Apple's Music Service... This Month?

[MacRumors]

Apple's rumored music-download service, first mentioned here is expected to be released this month on April 28th, according to AppleInsider

Sources are reporting that the service will be built directly into iTunes, suggesting an anticipated update to Apple's digital jukebox software. This version of iTunes will permit users to purchase music on a per-song basis, allowing the user to preview 30-second streamed audio clips of selected songs. Purchasing songs will be as simple as clicking a button once having signed up for Apple's 1-Click purchasing, similar to how ordering prints is implemented in iPhoto.

Other updates expected are iTunes and iPod updates. Similar reports have been circulating over the past few months.

AppleInsider resurfaced under new management in October 2002, but provided inaccurate information prior to MWSF.

[jouster]

I'm there....seems so much easier than crappy P2P apps....oh and it's legal too




[Edited for spelling]

[Kwyjibo]

wasn't the original date april 1? I hope this service is for real. Apple is well known for a tighht integration between user services and their software (.mac) so i think done right this servvice will be a hit. Plus mac users tend to be a bit mroe affluent judging by most studies...

[arn]

Originally posted by Kwyjibo
wasn't the original date april 1? I hope this service is for real. Apple is well known for a tighht integration between user services and their software (.mac) so i think done right this servvice will be a hit. Plus mac users tend to be a bit mroe affluent judging by most studies...

there was never a date attached to this.

arn

[mangoman]

Bring it on, Apple. Please!

[MrMacMan]

Hm... seems good to me, but well you know, execpt for the whole costing money thing.

It seems like a great idea.

[InstantCool]

Originally posted by Macrumors
...
As well, one quote from this report: "Sources have suggested that purchased songs may be downloaded in AAC format, upon which the user can 'rip' the selected track to an MP3 to allow it to be burned to a CD" makes little technical sense and casts some doubt on these details. [/b]

Could be talking about ripping it to MP3 inorder to make an MP3 CD. MP3 CDs are a somewhat standard format with lots of DVD players and Car audio supporting it. This would just be a way of addressing those concerns by users of this device. THerefore, I think it makes technical sense.

[arn]

Originally posted by InstantCool
Could be talking about ripping it to MP3 inorder to make an MP3 CD. MP3 CDs are a somewhat standard format with lots of DVD players and Car audio supporting it. This would just be a way of addressing those concerns by users of this device. THerefore, I think it makes technical sense.

MP4's should not be "ripped" into MP3's... transcoding from one format to another is not something that should happen. I doubt Apple will allow it.

As for converting to MP3's to allow it to be burned to a CD. This also makes no sense. an MP4->MP3 conversion would cause a fidelity loss. CD's are in a raw audio format... if iTunes can play MP4 AAC to the speaker, then it can burn that information to CD.

arn

[marcsiry]

I don't like getting music for free (not just the illegal aspect- also the hassle and the poor quality, cut off, bad ID3 tags, etc), but I also don't like buying an entire CD because I like one song.

There's also a lot of stuff that's no longer in circulation that I hope shows up- stuff that wouldn't make sense to re-release on CD but might work on a per-download basis.

[jimjiminyjim]

About time a quality, juicy, rumor came about. Yummmm!

Living in Canada means big taxes, and big taxes means big income tax returns, which means that i will almost certainly get an iPod, and then download songs, legally!! I like it.

[copperpipe]

This could be a huge windfall for Apple. I know that I will be buying all my music through Apple. How simple, efficient, flexible, and affordable is this? It will save everyone money, time, and people will get exactly what they are looking for. The music industry is big, (understatement of the year) and if Apple get's a slice out of that pie then we will see more good things for our favorite comuter maker! Hoo-ray!

[rickvanr]

Originally posted by jimjiminyjim
About time a quality, juicy, rumor came about. Yummmm!

Living in Canada means big taxes, and big taxes means big income tax returns, which means that i will almost certainly get an iPod, and then download songs, legally!! I like it.

Amen.

[sanford]

So long as it's pay-per-song and not subscription PLUS pay-per-song.

[gopher]

One click needs to be improved. I don't want to put my credit card number online anywhere. As it is, I have to in order to do any one-click purchasing. Even when I qualified for free one-click photos with my .Mac membership. Due to its insecurity I never was able to take advantage of it.

[Freg3000]

Originally posted by sanford
So long as it's pay-per-song and not subscription PLUS pay-per-song.

I'd take pay-per-song OR subscription, preferably the former, but either one would be fine. But you are right-not both!

I have a question; will Apple make any money off of this directly? The more songs we buy.....does that translate straight into Apple's bottom line?

[balliet]

Originally posted by gopher
One click needs to be improved. I don't want to put my credit card number online anywhere.

If you are really paranoid, some credit card companies have a service where they issue you a temporary credit card number good for one purchase only. American Express calls it "private payments". Using something like this would allow you to use 1-click without having to worry about your "real" credit card number being stored anywhere.

That being said, assuming you bought your computer from apple, that have (well, they probably don't, but they could) your credit card number already, so what are you worried about?

[iconrad]

I Apple's download program works, but I really like to listen to CD quality music and when I listen to MP3's I can tell there is a decreased quality in the sound. I was wondering if anyone could tell me what the audio quality of an MP4 and AAC compared to MP3 and full audio CD's?

[greenstork]

Legality issues aside. I don't know anyone who has had a problem finding the songs that they want over a peer-to-peer network like Acquisition or Limewire. I'm not sure I understand the posts about these programs not being sufficient.

If all the gripes are about crappy ID3 tags, I just don't follow. As for sound quality, programs like Acquisition allow you to sort the selections by bitrate (ensuring high quality). If you get a bad song, there are usually 35 other copies you can try.

AAC would be the only reason I could see for justifying any expense for a song otherwise I think the majority people will overlook the ethical dilemma of downloading free music.

Just my two cents.

[Steamboatwillie]

In the new version of iTunes (presumed to be released with the music service launch) does anyone know if they might be including the ability to use LAME as an optional encoder?

[unc32]

why are you worried about your credit card. Most companies are very worried about credit card fraud so they try to be secure. How bad would it be for apple if their information was compromised. Just get a credit card that is insured against fraud and only use it for online purchases. That way it is easy to tell if fraud has occured and if so you have no liability. Seems like a no brainer to me.

[locovaca]

My only question is this: What happens if you loose your hard drive or need to reinstall OS X and reformat? Are they going to keep track of what songs you download, or will you be able to back stuff up? If you do back stuff up, do they have some sort of license associated with the file? How do they associate the file with your computer? I know there's been some speculation on it, but for me this would really make or break this. Let's just assume that they have some sort of authentication with the serial number on your computer- does that mean you can't listen to the file on another computer that you own (say between a PM and a PB)?

Questions, questions...

[bryanc]

Originally posted by greenstork
Legality issues aside. I don't know anyone who has had a problem finding the songs that they want over a peer-to-peer network like Acquisition or Limewire. I'm not sure I understand the posts about these programs not being sufficient.

Like the massive dominance Wintel has on the desktop, the vast majority of people are downloading pop music from the net, and have no difficulty finding the latest Britney Spears product. However, for those of use with more esoteric tastes, LimeWire and other P2P file sharing systems are not satisfactory.

I hope Apple recognizes this, and provides as large an array of classical, jazz and alternative music as possible. Given the plethora of pop music available 'for free' via P2P, and the fact that classical music afficionados are more inclined (and generally more able) to pay for good recordings, I think this is a market Apple may be able to make money from.

[jettredmont]

Originally posted by balliet
That being said, assuming you bought your computer from apple, that have (well, they probably don't, but they could) your credit card number already, so what are you worried about?

Well, there is a pretty large difference between Apple having had your credit card number going into their billing system (designed as a one-way process as far as the Internet is concerned) and having it sitting on a server which is intentionally exposed to the Internet 24/7 and designed to dispense that information to those who ask.

That having been said, I personally am gutsy enough to both pay for stuff online with my credit card and to have my number on Apple's servers (and a few others ...) On the other hand, I regularly check my card purchases online, and every time I use my card on something more than a few hundred bucks online I get a call from my bank making sure it was me ...

[jettredmont]

Originally posted by iconrad
I Apple's download program works, but I really like to listen to CD quality music and when I listen to MP3's I can tell there is a decreased quality in the sound. I was wondering if anyone could tell me what the audio quality of an MP4 and AAC compared to MP3 and full audio CD's?

It's all about the bitrate. If your MP3's don't sound "right" to you, then rip them at a higher bitrate.

AAC has two benefits:

1) at the same bitrate (and, thus, nearly-identical file size), it will yeild higher quality than MP3; the other way of saying this is that the same quality of sound may be had at a significantly lower bitrate, and thus smaller file.

2) the overall fidelity is more even across the spectrum than with MP3. Thus, where MP3 largely filters out the highs and deep bass, AAC reproduces them. Thus, even at two bitrates where AAC and MP3 have the "same" general quality, you will have better range coming out of the AAC file.

Personally, I can stand MP3s in most cases at 160kbps, am 99% fooled at 192kbps, and on the rare case where 192 isn't enough, 256kbps is indistinguishable to CD audio to me. But, every ear is different.

You may (likely will) get a bunch of people telling you that with better stereo equipment lower-bitrate MP3s sound just as good as CDs ... which is of course wrong. Unless your stereo equipment is smoothing over your audio (which to me would be the sign of low-quality equipment, not high-quality equipment), the more fidelity your equipment has the more accurately it will produce the artifacts left from MP3 encoding.

[mymemory]

That remind me the "one song sell one CD".

I am one of thouse that just enjoy the free word. Now, I rather get a song for a dollar or something than spend 4 to 8 hours looking for it in the net.

I like single versions a lot, I hope the service carry everything, not just shi**y top 40 stuff. I like to help the industry but if the service please me.

Lets see the price. Count me in.