Well, we all in the world of production knew it would come at some point, we just didn't know in what form.
Well, here's how Native Instruments plans to smash Akai's Advanced Series 3rd Party Plugins integration: Native Kontrol Standard (NKS)

 

NI v Akai .. who wins?

 

IMHO, as soon as plugin manufacturers start to include Native Kontrol Standard technology in their framework then Akai will be in the lost column. It'll become standard for plugin developers to write with "NKS" in mind and have "Native Kontrol Standard Compatible" from the start on their product promo; it's win-win for N.I on this one. However, Akai may not be totally wipe out of the competition for two reasons in my opinion: One is that in general, Native has its "haters". So, whatever it is that Native do, those people will not buy nor support Native. Second, Akai has its own devotees (especially the MPC hardcore community). Talking of MPC, that's where AKAI has fell off its plan from the start, its Advance Series technology should have worked with their own MPC Renaissance. I'm expecting Akai to do just that in coming updates. They'd have to be knuckleheads not to as that demand already rise from their customer base.

Besides that, at this point, there's no catching N.I, man. Just a few bullet point I can think of the top of my head:
* They already have a huge chunk of the Software/Hardware integration market from producers to DJs and beyond.
* They know software better (and have been in software business longer) than Akai.
* They have a better relationships with third party plugins manufacturers.
* They already have proven success established and running.
* Komplete (even with its expensive tag) is by far one of the most successful plugin bundle in the market.

With all their faults and at time stubborn attitude (which a lot of other developers have), they are pure forward thinkers and it's gonna take a lot of brain cells on Akai's part to stump then anytime soon!
Or as a surprise another tech company may rise and take over.

 

Thanks for posting this; it's good to know about it. I love Native Instruments.


I did notice - no fault of yours - that the promo blurbiage tended to say essentially the same things over and over. Examples:

A:

1) The company announced the inclusion of the . . . Native Kontrol Standard (NKS) – a new format allowing deep integration of third-party plug-ins.

2) The addition of VST support this summer will open up the Komplete Kontrol software to third-party plug-ins. At the same time, Native Instruments will introduce the brand-new Native Kontrol Standard (NKS).

3) Going beyond the limitations of current formats, NKS allows plug-in developers to integrate their products at the same deep level as Komplete Instruments.

4) . . . to ensure that the leading software instruments use NKS to provide the deepest integration possible with the Komplete Kontrol system.

B:

1) With the release of Komplete Select in May, all Komplete Kontrol S-Series keyboards will include a premium selection of Komplete 10 Instruments and Effects. All registered owners of Komplete Kontrol S-Series keyboards will also receive the Komplete Select package.

2) With the inclusion of the Komplete Kontrol software in Komplete Select, all single Komplete Instruments can now be controlled from an S-Series keyboard.

3) Komplete Select is included in all Komplete Kontrol S-Series keyboards, and is also available free to all registered Komplete Kontrol owners.


It reminds me of panel presentation at the SXSW Music conference this year, in which the four panelists devoured the first half-hour of their discussion by saying the same thing, in their four individual ways, mainly reiterating the opening premise for the discussion. I didn't learn a lot from it, myself - but I learned it four times.

 

okay, i'm looking forward to that. mainly because i didn't particularly care for the ones that they already released. they call them "komplete kontrol" but there's no faders and no pads. as midi controllers they're kind of lame. hopefully they will at least add faders. i guess they don't want to include pads because they might take away sales from maschine.

 

NI has got it right, alright...

 

I dont like the kontakt interface that much but in contrast to akai it is working.
Akai is ages behind NI when it comes to coding Software.

Hopefully NI will polish Kontakt some day with a more modern GUI with NO or less scrolling and the sexy look of Battery 4

At least one Motorfader and pads would be lovely for the Komplete Kontrol

 

After all this Years, I am surprised that NI did not came up with its own DAW ?!?

Great company anyway... they made my day more then once
(almost every time i fire up Kontakt)

 

is it still going to be almost useless with out Komplete ?

 

When Komplete Kontrol integrates third party VST in its upcoming upgrade then you'll be able to use the keyboard with third party plugs if you wish.

Native is no fool though. They are going to open the system to third party but at the same time, they want the user to stick to their ecosystem still. That's why they are throwing 10 instruments FREE with the keyboard now (for new customers and past ones who bought the keyboard without Komplete). And believe me, after those 10, they'll entice a user enough to buy the whole bundle.