Maschine Studio...?

So Maschine Studio is now gone from most stores and I heard that no new units can be ordered from NI. What are your thoughts, is NI working on an mk2 or have they abandoned the Studio concept?

 

If speculation filled responses are what you are after, have a look at this thread...

https://www.native-instruments.com/forum/threads/maschine-jam-out-of-stock.402063/

 

Right, so it's collector now ! if you wan't I sell you mine for double the price I'll buy myself an AKAI Force

 

Can't really answer that but over the past 6 months that I had my Mk3 (and paid more attention to this forum and Maschine topics in general) I've noticed quite a few Maschine users who "downgraded" from Studio to the regular Mk3 and actually considered this an upgrade. Many even suggested the Mk3 over the studio because the functionality was pretty much the same if not a bit better with the audio interface (note: can't remember from mind if the Studio also had one) and the price was less.

I can well imagine that it'll be cheaper having to maintain 2 roughly similar products (Mk3 & Mikro) not to mention easier with the software... now they don't have to bother themselves with any studio specifics.

 

Whatever directions and choices made, they'll have consequences as always.
To me , it seems that a lot of choices have been made arguing this or that (too long, too difficult, not worth it) when the only guide is profitability which is what a company aim for to keep working properly, however, this probably contributed to damage the reputation and how people talk about and promote to other potential customers and advise each other.
I think, to discontinue a product is now counter intuitive at the time of the fight against planned obsolescence, the promotion of reparability that could also be a good business direction with spare parts availability, boosting second hand market and bringing second hand customers that would become loyal premium customers with time while the usual upgraders are here, and there old gear hold value, and remain sustainable for second hand users having spare parts and updated drivers.
Companies are so afraid about their profits that they close their network to ensure profits like apple does.
I personally think that building a reputation about sustainability is the way to go, instead of keeping filling up landfills with deprecated gear with no available parts. Very surprising in Germany, so good with ecology that I personally hold as an example to follow here in France.
I really loved the time when HP was putting complete repair guides with detailed plan for interested users, for those same reason.
How can I send my stuff to poor countries to contribute to evolution if this stuff become completely unusable and not reparable... It is a big chance that those guys have so many time to think that they always find a way to fix, repair, or add value to what we call rubbish (wrongly) .
The good news is, I see here and there a lot of geniuses that develop very well built templates for various software to turn the Studio into a gem which will ensure it will always be useful and used on the side for something else instead of gathering dust or to be hanged in the wall into a frame.

Like many I love progress, evolution, but I am more and more careful to company policies about sustainability and reparability and it really becomes an important criteria before any purchase.