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The service described in this article sounds familiar. Its free and a sponsor pays for it instead of the user. But why should we be purchasing their new music devices when we can already do the same thing by listening to the RADIO ?
Universal rousing an iTunes rebellion, report says
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#44
lantzn 
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Posted 12 October 2007 - 04:05 PM
Apple recently closed the deal with Apple Corp (the Beatles label). Didn't they pretty much buy out the use of the name for becoming a music label in essence of this deal? I also think Apple is in a prime position to becoming a music label. Can you imagine how well they could promote new artists using iTunes, Macs, iPods, iPhones and Apple TV and commercials?
GO for is Apple!
GO for is Apple!
#46
maineguy
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Posted 12 October 2007 - 04:09 PM
Quote:
The service described in this article sounds familiar. Its free and a sponsor pays for it instead of the user. But why should we be purchasing their new music devices when we can already do the same thing by listening to the RADIO ?
The service described in this article sounds familiar. Its free and a sponsor pays for it instead of the user. But why should we be purchasing their new music devices when we can already do the same thing by listening to the RADIO ?
Beautiful! But of course, that's with commercial interruption.
Maybe Universal can do it's own version of NPR? I can imagine their "Fresh Air" segment!
Apparently Universal doesn't require drug testing for the execs... /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
#48
TYates
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Posted 12 October 2007 - 09:36 PM
RIAA: "Psst. Hey, I noticed your having a little trouble with this iPod character? I can help you if your willing to pay for my services."
Creative: "OK, but what's it going to cost me?"
It's not the music that makes the iPod so popular, it's the iPod. That's also the reason why the music industry doesn't deserve a penny of iPod sales. If the other companies have no respect or pride in the products they make, then maybe they should go ahead and capitulate with the racketeering efforts of the RIAA instead of coming up with a better product.
From the excellent Coen Brother's movie "Miller's Crossing"
Johnny Caspar: I'm talkin' about friendship. I'm talkin' about character. I'm talkin' about - hell. Leo, I ain't embarrassed to use the word - I'm talkin' about ethics.
Creative: "OK, but what's it going to cost me?"
It's not the music that makes the iPod so popular, it's the iPod. That's also the reason why the music industry doesn't deserve a penny of iPod sales. If the other companies have no respect or pride in the products they make, then maybe they should go ahead and capitulate with the racketeering efforts of the RIAA instead of coming up with a better product.
From the excellent Coen Brother's movie "Miller's Crossing"
Johnny Caspar: I'm talkin' about friendship. I'm talkin' about character. I'm talkin' about - hell. Leo, I ain't embarrassed to use the word - I'm talkin' about ethics.
#49
JaxbNimbel
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Posted 13 October 2007 - 07:41 AM
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Be careful, folks, in how you perceive these events. This has a good chance of going against Apple...........
Makes one think perhaps the time has come to convert these iTunes purchases to MP3s!
/
Be careful, folks, in how you perceive these events. This has a good chance of going against Apple...........
Makes one think perhaps the time has come to convert these iTunes purchases to MP3s!
/
Oh, I couldn't disagree with you more. You'd have to be crazy to think that people who've invested in iTunes music & iPod players already would just say "Oh, I guess my iPod is broken because the record labels won't release new stuff on iTunes, so I'll just go out and buy some other player with DRM or a free subscription for 1 year so I can get new music because I'm a lemming.".......... WRONG!
Every record company that pulls music from iTunes will not hurt Apple as much as they'll hurt themselves. They'll put a worse than already bad taste in everyone's mouth about the music industry, send artists packing from their labels or suing for damages, and worst of all, they'll send TONS of people back to pirating the content, so much so that they won't be able to hire enough lawyers to sue all the people!
Sure Sony has the financial reserves to fight Apple to some extent (but I doubt they will, if Sony wanted to put non-DRM music on their players, they could have done it already) and Microsoft has not only the reserves, but a greater willingness to sell stuff at a loss for pure marketshare, but I predict that Vivendi Universal & most other labels that make such a decision to leave iTunes will go bankrupt or be bought out within 1 year of such a decision. I even believe that the individual artists that have left iTunes will eventually see the error and financial ruin of their ways and come back. There just aren't that many huge artists that can go it completely alone without at least iTunes or something like DRM-free music on MySpace. I just don't see the record companies coming up with anything appealing. Music buyers have strangely proven themselves to be much smarter than any of the record companies gave them credit for and I doubt this latest trick is going to work. Everyone knows these companies' track records. They've burned all their bridges IMHO.
I'm all for competition and I like Amazon, but I just don't see this grand collusion scheme working on so many levels, financially, legally, or ultimately with consumers, who by the way are mainly iPod & now iPhone owners, not these other un-named devices!
#50
iPhoneBlogger
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Posted 13 October 2007 - 01:24 PM
It's like NBC backing out of iTunes and thinking the consumer is going to go anywhere it says to get their TV shows. Nope, and I'm included in this, I'll just watch something else.
Companies need to think about the bottom line and that bottom line is its customers. Money is important and greed takes over and the customer takes a back seat.
If this thing with the iTunes rebellion happens, XM and Sirius or a combined Xmirius will sell a lot more radios because no one is going to go to another site that benefits the music companies. It's just not happening.
As Apple sells more iPods and iPhones, people love the flexibility and what they are used to. And what's sad is that the current model really benefits the record companies. They would lose a bundle with this new plan. iTunes users are not about to switch.
Companies need to think about the bottom line and that bottom line is its customers. Money is important and greed takes over and the customer takes a back seat.
If this thing with the iTunes rebellion happens, XM and Sirius or a combined Xmirius will sell a lot more radios because no one is going to go to another site that benefits the music companies. It's just not happening.
As Apple sells more iPods and iPhones, people love the flexibility and what they are used to. And what's sad is that the current model really benefits the record companies. They would lose a bundle with this new plan. iTunes users are not about to switch.
#51
pairof9s
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Posted 13 October 2007 - 02:03 PM
Quote:
Oh, I couldn't disagree with you more. You'd have to be crazy to think that people who've invested in iTunes music & iPod players already would just say "Oh, I guess my iPod is broken because the record labels won't release new stuff on iTunes, so I'll just go out and buy some other player with DRM or a free subscription for 1 year so I can get new music because I'm a lemming.".......... WRONG!
Every record company that pulls music from iTunes will not hurt Apple as much as they'll hurt themselves. They'll put a worse than already bad taste in everyone's mouth about the music industry, send artists packing from their labels or suing for damages, and worst of all, they'll send TONS of people back to pirating the content, so much so that they won't be able to hire enough lawyers to sue all the people!
Sure Sony has the financial reserves to fight Apple to some extent (but I doubt they will, if Sony wanted to put non-DRM music on their players, they could have done it already) and Microsoft has not only the reserves, but a greater willingness to sell stuff at a loss for pure marketshare, but I predict that Vivendi Universal & most other labels that make such a decision to leave iTunes will go bankrupt or be bought out within 1 year of such a decision. I even believe that the individual artists that have left iTunes will eventually see the error and financial ruin of their ways and come back. There just aren't that many huge artists that can go it completely alone without at least iTunes or something like DRM-free music on MySpace. I just don't see the record companies coming up with anything appealing. Music buyers have strangely proven themselves to be much smarter than any of the record companies gave them credit for and I doubt this latest trick is going to work. Everyone knows these companies' track records. They've burned all their bridges IMHO.
I'm all for competition and I like Amazon, but I just don't see this grand collusion scheme working on so many levels, financially, legally, or ultimately with consumers, who by the way are mainly iPod & now iPhone owners, not these other un-named devices!
Oh, I couldn't disagree with you more. You'd have to be crazy to think that people who've invested in iTunes music & iPod players already would just say "Oh, I guess my iPod is broken because the record labels won't release new stuff on iTunes, so I'll just go out and buy some other player with DRM or a free subscription for 1 year so I can get new music because I'm a lemming.".......... WRONG!
Every record company that pulls music from iTunes will not hurt Apple as much as they'll hurt themselves. They'll put a worse than already bad taste in everyone's mouth about the music industry, send artists packing from their labels or suing for damages, and worst of all, they'll send TONS of people back to pirating the content, so much so that they won't be able to hire enough lawyers to sue all the people!
Sure Sony has the financial reserves to fight Apple to some extent (but I doubt they will, if Sony wanted to put non-DRM music on their players, they could have done it already) and Microsoft has not only the reserves, but a greater willingness to sell stuff at a loss for pure marketshare, but I predict that Vivendi Universal & most other labels that make such a decision to leave iTunes will go bankrupt or be bought out within 1 year of such a decision. I even believe that the individual artists that have left iTunes will eventually see the error and financial ruin of their ways and come back. There just aren't that many huge artists that can go it completely alone without at least iTunes or something like DRM-free music on MySpace. I just don't see the record companies coming up with anything appealing. Music buyers have strangely proven themselves to be much smarter than any of the record companies gave them credit for and I doubt this latest trick is going to work. Everyone knows these companies' track records. They've burned all their bridges IMHO.
I'm all for competition and I like Amazon, but I just don't see this grand collusion scheme working on so many levels, financially, legally, or ultimately with consumers, who by the way are mainly iPod & now iPhone owners, not these other un-named devices!
I must disagree, as well. I think your premise is flawed and based on an undying consumer admiration w/ iPods. In actuality, it is an admiration with listening to music on iPods. If iPods cannot provide a proper and easy method to do this (ie - having full artist selection), then consumers will most definitely look towards alternate solutions. Not because they want to, but because they have to.
It's pretty naive economics to think Universal along w/ WB and Sony cannot financially sustain a concerted effort to substantially minimize iTunes' market share. As I stated, the figures show that digital downloads are still a minor (but definitely fast growing) percentage of music sales. The time is now for these labels to attempt this move; this time next year may well prove too late due to iPod inertia on digital music sales. But these companies can most definitely ride this out, both from a capital and a motive standpoint; their future as a viable business depends on it. Remember, they hold the commodity here, music; not Apple. I don't buy music to listen to it on an iPod; I buy an iPod to listen to music.
Listen, I not saying people don't want their iPods; heck, I'm one of them. And I, like most others here, absolutely loathe the labels and their place in my being able to listen to music as I want. But it is way too early to say Apple can wield the influence in this arena. A simple 15-20% hit on iPod sales due to lack of artist availability and/or troubled public perceptions through bad press would greatly affect Apple and its ability to maintain its current iTunes model, not the least, its profits and share prices.
Let's be sure we understand to ramifications before we assume that the record labels will fail mightily in this effort!
/
#52
MyMac8MyPC
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Posted 13 October 2007 - 02:40 PM
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This "free" music will only remain free until customers get locked into the music industry's approved hardware/software system. Then the toll gate comes down.
This "free" music will only remain free until customers get locked into the music industry's approved hardware/software system. Then the toll gate comes down.
This reminds me of how the oil companies got rid of people to pump your gas and started self-serve. When everyone complained the oil companies said that it was because you'd get cheaper gas. Yeah, they stuck to their promises on that one real well... /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
#54
lkylarry
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Posted 14 October 2007 - 09:08 AM
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As long as it's DRM-free, I'm all for it. I've started buying my music from Amazon since its DRM free. I've vowed to stop buying DRM music because I should be able to play my music on any device I choose and anywhere I want, I should also be able to freely share my music within the confines of my home and family. Apple DRM doesn't allow me to do this. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
As long as it's DRM-free, I'm all for it. I've started buying my music from Amazon since its DRM free. I've vowed to stop buying DRM music because I should be able to play my music on any device I choose and anywhere I want, I should also be able to freely share my music within the confines of my home and family. Apple DRM doesn't allow me to do this. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
Huh? Am I missing something here? I get all of my new music through iTMS. I haven't bought a CD since I got my first iPod about 3 1/2 years ago. If I want to listen to my music I put it on one of my iPods or burn it to a CD. If I choose to burn it to a CD I play it anywhere I want to. I can even put it onto a different computer or a <<GASP>> non-iPod music player! It's so simple to get around the DRM from iTMS that it's not even worth putting into consideration when buying music. Just about any computer purchased these days comes with the ability to burn CDs. If you can burn a CD, you can get around the DRM. Yes, it's an additional step. But it's not a big deal at all. Not everything in life falls into your lap. Sometimes you have to work for something that you want. But in the grand scheme of things, burning a CD is not hard work. And it has the added bonus of ensuring that you'll have a backup of your music in case your computer ever crashes and you don't have it all on your music player of choice. Because, let's face it, how many people actually backup their hard drive on a regular basis.
#55
vaporman
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Posted 14 October 2007 - 09:20 PM
I think there may be deals in the works that aren't being publicized. Who would stand to benefit from this arrangement? I don't think hardware manufacturers stand to gain from this deal. If they subsidize subscriptions, they'll have to raise prices to cover the cost, which makes them less competitive. Even then, they could never cover the entire cost. So who is left?
1. Microsoft - they would probably kick in substantially just to take Apple down a notch.
2.Brick and Mortar stores - Best Buy and WalMart have a vested interest in a deal like this. If record companies pull out of iTS, people with iPods will have to buy their music somewhere. They won't be able to use the Windows Media files, so CDs would be a logical alternative. Right now they probably fear iTS even more than the record labels.
3. Record Labels - The major labels would actually lose money, but it might be worth it in the long run for them to maintain the power (if they can make it work.) They like the power balance right now between WalMart, Best Buy and iTS, but iTS has grown so quickly that it threatens to take the other two out of the music (and movie) business before long. With no current viable online competition, that puts Apple in a position of a little too much power (and Steve has made it clear from the beginning of time that he's not afraid to throw his weight around.)
I believe that it will probably be too little, too late for all of these parties - especially the brick and mortar joints. The artists that are migrating from record companies are not likely to distribute physical merchandise. It will only be a matter of time before this migration reaches critical mass. Of course, I never count MS out in matters like these. It probably just depends on how much they really want to take Apple out of the music business. So far, they haven't put their money where their mouth is - and we have the Zune to show for that.
1. Microsoft - they would probably kick in substantially just to take Apple down a notch.
2.Brick and Mortar stores - Best Buy and WalMart have a vested interest in a deal like this. If record companies pull out of iTS, people with iPods will have to buy their music somewhere. They won't be able to use the Windows Media files, so CDs would be a logical alternative. Right now they probably fear iTS even more than the record labels.
3. Record Labels - The major labels would actually lose money, but it might be worth it in the long run for them to maintain the power (if they can make it work.) They like the power balance right now between WalMart, Best Buy and iTS, but iTS has grown so quickly that it threatens to take the other two out of the music (and movie) business before long. With no current viable online competition, that puts Apple in a position of a little too much power (and Steve has made it clear from the beginning of time that he's not afraid to throw his weight around.)
I believe that it will probably be too little, too late for all of these parties - especially the brick and mortar joints. The artists that are migrating from record companies are not likely to distribute physical merchandise. It will only be a matter of time before this migration reaches critical mass. Of course, I never count MS out in matters like these. It probably just depends on how much they really want to take Apple out of the music business. So far, they haven't put their money where their mouth is - and we have the Zune to show for that.
