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.
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."
