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Defending the iTunes Music Store |
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 Apple has been taking it on the chin a lot here lately, mainly from Real Networks, but also from a lot of the other music stores, as well as the P2Pers (Peer-to-peer-ers) who say music should be free, or the iPod should at least be "open".
Of course by open, we mean "iPod should be able to play WMA files and the iTunes Music Store songs should be able to play on any player I want to use", right? At least, that's what I keep hearing.
Well, ok, that sounds good - if someone wanted to buy a protected AAC file from Apple's iTunes Music Store and play it on say, a Dell Digital Jukebox, they should be able to, right?
Well what about the flip side of that? Shouldn't all the other music stores offer their music in a format (MP3) that will play in 95% of all music players? Why aren't people crying foul over Real and Sony and several other stores that offer music in only WMA or ATRAC, respectively?
And what about the hardware side of things; Any company is free to create whatever they want, so long as they don't infringe another's trademarks or copyrights. So instead of whining about how iPod isn't "open", why doesn't Real get off it's ass and make the best digital music player on the face of the earth?
Ok, you can stop laughing now. But really, any company can do what Apple did. Some have tried and failed (BuyMusic.com). Others will fail soon (probably Sony, possibly Real). Microsoft itself is rumored to debut a music service this week, and with their immense clout and user base it may do very well. MS could create a sort of mPod, and although we can all imagine getting viruses on it and having hacker's force us to listen to "Rock Me Amedeus" over and over, the point is it's a free market and anyone can compete with Apple instead of pulling stunts like Real did.
Apple paved the way for digital music downloads that make not only the consumer happy, but also the record labels and the artists. It's win-win-win. Now let's quit knocking Apple and give 'em some props fer crying out loud! |
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August 24 2004, 8:28 AM EDT, by
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Comments:
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| nhmacusr |
8/24/04, 9:07 AM EDT |
There is a really good article over here:
http://daringfireball.net/2004/08/2004_wont_be_like_1984
Daring fireball is one of the best Mac Weblogs out there. He knows what he is talking about.
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| cAtraXx |
8/24/04, 10:53 AM EDT |
Who wants .wma anyways ? I don't like it. And i don't see how anyone else could. Mp3 and aac and ogg are better. As for movies, Quicktime is better and so is DivX and 3ivX.
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| whatsinaname9000 |
8/24/04, 12:51 PM EDT |
i like the iTunes music store, but it doesn't have every song i want, so its good to hav a p2p around for those
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| rlhamon |
8/24/04, 5:15 PM EDT |
P2P files are normally in a mp3 file format and your iPod will play that. I think that Apple is doing a fine job and should stick to their guns.
My question is which company is giving away source code that they paid R&D for?
Not one company! You may say open source but a company is not giving away proprietary source code. So Why should Apple.
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| DJ-LC |
8/24/04, 6:07 PM EDT |
I really don't understand why Real ( or any of the other music stores ) couldn't offer their songs in, oh, say Mp3 ? Then everyone would be happy, no copyright infringement, and it would work on almost all the Mp3 players out there. That IS why they are called Mp3 players, after all
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| bob |
8/24/04, 7:01 PM EDT |
The Biggest issue with iTunes (as I understand it; someone correct me if I'm wrong), is that those MP3s, etc. not purchased from the iTunes store get erased if you sync your iPod.
it's not so much about compatability, but more about being able to keep your music? but again, I may be wrong...
if so, someone educate me.
/bob
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| sweetjimmyhugs |
8/24/04, 7:15 PM EDT |
bob: "The Biggest issue with iTunes (as I understand it; someone correct me if I'm wrong), is that those MP3s, etc. not purchased from the iTunes store get erased if you sync your iPod."
That is totally incorrect. What would be the point of ripping your CDs with iTunes? What would be the point of ripping your music at all if you lost it once you bought an iPod? I have a few MP3's that I didn't rip or buy from iTMS (they are not pirated) and they are all still intact.
Whoever told you that probably just doesn't want you to buy an iPod before they do.
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| aec |
8/25/04, 12:34 AM EDT |
Bob,
I think the issue you are attributing to iTunes was what was reported if you used Real and made Harmony your base system. I recall reading warnings for people "trying it out" to get the cheap download to make sure they did NOT make harmony their primary system.
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| cAtraXx |
8/25/04, 4:56 AM EDT |
After all ... isn't the iPod an mp3 player ? I really don't think it'l complain about 3rd party mp3s.
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| nhmacusr |
8/25/04, 9:11 AM EDT |
I think what we are seeing is competition at its finest. You don't like AAC, buy another player. If you can't live without OGG buy another player. It is as simple as that. If you can't live without an iPod, well then you buy into what Apple is selling. We are going to see things changing very rapidly. Remember, the iTunes Music store has only been around for a little over a year. The stores that are successful are going to have to change with hte market to remain successful. At the same time, storage is going to continue to grow at an accelerated rate. It won't be too long before we have a 100 GB iPod (or dare I say it 200 GB). With this kind of storage, a logical end is to begin bumping up the compression. You can bet you will see higher compression AAC files in the iTunes Music Store and even eventually Apple Lossless. The market is still young and maturing. It is going to age like lightning. The iTunes Music Store is becoming better everyday. Look how they signed up CD Baby. One of the best sources for independant music in the US. They only have about half their catalog now, but that is growing everyday. Give it time. In the meantime, there is really nothing to argue about. There are not that many Real customers out there. There are not that many people with iPods that demand to have Real play on their players. Real really screwed themselves in the past and are feeling bad about missing the party. Apple (Jobs) has readily said in interviews that Apple will support whatever the market asks them to. Right now (by an overwhelming majority) people with iPods don't mind the iTunes Music Store and AAC. That will change and Apple will change too.
Real is talking out both sides of their mouth. On one hand, they demand the freedom of choice, but on the other, only if you use Windows.
In the end, Real is not going to hurt Apple. They are not going to dominate anything. They will be a side note to the evolving young business of digital music.
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| whatsinaname9000 |
8/25/04, 11:00 AM EDT |
amen to that.
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| okcalla |
8/25/04, 3:59 PM EDT |
the vast majority of my songs are p2p mp3's and some are ripped from cd's and some are purchased but all work and sound equally good.
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| Steve |
8/25/04, 6:15 PM EDT |
Oooooo, bad karma out the ying-yang for you, okcalla. For shame.
I'm feeling much better btw folks. Keep up the great work.
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