or GarageBand.

(Thanks, Sepp!)

Update 2/24 12:33 PM PT: The Loop's Jim Dalrymple contacted Apple for a comment on the possible purchase of Camel Audio, and the company gave him its standard statement on acquisitions: "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans."

Article Link: Apple Acquires Popular Instrument and Effect Plug-In Maker Camel Audio [Updated]

ipedro · Feb 23, 2015

I find it hard to believe that Apple has dropped professional photographers after so much focus on professional audio and video.

Photography is arguably the largest market of the three. I think Photos is going to surprise in future iterations.

some1uDNTknow · Feb 23, 2015

At least Apple is using some of that offshore cash that is just sitting around.

Jiz · Feb 23, 2015

ipedro said:
I find it hard to believe that Apple has dropped professional photographers after so much focus on professional audio and video.

Photography is arguably the largest market of the three. I think Photos is going to surprise in future iterations.

You would think they want a product that competes or is better than Lightroom.

djtech42 · Feb 23, 2015

I'm hoping for more Logic Pro X plugins and hopefully redesigned UIs for the current ones.

StoneJack · Feb 23, 2015

This means more additional software for Logic Pro X and and and....
Garageband!!!

Michael Scrip · Feb 23, 2015

Jiz said:
You would think they want a product that competes or is better than Lightroom.

Photos might be able to compete with Lightroom after a few major updates.

We all remember how limited Final Cut Pro X was at launch... but it eventually got better.

Apple threw out all the old code in FCP7 and started from scratch. Here's to hoping Photos follows a similar path.

aafuss1 · Feb 23, 2015

I imagine Apple incorporating Alchemy's technology and library into EXS24.

oneMadRssn · Feb 23, 2015

Jiz said:
You would think they want a product that competes or is better than Lightroom.

I think Photos is meant to be more of a platform than a complete professional photography product. I think it's about creating a good API and giving developers OS-level integration to libraries of photos. At launch, it will be pretty bare. Either Apple or someone else will make plugins or whole applications that live on top of Photos but offer more advanced functions.

Maybe this isn't a good example, but it's similar to how Quicktime has deep OS integration on OSX, and thus any video-related app that supports Quicktime and uses the Quicktime APIs runs so much better on OSX than one that doesn't use Quicktime. Except, with Photos I hope they do it better than Quicktime.

ipedro · Feb 23, 2015

Jiz said:
You would think they want a product that competes or is better than Lightroom.

Apple is starting from scratch. There's no way they could release a 1.0 product to match that of an app going on its 6th major iteration. What they could do is create the foundation for a new approach and then aggressively build on top of that like they did with Final Cut Pro X.

I'm a pro photographer and I have to say that while Photos won't fill my needs, I'm very interested in what looks like a scalable foundation for what could become the standard for photo organization and editing.

smulji · Feb 23, 2015

Michael Scrip said:
Photos might be able to compete with Lightroom after a few major updates.

We all remember how limited Final Cut Pro X was at launch... but it eventually got better.

Apple threw out all the old code in FCP7 and started from scratch. Here's to hoping Photos follows a similar path.

I wonder if Logic Pro follows a similar path.

The Barron · Feb 23, 2015

There's a reason, but it might not be obvious right now.

Apple is normally very shrewed with what it purchases.

I will say, I am still staggered by the price they paid for Beats, but hopefully that will pay off big time in the near future.

This has to be another small piece in the big puzzle they are assembling to take the company to the next level.

Oh, and not to mention the stock price going to the next level at $150-175 per share. Go Apple :apple:

StoneJack · Feb 23, 2015

Jiz said:
You would think they want a product that competes or is better than Lightroom.

I think that Photos is a free version. In analogy with Logic Pro and Garageband, Photos will be accompanied by a new paid Pro version. Same is for video, Final Cut and free iMovie.

The Pro version should be the real competitor to Lightroom. Given extensive Apple investment in digital imaging, iPhones as a leading camera worldwide (based on Flickr submissions), iPads (there just was a iPad video ad), there is no way Apple is going to cede the market of digital photo and video imaging to someone like Adobe.
There are also iOS versions of these apps.

Which means that Aperture 2 is coming but it won't be called Aperture and won't be based on Aperture but on Photos. Perhaps Apple found Aperture architechture too limited? Aperture was impossible to port to iOS? Don't know but Photos is already iOS compatible. I tried Aperture and found it unintuitive and cumbersome.

Santabean2000 · Feb 23, 2015

Awesome. Just bundle that up and include it future FCP X and Logic X and I'm a happy camper.

jimthing · Feb 23, 2015

Haven't Apple already said that the Photos app is meant as the repository, with other companies being able to make plug-ins via API's into it?

If so, then that makes a lot of sense IMO.

I presume this isn't good enough for pro's though, n'est-ce pas?

zephonic · Feb 23, 2015

Great news for Logic users, supposedly.

For the rest of us, not so much. Unless Steinberg/Avid will finally decide to include AU support in their DAW's.

I own and use some of Camel Audio's stuff and would hate to see this being rendered inoperable by a future OS or DAW update.

technosix · Feb 23, 2015

ipedro said:
Apple is starting from scratch. There's no way they could release a 1.0 product to match that of an app going on its 6th major iteration. What they could do is create the foundation for a new approach and then aggressively build on top of that like they did with Final Cut Pro X.

I'm a pro photographer and I have to say that while Photos won't fill my needs, I'm very interested in what looks like a scalable foundation for what could become the standard for photo organization and editing.

I think you're right.

Yet if so, it could take years to get a full complement of software tools at the rate Apple is going. After ignoring the contemporary smartphone form factor for well over two years before releasing iP6, operating at a snails pace is bound to frustrate the Pro Photographers.

Time will tell.

FelixAng · Feb 23, 2015

I hope they change the name to Camel Tone.

wesk702 · Feb 23, 2015

Would have been cooler if they bought Universal Audio and incorporated supped up Sharc processors in future Mac Pros.

cbrec · Feb 23, 2015

I have the free version of Alchemy and from the limited selection of sounds that are available to me, they're all very much superb sounding, more than any of Logic's included instruments IMO. Alchemy's sounds remind me of Spectrasonics Omnisphere which is more well known by producers and musicians but also goes for about $500. I think this is a great move made by Apple, especially when they've been doing some weird things lately *coughnewmacminicough*.

jforena · Feb 23, 2015

Alchemy for iOS is a great app! I hope they'll include it in GB for iOS.

inscrewtable · Feb 23, 2015

That is one ugly mother of an interface, compared to others like D16 products

zephonic · Feb 23, 2015

inscrewtable said:
That is one ugly mother of an interface, compared to others like D16 products

Ugly is in the eye of the beholder. What is not, is ergonomics, and Alchemy does just fine there.

Zedcars · Feb 23, 2015

I'm so disappointed by this news. I've been a big fan of Camel Audio's plugins for over 10 years. I often use their stuff in my music and find it to be highly original and always compliments the sound. I'm a use Cubase which uses the VST plugin format. It cannot run the AU flavour. Therefore, if Apple have bought them, it likely means the VST versions will be dumped. Very uncool and sad.

rei101 · Feb 23, 2015

Wow, I like Logic even I like Digital Performer better. But Logic is a good boy. Now with the addition of alchemy... wow.

Actually I needed to do a live recording 2 weeks ago and I had an old 6 channels M-Audio interface. I wanted to run it with Protools but I needed to get PT 11 and buy the upgrade. I connected the interface to Logic X and it was recognized with no problem.

I recorded the live show for 2 hours in my mac book pro without any issue.

Logic is worth the money. I know there are great softwares out there but Logic is one.

Apple Acquires Popular Instrument and Effect Plug-In Maker Camel Audio [Updated]

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