Algoriddim's djay Pro software has always had close ties to Apple and often been at the forefront of new DJ tech, especially on Mac, iOS or iPadOS. Today marks the launch of djay Pro version 5 and it includes a variety of novel features, many of which leverage the company's AI and a new partnership with the interactive team at AudioShake. There are several buzzy trademarked names to remember this time around including Next-generation Neural Mix, Crossfader Fusion and Fluid Beatgrid. These are the major points of interest in djay Pro 5, with only a passing mention of improved stem separation on mobile, UI refreshes for the library and a new simplified Starter Mode that may cater to new users on the platform. The updates include some intriguing AI-automated features that put the system in control of more complex maneuvers.

Many DJs who've gone digital still like the feel of vinyl for their sets, opting for apps and hardware that support a digital vinyl system (DVS). Today Algoriddim's djay Pro AI joins that camp with a few unique twists. Not only will DVS support include iOS devices in addition to Mac, but the control vinyl will offer a special B-Side with three'tracks' that leverage Neural Mix's ability to isolate stems from any song. This way you can drop the needle on track one for the original version, track two for an instrumental and three for an acapella, all extracted on the fly from any song you want to play. While DVS support is new for djay Pro AI on Mac, the addition of iPhones and iPads with this capability is truly unique.

When it comes to motion tracking and music, you can follow the breadcrumbs including Max Mathews, Imogen Heap, Beat Saber, a growing research and Kickstarter crowd, and now potentially you. If you're a DJ using djay Pro AI on an iPad Pro running iOS 14 (utilizing Apple's Vision Framework) today's the day you join the party. An update to Algoriddim's djay software is now available, and while it includes various new tweaks, the most notable is a touchless Gesture Control interface. You'll still need your hands for track selection, volume and occasionally the fader, but you can trigger automatic transitions, filter sweeps, scratching and loops with the motion of your hands… placed carefully over an iPad Pro in a well-lit area. So, essentially an environment unlike most DJ booths, but you have to start somewhere.

If you're familiar with Algoriddim's processor-intensive AI features for its DJ software and the company's close relationship with Apple, you won't be surprised to hear there's already an update to djay Pro AI for Mac. This release leans heavily on Apple's M1 chip and claims some interesting new tweaks to Neural Mix functionality, inheriting the tools from its iOS counterpart. This is not to be confused with the standalone Neural Mix Pro sampling tool. Djay Pro AI for Mac is available now for free in the App Store, but if you really want to get something out of it, you'll need a Pro subscription ($7/month or $50/year). This unlocks access to all the free audio content and features.

AI and machine learning seem like buzzwords at this point, with their mention spattered across press releases and new product launches. The ubiquity may have numbed us, but some cool and weird things are happening at least. It seems the company has been developing some more interesting uses since then with today's launch of Neural Mix, as part of the new djay Pro AI. These new tools leverage Apple's Core ML framework and the A12 Bionic chip (or higher) to provide on-the-fly audio separation -- similar to what you get with stem files -- but extracted from a single streaming waveform. The Automix AI feature is still on board, but the Neural Mix tools and related UI refresh are what's interesting with this update to djay for iOS.

The news is likely to be divisive across a dance music community already locked in terminal (and, often, insufferable) arguments as to what constitutes a real DJ. You only need to Google phrases like'sync button' for evidence. The last version of the programme had already taken major steps towards allowing anyone to mix singles seamlessly, proving popular thanks to support from Spotify and the way it uses the new MacBook Pro Touch Bar, one of the biggest changes in the Apple laptop portfolio for some time. This new update can now scan tracks to find the perfect intro and outro based on what's already playing, advising on ideal fade timings while filtering and EQing to suit, and can even search your library to make recommendations as to what will sound best next. The news comes not long after we wrote about the world's first machine learning producer arriving, SKYGGE, two months after Saudi Arabia gave a'female' robot citizenship (despite the fact women in the country can't vote) and Burning Man revealed its theme for next year's festival will be Artificial Intelligence, and in the wake of Facebook pulling the plug on developing computers that can write their own code after a language was created that nobody, aside from the machines, could understand.

Algoriddim has been improving its DJ software consistently over the past few years for both mobile and desktop, with its most recent foray breaking ground on Microsoft's turf. Today, the company announced another step forward with an update to its Mac desktop app called djay Pro 2 (macOS 10.11 or higher). This is still a high-functioning hybrid with both music and video mixing capabilities, but new features along with various tweaks to the look and feel are welcome changes. The standout feature here is Automix AI, which leverages machine learning as part of its improved functionality. It may seem like a slight against practiced human ability, but as long as you're not trying to Paris Hilton your way through gigs, it's actually quite useful.