News
iTunes makes changes
Ever since its creation in 2001, iTunes has been a powerful and popular source for downloading music and videos.
However, in recent years, some of Apple’s anti-copying rules have caused other websites to take its place of power. Apple announced in January that they plan to lift these rules beginning in April.
Music and videos will be able to be copied directly from a PC to an iPod or any other device and vice versa. The prices of songs will also change, to 69 cents for most songs, 99 cents for more popular tracks, and $1.29 for the most popular new songs. Apple hopes that these changes will get their customers back and allow them to regain their dominance in the music world.
Math teacher Nick Jordan is interested in what new direction Apple will head in now that their new rules will hopefully be bringing customers back.
“They haven’t tried anything new in a while, and I think some interesting changes may be ahead,” Jordan said.
Jordan believes Apple could regain its place of dominance in the music business if it can eliminate its competition, which they intend to do as another part of their new plans.
According to the New York Times website, the four major music labels, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and EMI are now all selling their music through iTunes without digital rights management software.
Apple has tried to eliminate other companies’ lack of using digital rights management software, but ultimately found not using it themselves would help get their old customers back. This has, however, caused some controversy between Apple and their record signers, as they feel less prepared to join with a company who won’t be making as much money.
Sophomore Alan Vazquez thinks Apple came to their new decisions with too little, too late, as he finds iTunes itself to be outdated
“It’s not like anyone really even uses stuff like iTunes anymore,” Vazquez said.
Vazquez has been hacking and reprogramming his iPod for years, importing songs and games onto it his own way. While other fans might not do it the same way, other downloading sites such as limewire.com have taken the public’s interest, with free downloads and seemingly no strings attached.
“Apple is too late; a few years ago they could have gotten their people back, but now? No, it’s just over,” Vazquez said.
Junior Nick Bleimehl has a different opinion. He believes that while Apple took their time making this change, this is their opportunity to bounce back.
“I think they’re going to start getting customers back,” Bleimehl said.
Bleimehl is also happy about the price changes among songs, and now plans to fill his iPod more full than ever.
The face and idea of Apple is changing as it tries to regain its great position of power. Should iTunes return to its great strength, many other new changes are possible. As Apple tries to pull itself back up to the top, Bleimehl is confident things will only be getting better from here.
“They’re making a comeback,” Bleimehl said.
From one Michael Roby to another:
Well done. Have read some of your other articles, and you do write well. Comment for you on this one; Apple in general and iTunes specifically are not dead. In fact, iTunes is much more than music and their audiance is much larger than youth. As a writer, professional speaker, and author, I understand the iTunes position (and that of many artists) that you sharing in the name of not paying for intellectual property is still stealing. However, Apple IS making changes because they feel their loss in one area will be offset in others. Business 101.
Keep writing, keep thinking, work hard, and have fun.
“Apple hopes that these changes will get their customers back and allow them to regain their dominance in the music world.”
Says who?
Last year, iTunes passed Wal-Mart to become the biggest music store, period. See here, here, and here.
If you look at the numbers Amazon isn’t anywhere close to the volume of sales iTunes is doing.
The reason Apple has used the FairPlay DRM in iTunes was not to kill the competition, but because of it’s licenses with the record labels. The music industry was worried that if people could copy songs from one computer to another, nobody would pay for music (Napster and Kazaa come to mind).
Apple has been trying to fight this for years. See a letter from Steve Jobs himself to the music industry from Feb 2007.
The music industry has been trying to negotiate more profitable terms for selling in iTunes ever since iTunes started gaining momentum. Part of that included a tiered pricing model.
The recent iTunes announcement isn’t about Amazon and it isn’t about iTunes showing signs of weakness. It’s just about Apple allowing tiered pricing in exchange for finally being allowed by the music industry to sell DRM free tracks. See here and here.
This way, not only will you be able to copy tracks purchased in the iTunes store to any device capable of playing AAC tracks (as you mentioned), but you could also copy tracks from one computer to another without needing your Apple login.
I know it’s a little late to say this, seeing as this story came out a while ago, but very well written Michael.