Apple Updates GarageBand With New Instruments and Sounds to Celebrate Chinese Music

[niun]

Come to think of it. I'm betting Apple would have no issues at all cracking an iPhone, writing an iOS hack or doing pretty much anything ChinaGov asked them to just to get back into that market.

 

[CFreymarc]

Now I don't hVe to sample the sound of throwing pots and pans down the stairway. It's built into Garage Band!

 

[The Mad Mule]

Ugh, what a suck up move.

 

[niun]

Well, Apple has been on an environment, human rights, freedom of personal data, save the world crusade for the last year.
China is a well known pollution mecca of virtually no human rights and massive restrictions on damn near everything.

If $$ said jump I'm pretty sure Cook could reach the moon.

 

[PBRsg]

Tim is really doubling down on getting that iTunes ban lifted. What's next? Adopting a Chinese orphan?

Hilarious! And don't let anyone tell you what you said is racist.
[doublepost=1463460694][/doublepost]

Well, Apple has been on an environment, human rights, freedom of personal data, save the world crusade for the last year.
China is a well known pollution mecca of virtually no human rights and massive restrictions on damn near everything.

If $$ said jump I'm pretty sure Cook could reach the moon.

The reason why these companies make these grand social statements is that it does not cost anything for them to blow air out of their mouth. When it's an actual choice between money and principles, money wins every time. Same with politicians, actually.

 

[Rogifan]

Could Tim Cook be any bigger dork?

http://www.theverge.com/2016/5/16/11688426/garageband-china-update-jj-lin-tim-cook

 

[MH01]

If they can add Chinese instruments and music to Apple Loops, then they have no excuse not to add music and instruments from other cultures as well.

If those cultures bring in $$$$$$ , they have no excuse. Sadly with cool the decision is based on $ first .
[doublepost=1463463725][/doublepost]

China is on Earth, right? How about lets get along, all humans.

The fans here are actually frustrated as Tim Cook and Apple doing very little innovation and just kissing China's butt to make more money, while it might seem the comments are against the Chinese, the problem lies with gutless Cook. In a way we respect the Chinese cause unlike the western politicians were Cook just BS's to the media and everyone, pretending he is for the people , With China he is a hypocrit on his stances and bends over backwards. Kudos for the Chinese for not putting up with his crap, and making him jump through hoops. If he wants the $, he will have to do tricks and jump through hoops.

 

[dec.]

They've really been sucking up to China lately.

of course they are, it's a big market. Guess why everyone else is trying to get in there, including all restrictions?
[doublepost=1463464923][/doublepost]

If those cultures bring in $$$$$$ , they have no excuse. Sadly with cool the decision is based on $ first .
[doublepost=1463463725][/doublepost]

The fans here are actually frustrated as Tim Cook and Apple doing very little innovation and just kissing China's butt to make more money, while it might seem the comments are against the Chinese, the problem lies with gutless Cook. In a way we respect the Chinese cause unlike the western politicians were Cook just BS's to the media and everyone, pretending he is for the people , With China he is a hypocrit on his stances and bends over backwards. Kudos for the Chinese for not putting up with his crap, and making him jump through hoops. If he wants the $, he will have to do tricks and jump through hoops.

This happens with all American companies, but since we're on macrumors and not googlerumors, it's fine and I understand your "outrage", but ultimately, it's what happens with all of them. Google will suck up to China. Now, why does google kiss China's ass? Because they depend on them. They cannot afford to discuss China's politics or social issues. There's no common base, since China is freak-land in regards to common sense (in western understanding). So they all adapt. You know that, I know that, everyone knows that. Yet it's not a bad thing for Tim Cook and Apple to inject some fun, even if it may be very shallow. Just because it's Tim Cook and Apple, it doesn't mean that it should be trashed right away.

 

[bighype]

How long before Cook moves Apple to China? He's been sucking up to Chicoms for the last couple of years...

 

[Sandstorm]

I'm looking forward to OS X 10.12 Beijing.

 

[loby]

Tim Cook is a patriotic guy, and his attempts to bring production here had nothing to do with the tax issue. He'd bring more here if corps hadn't decimated the U.S. manufacturing industry. But when a large portion of Apple's iPhone revenue is suddenly coming from China, Apple is a bit beholden to making sure that market is satisfied with their product offerings. Apple would be foolish to NOT be in the Chinese market. And while Didi /may/ be partially to appease the Chinese government, this is obviously also an autonomous car thing and securing a place in that market within China by collaborating with a local company.

The stock price is unfortunately a real issue for Apple because so much of the pay package Apple employees get comes from stock. If the stock price tanks, it's going to be harder to retain good employees.

If you want to blame someone for this kowtowing to the Chinese government, blame Presidents Clinton and G.W. Bush for pushing the WTO to accept China as a member. That action triggered the whole mess we're in now with them. This is what we get when we decide free trade is a great idea with a communist regime – a commu-capitalist hybrid where the government can impinge on companies with their oppressive agenda by flexing their financial power.

A patriotic guy???...come on. Giving 1 billion dollars to a communist country?? Come on. He is a capitalistic guy, not patriotic. Investing 1 billion dollars in the U.S. would be patriotic. Has anyone done that lately...?
[doublepost=1463471147][/doublepost]

If those cultures bring in $$$$$$ , they have no excuse. Sadly with cool the decision is based on $ first .
[doublepost=1463463725][/doublepost]

The fans here are actually frustrated as Tim Cook and Apple doing very little innovation and just kissing China's butt to make more money, while it might seem the comments are against the Chinese, the problem lies with gutless Cook. In a way we respect the Chinese cause unlike the western politicians were Cook just BS's to the media and everyone, pretending he is for the people , With China he is a hypocrit on his stances and bends over backwards. Kudos for the Chinese for not putting up with his crap, and making him jump through hoops. If he wants the $, he will have to do tricks and jump through hoops.

You know...I think you might be correct....

 

[amirite]

This is all just a massive PR campaign to pump up iPhone sales in China. Sales have been plummeting and they need the goodwill and positive news cycles to turn the image of the brand around there.

Yeah! Sometimes I wonder if a lot of what they do these days is done to sell more products and make more profits.

I miss Steve. He wouldn't be trying to sell products

 

[loby]

I'm looking forward to OS X 10.12 Beijing.

Come to think of it...OS X 10.12 Beijing does sound better...more opportunity than OS X Cali with the minimum wage going up to $15 an hour soon... (sorry, the spirit of Tim Cook speaking...) Might have to raise the price of the Mac Pro...

 

[moxin]

let's all hope the sounds you create stays with you *points to recent music disappearing issue

 

[BruceEBonus]

Can't innovate Chinese instruments my ass!

 

[djcerla]

I really had to laugh hard when I read the article.
This way you know there will be no decent product launches in the next three years.

I have nothing against China at all, but Apple and its marketing machine drove me crazy over the last few days.
Relly, ... come on. You don't believe for a second moves like GarageBand and TC driving an Uber in China will sell more phones ...

Technology and bold ideas would ... and the ability to say "No. Needs to be better."

This is probably the dumbest thing I have ever read: the addition of sounds to GarageBand equates to no good tech launch from Cupertino in the next years... amazing.

China is Apple's second market and there were no Chinese sounds in GB; not to mention the fact that even Western musucian can be genuinely interested in exploring that palette.

 

[nofear1az]

Your missing the point, it's the timing of it being added to GarageBand. This is clearly a ploy to get on China's good graces. A show and nothing more. It's desperation. Instead of innovating and updating the products they feel they'd rather get China's sales since it means more to the bottom line. Tim is always about the $$$.

 

[diipii]

Apple today announced a major update to its GarageBand music creation software for Mac and iOS, adding a wide range of Chinese instruments that are designed to celebrate the "rich history of Chinese music." Today's update also includes "extensive Chinese language localization."

In a press release, Apple says the update adds traditional Chinese instruments like the pipa and erhu, plus Chinese percussion offerings that include drums, wood blocks, cymbals, and gongs. 300 Apple-created Chinese musical loops have also been added to the apps.

The new instruments are available on both the iOS and Mac versions of GarageBand, and each instrument includes different playing articulations like rapid picking and note bend for the pipa and trill, grace note, and glissando for the erhu.

Apple-created loops have been created from a wide variety of instruments and styles, including guzheng, dizi, yangqin and Peking Opera, which can be combined with the new instruments for a unique sound. GarageBand for iOS also includes two new Chinese templates for Live Loops and new sharing options for popular Chinese social networks.

All of the new features in today's update are automatically enabled in Greater China and for Mac users outside of Greater China. On iOS devices outside of Greater China, the features can be enabled through the advanced settings menu.

Chinese musician JJ Lin posted a YouTube video of himself using the new GarageBand app for iOS with Tim Cook, which Tim Cook tweeted.

​

Apple has been aiming to express its support for China in recent weeks following hints of regulatory trouble in the country. Apple is reportedly being targeted for being "too deeply established" in China's core industries and recently saw iTunes Movies and iBooks Stores in the country shut down following the Hong Kong iTunes release of the controversial independent movie Ten Years, which had been banned in China.

Apple recently announced a $1 billion investment in Chinese ride-sharing company Didi Chuxing, and this morning, he visited the country to meet with Didi Chuxing president Jean Liu. Cook also met with App Store developers at an Apple Store in Beijing.

GarageBand for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for $4.99. [Direct Link]

GarageBand for Mac can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $4.99. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Apple Updates GarageBand With New Instruments and Sounds to Celebrate Chinese Music

What next ?
Instructions in a little red book.
Rice and noodles with every new iPlod.
This is Chairman Cook's less than honourable and totally transparent pandering to the yen for profit.
He should remember the Chinese eat sharks for breakfast. And that we are watching.
He might also consider that Chinese "music" makes strangling a pig sound like a Brahms lullaby.

 

[MH01]

of course they are, it's a big market. Guess why everyone else is trying to get in there, including all restrictions?
[doublepost=1463464923][/doublepost]

This happens with all American companies, but since we're on macrumors and not googlerumors, it's fine and I understand your "outrage", but ultimately, it's what happens with all of them. Google will suck up to China. Now, why does google kiss China's ass? Because they depend on them. They cannot afford to discuss China's politics or social issues. There's no common base, since China is freak-land in regards to common sense (in western understanding). So they all adapt. You know that, I know that, everyone knows that. Yet it's not a bad thing for Tim Cook and Apple to inject some fun, even if it may be very shallow. Just because it's Tim Cook and Apple, it doesn't mean that it should be trashed right away.

I completely understand the sucking up to the Chinese, I'm fine with that. Just call a spade a spade. What I don't like is TC pretending he is championing us for privacy against the FBI etc, and just talking BS in the west to push sales, and once he comes to China his got the opposite speech ready....my issue is that he actually does not stand for anything but $$$$. Just a worthless politician running a company and products into the ground case he is penny pinching that results in crap like the new Mac mini and iMac, all because of $$$

 

[diipii]

Well, Apple has been on an environment, human rights, freedom of personal data, save the world crusade for the last year.
China is a well known pollution mecca of virtually no human rights and massive restrictions on damn near everything.

If $$ said jump I'm pretty sure Cook could reach the moon.

Spot on. Owning an Apple product is now embarrassing.

 

[1000]

There are a bunch already.

Provided that the loops ar

 

[G4DPII]

Tim Cook is a patriotic guy, and his attempts to bring production here had nothing to do with the tax issue. He'd bring more here if corps hadn't decimated the U.S. manufacturing industry. But when a large portion of Apple's iPhone revenue is suddenly coming from China, Apple is a bit beholden to making sure that market is satisfied with their product offerings. Apple would be foolish to NOT be in the Chinese market. And while Didi /may/ be partially to appease the Chinese government, this is obviously also an autonomous car thing and securing a place in that market within China by collaborating with a local company.

The stock price is unfortunately a real issue for Apple because so much of the pay package Apple employees get comes from stock. If the stock price tanks, it's going to be harder to retain good employees.

If you want to blame someone for this kowtowing to the Chinese government, blame Presidents Clinton and G.W. Bush for pushing the WTO to accept China as a member. That action triggered the whole mess we're in now with them. This is what we get when we decide free trade is a great idea with a communist regime – a commu-capitalist hybrid where the government can impinge on companies with their oppressive agenda by flexing their financial power.

If Apple wanted to return production of more models to the USA they could. They have enough cash to get it done within a year. They choose not to for a simple reason. Money. The half arsed gimmick of screwing together the Mac Pro in the USA was just that a gimmick.

Should he be bending over forwards to China? Personally no I don't think he should. However, they are the fastest growing market without iToy saturation. It is where Apples money will come from for the next few years.

 

[FatherJack1980]

Reads as cynical humour, a mildly funny jab toward the man at the top... unless the Chinese are a race now?

According to the people on Craggy Island ...yepp

 

[niun]

Hmmm... this also appears to the the one update that hasn't bricked / frozen an Apple device.
I guess this was QA's top priority recently.

 

[djcerla]

Your missing the point, it's the timing of it being added to GarageBand. This is clearly a ploy to get on China's good graces. A show and nothing more. It's desperation. Instead of innovating and updating the products they feel they'd rather get China's sales since it means more to the bottom line. Tim is always about the $$$.

Do you have an idea of the time it takes to produce virtual instruments like the new Chinese ones in GB? Absolutely not, I see.

The "timing" of the decision must have been more than one year ago.

"Instead of innovating"... how do you know what Apple is working on, as they don't release roadmaps or vaporware? And how innovation at apple relates to a soundpack?

Stupidity is strong today.