Apple Negotiates For Unlimited iTunes Downloads 133
Hugh Pickens writes writes "Bloomberg reports that Apple is in talks with record companies including Vivendi SA (VIV)'s Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group Corp. (WMG) and EMI Group Ltd. to give iTunes music buyers easier access to their songs on multiple devices. The deal would provide iTunes customers with a permanent backup of music purchases if the originals are damaged or lost and would allow downloads to iPad, iPod and iPhone devices linked to the same iTunes account. The negotiations come as iTunes is facing competition from new Web-based services such as Spotify Ltd., Rdio Inc. and MOG Inc. that focus on letting customers listen to songs from anywhere with an online connection, instead of downloading tracks to a hard drive. 'Long-time iTunes users know that one of the more obnoxious differences between music and app downloads on the iTunes Store is the fact that apps can be re-downloaded a seemingly infinite number of times,' writes Jacqui Cheng. 'In contrast, users can only download music tracks once — if you find yourself without backups and your music disappears, you must beseech the iTunes gods to let you re-download all your music—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, should they hear your prayers.""
I ripped all my music from CDs (Score:1, Interesting)
I just got an iPhone 4. I really don't know why I waited so long. I suppose I was just happy with my previous phone.
But one of the key reasons I bought the iPhone was because of its MP3 capabilities. I have a lot of CDs and wanted to listen to them on the road, so I decided to burn all the CDs to the iTunes.
Anyway, what I'm getting at is that buying the CD gives me something that iTunes music downloaders don't get. That is unlimited access to my music without DRM and without having to pay some online service for it.
I really like the Genius automatic playlist generator. I use it to all the time. If you're buying an iPhone, I recommend you also buy CDs so that you don't have the DRM problem mentioned in the article.
Re:Why not Android? (Score:3, Interesting)
Even if you dismiss the app store as being completely due to the iphones head start, Androids advantages are all subjective and nearly all are trade offs. Androids interface can be very nice and very configurable but isn't nearly as simple to use for the non technical. With iOS you dont have to depend on the phone manufacturer to feel generous and give updates, unless the hardware simply cannot support the new features with apple you just get them. With an apple device you know exactly what your going to get there is no consistent experience across android every phone manufacturer seems to do just do their own thing. As last week showed the "openness" of the platform makes it a target for malicious apps, I saw a quote last week that sums it up...Apple has a walled garden but its a nice garden with lots of pretty plants and no snakes.
Re:Better service.. (Score:5, Interesting)
Because Apple's store is way too dominant for their liking and they'd rather have a bunch of stragglers fighting to sell their music at the lowest possible markup? The record companies wanted to raise prices, particularly on the one or two hits that'd otherwise sell an album but Apple refused. The only reason Amazon got to open an MP3 shop was because Apple was bullying them around.
For them it's not getting better, it's getting worse. On the iPod, Apple needed the big labels. Now many people will get an iPhone or iPad for the apps, selling music is secondary. That and digital sales have increased massively, they can't afford not to be on iTunes anymore. They don't like that Apple is becoming the gatekeeper and is fighting it, but I don't think they'll win this one.
This [fildelning.se] is a pretty good graph on where we're heading, the CD is dying and digital is taking over. The iTunes Store is looking to be the Wal-Mart of digital downloads and the big 5 the manufacturers being squeezed to the lowest possible margins. That's not a future they saw coming and are trying desperately to back out of.
Re:Better service.. (Score:5, Interesting)
This is how I see it. Just like with the codec changes a few years ago that heralded a 30% price increase, the record labels want to raise the price yet again but Apple want to make it look like they're resisting.
Recording industry: We would like to raise prices for digital downloads.
Apple: Absolutely, we agree, after all we're getting a percentage.
Recording industry: Excellent, lets say another 30% added onto the RRP.
Apple: We have one minor provision though.
Recording industry: Provision?
Apple: Well, the plebs trust us, we've got an image to maintain and raising prices like this would be seen as being "evil" and "uncool" so we want to give a token gesture that would allow us to disguise this as something for their own good.
Recording industry: Pah, we care nothing for the sheep. What do you have in mind.
Apple: Something trivial, something they already have access to, say the ability to redownload songs they've already paid for.
Recording industry: Well I suppose so, we've already planned for the recordings we are releasing tomorrow to be outdated by next week, we'll be releasing the same recording with a new drum beat over the top. The sheep who does not have it will be the laughing stock of its herd.
Apple: Excellent.