iTunes for Windows... and AOL?

[MacRumors]

Fortune Magazine was apparently given an exclusive on the new iPods and Music Service.

They published a series of articles on Apple's new offerings, and provides some details and industry opinions of the planning and execution of the new service.

Of particular interest mentioned in the article are the economics of the endeavour -- with Apple paying the record companies an average of 65cents per track... as well as Apple's expansion into Windows.

According to the article, Apple is planning on introducing a Windows version of iTunes -- not only that, but it's also trying to land a deal in which AOL would adopt iTunes as it's music management software... opening the doors to AOL's 26 million subscribers.

[Freg3000]

Wow. Expansion is good. But AOL?

[Jaykay]

This is great news for apple cos that will end up being a lot of money. I thought they would be paying more than 65c but when i think about it, i dont really knowor have any idea, so good for apple. Maybe they can increase Jonathon Ives salary...

[mxpiazza]

now i'm not a greedy little fanboy that dosen't want apple to expand to increase profit and and market share, and i would love to see apple just take a huge bite out of the 97% of said marketshare that windows controls. however, when i switched from PC to mac, it was because of all of those little "i" applications... iTunes, iMovie, iDVD, iPhoto, etc... if apple starts peddling these programs over to the windows world, i think it would really kill, or seriously disable, the whole idea of a "switcher". i mean, now i know how much more seamless macs are than PC... but to someone that is on a PC and dosen't want to switch over to a new OS, if they could stay on windows and get all of the apple i-apps that everyone covets... why would they switch? i think this deal, which would undoubtedly bring in huge profits short term could really damage the user base over the long term. any thoughts?

[Grimace]

If Apple stays true to innovative products and ideas, getting a larger marketshare (advertising) through AOL will only serve to boost their status.

This music revolution should get the idea of owning an iPod and a Mac at least in the heads of a lot more people. Whether they plunge is yet to be seen.

[nagromme]

I say go for it--at least the store portion of iTunes, maybe not the whole player.

iPod to show Apple hardware design to PC users wasn't a bad thing. A software app to show Apple's software skills wouldn't be either.

Put iTunes on Windows and let people think--"if Apple can do this right when nobody else can, I'm thinking OS X is worth a look too."

This adds legitimacy to Apple and name-recognition among the MANY people to whom Apple isn't even on their radar. They think they must buy Microsoft because there is no "real" alternative. Start showing them what Apple can do.

And let PC makers bundle the iTunes store with their boxes--great even if you DON'T have an iPod. You can still burn CDs. (And an incentive to then get an iPod too.) Likewise, let PC users download it without buying anything, just like Mac people can.

Plus, to be successful, the store part (at least) HAS to be for everyone.

Not to mention--big song revenue for Apple, and iPod sales through the roof.

Anyway, it's still Mac-FIRST even if not Mac-only. Still an incentive to buy a Mac right now. And maybe for many months to come.

[makkystyle]

I'm sure it was probably the same article that was mentioned on friday, but the Wall Street Journal Europe Weekend edition had a ful page article on the music service. They talked about AOL also, but more in terms of competition for apple. According to them, AOL already has plans to unveil a music service by the end of the year, so lets hope they are not too far along in development.

Also if you noticed on the iPod update page, it states that a windows iPod AAC software update will be released by early May so Apple is definitely planning on branching this music service out to the windows world. In fact I'm sure they probably already have all the software written, it's just a matter of showing the music companies that this is a successful business model before they will allow them to open the service up to that many more users. And i think it will be successful, they already have 99cents of my money

Hey JayKay, where are you in Ireland? I'm in Dublin at Trinity.

[Sublime]

Originally posted by mxpiazza
i switched from PC to mac, it was because of all of those little "i" applications... iTunes, iMovie, iDVD, iPhoto, etc... if apple starts peddling these programs over to the windows world, i think it would really kill, or seriously disable, the whole idea of a "switcher". i mean, now i know how much more seamless macs are than PC... but to someone that is on a PC and dosen't want to switch over to a new OS, if they could stay on windows and get all of the apple i-apps that everyone covets... why would they switch?

I think apple is using iTunes as a gateway drug. Before you know it you're doing "X"

[robotrenegade]

Sounds like big money.

[ariza910]

Has anyonenoticed that the iPod in the Fortune article is BLACK?!? Where can I get one of those, or are they jusy trying to show a night shot with the black light and buttons lit up?

Well anyway, I really hope that a deal with AOL is struck, having apple software on PCs can only be a good thing. Apple needs exposure, once PC users notice apple and their excellent products they will make the switch.

[arn]

Originally posted by ariza910
[b]Has anyonenoticed that the iPod in the Fortune article is BLACK?!? Where can I get one of those, or are they jusy trying to show a night shot with the black light and buttons lit up?
/B]

yeah - I think it's just a dark shot - but wasn't labeled very well

arn

[gwuMACaddict]

doesnt putting iTunes on a PC defeat some of the main purposes of buying a mac anyway? awesome applications and an un-crashable machine. not only that- but AOL is a gaurenteed kernal panik on any mac i've ever used... and those arent that much fun...

[andrewh]

Originally posted by mxpiazza
now i'm not a greedy little fanboy that dosen't want apple to expand to increase profit and and market share, and i would love to see apple just take a huge bite out of the 97% of said marketshare that windows controls. however, when i switched from PC to mac, it was because of all of those little "i" applications... iTunes, iMovie, iDVD, iPhoto, etc... if apple starts peddling these programs over to the windows world, i think it would really kill, or seriously disable, the whole idea of a "switcher". i mean, now i know how much more seamless macs are than PC... but to someone that is on a PC and dosen't want to switch over to a new OS, if they could stay on windows and get all of the apple i-apps that everyone covets... why would they switch? i think this deal, which would undoubtedly bring in huge profits short term could really damage the user base over the long term. any thoughts?

Actually I think it could be a good thing. By introducing windows users to what makes apple computers and software great, some people might get interested enough to investigate and buy one. Most of the Windows users out there have never been exposed to a Mac at all and only know what they're comfortable with, windows. I convinced my dad to buy a flat panel iMac and when my brother saw it he was blown away and wants to buy one for home use.

If Apple could just show why OSX and the iApps are so great they would get a lot more switchers. I think the reason the "switch" campaign was a failure was because it just showed quirky people who seemed really stupid talking about how easy the mac is. Windows people need to see it in use. They will still be skeptical, but some will have the guts to give it a try.

But I agree, I do NOT want to see all those iApps on Windows. iTunes is fine because it will generate a lot of revenue.

[Jaykay]

Originally posted by gwuMACaddict
doesnt putting iTunes on a PC defeat some of the main purposes of buying a mac anyway? awesome applications and an un-crashable machine. not only that- but AOL is a gaurenteed kernal panik on any mac i've ever used... and those arent that much fun...

I kind of agree with your point, one of apple's biggest little things is itunes, and if windoze people get their hands on it then we lose one of our major assets (in my opinion). But then again it'll get apple one step closer to taking over the world so why not.

[copperpipe]

This is not good news, it's GREAT news. This will help switchers, because it will break the barriers that so many windows people have about Apple. People are gonna start to realize that Apple really is the better way to go. Give them a taste of the Apple, and they will want more. And the fact that Apple is making .34 per song! Oh baby, this is gonna be HUGE. Just wait till they get all the indie labels on there. So what will this all mean to us? More money for Apple to innovate with=better products down the line. Buy the stock, and get a free new system in a year or two is what I'm thinking...or maybe I'm just caught up in it all right now. I just downloaded my first purchase, and the quality is incredible.

[NavyIntel007]

Originally posted by gwuMACaddict
doesnt putting iTunes on a PC defeat some of the main purposes of buying a mac anyway? awesome applications and an un-crashable machine. not only that- but AOL is a gaurenteed kernal panik on any mac i've ever used... and those arent that much fun...

No one said it WON'T crash on windows. I hope Apple doesn't give windows iTunes. They should just do a very small basic AAC player and encoder that plugs into quicktime and has a basic browser for Apple's music services. Either that or Itunes visualizers need to flash subliminal messages... or have a pop-up that says "did you know that this works 200% better on a mac?"

[QCassidy352]

Seems that the valid question people are raising here is whether giving itunes to windoze folks would entice them to macs altogether, to get more of the same, or make them think they can stay on PCs and still get all the great software. Apple must think the former... but I don't know.
I tend to agree with those who have posted that it would make potential switchers think they can have their cake and eat it too. Apple makes most of it's money on hardware, if I'm not mistaken. So getting people using itunes is nice, but only if it draws them to bigger and better things.

[tcmcam]

The Windows version will most likely be a MusicMatch partnership. It's pretty obvious that the "Store" is just some HTML embedded into iTunes (rather nicely I might add).

I think Apple would rather have MusicMatch do most of the work. It cuts down on Apple's R&D and gets someone else to hire all the developers.

[DeepDish]

If AOL used iTunes for it's music service, then boom 26 million QT users.

If Apple releases iTunes for Windows, then boom, all those iTunes Windows users would have QT.

This is great news for QT.

[tcmcam]

I still have a major problem with the AAC strategy, here's why....

MP3 in iTunes let you use your Mac, an iPod, and ANY OTHER MP3 player to play your music. This enabled things like the TurtleBeach AudioTron (for your home stereo) or the PhatBox (for your car) to use all the MP3's you ripped in iTunes. So I buy a CD at Amazon, and rip it in iTunes (all legal) and can play it on multiple devices.

AAC complicates this. Yes, the store is great, but right now the only AAC players (with the logic for all the DRM) is the Mac platform, and the iPod (and most likely Windows/MusicMatch in the future).

Well, all the iPod enhancements for home stereo or car, well, basically, they STINK!

For my home stereo, Apple PLEASE make a mini (hard drive free) iPod that is BLACK, like my stereo, uses Airport, or 10/100 Ethernet to Rendevous with my iTunes 4 Mac so I can hook it up to my home stereo. It should have a DIGITAL OUT (S/PDIF or Coaxial) so that I can have a high-quality DAC playing back the music. The DAC in the iPod is great for headphones, but is pretty weak for a home stereo.

For my Car, Make a great "Docking Station" for the Car, it should plug into the lighter and have direct audio lines (no cassette or lame FM situation) so I get high-fidelity audio.

Right now, I can't see getting away from MP3 because AAC just isn't pervasive enough. So I won't use the store much because everything is AAC which means I can't play it on my home stereo (unless I burn a CD, eeeek, isn't that what iTunes was trying to get rid of?)

Hopefully some very cool company out there will ship these products.

[Sublime]

Originally posted by tcmcam
The Windows version will most likely be a MusicMatch partnership. It's pretty obvious that the "Store" is just some HTML embedded into iTunes (rather nicely I might add).

I think Apple would rather have MusicMatch do most of the work. It cuts down on Apple's R&D and gets someone else to hire all the developers.

What happened to the MusicMatch partnership? I had the mac client, It worked great. Then it stopped working and disappeared from the MusicMatch website...

Anyone got the scoop?

[boobers]

Originally posted by copperpipe
And the fact that Apple is making .34 per song! Oh baby, this is gonna be HUGE.

Hardly, they have to pay for bandwidth and staff support.
So far i can't find any Pavement or anything else i deem good.

[iElvis]

All i can say is that at first i was dissapointed that it was iTunes only, w/ no pc version, but after reading this, it makes sense that apple brings iTunes to PC.

3 reasons why Apple should bring iTunes to PC:
1 - complete combaiblity with the iPod (no more musicmatch jukebox)
2 - it will keep the download service within iTunes...no 3rd party software involved that could potentialy mess things up
3 - iTunes is an awsome program and there is nothing like in the PC world. If i could, i would be using iTunes right now.

Just my 2 cents.

[Mr. MacPhisto]

Originally posted by nagromme
I say go for it--at least the store portion of iTunes, maybe not the whole player.

iPod to show Apple hardware design to PC users wasn't a bad thing. A software app to show Apple's software skills wouldn't be either.

Put iTunes on Windows and let people think--"if Apple can do this right when nobody else can, I'm thinking OS X is worth a look too."

This adds legitimacy to Apple and name-recognition among the MANY people to whom Apple isn't even on their radar. They think they must buy Microsoft because there is no "real" alternative. Start showing them what Apple can do.

And let PC makers bundle the iTunes store with their boxes--great even if you DON'T have an iPod. You can still burn CDs. (And an incentive to then get an iPod too.) Likewise, let PC users download it without buying anything, just like Mac people can.

Plus, to be successful, the store part (at least) HAS to be for everyone.

Not to mention--big song revenue for Apple, and iPod sales through the roof.

Anyway, it's still Mac-FIRST even if not Mac-only. Still an incentive to buy a Mac right now. And maybe for many months to come.

And it's known that any new innovations will be Mac only or Mac first. I doubt Apple will release anything besides a "light" version of iTunes on the PC that can access the store and burn, etc. PC uses may be unable to put the songs on any other computers - only allowed to burn and ship to an iPod. They won't have iMovie, iDVD, or iPhoto to integrate with. They also won't get Rendezvous - no ability to share playlists over the network. I think having the iPod and iTunes on the PC will show the Windows world how much better Apple is than anybody in the PC world. I also think Apple will not release the Windows version until the 970 is firmly entrenched, giving Apple either equal or better footing on processors. If the 970 is released in July/August and an economic recovery occurs by the end of the year - Apple could have a lot to celebrate by years end. Maybe Apple laptops and desktops become the hot Christmas item. A boy can dream, can't he?

[reyesmac]

Apple would make more money by holding a monopoly on the online music business than it ever would by having a few people switch to mac because of itunes. When all iTunes was was a music player, giving it to windows was not a good idea. Now that iTunes is a money making product it has to be distributed to the most people so they can make all the money they can before competition comes around. iTunes is one application that is being ported, there are still many other apps that will always be Mac only.

If Apple can strike some good deals with other companies this could be one of the smartest moves Apple has made. Once you get them hooked on buying music, they can pull out their iTunes DJ music making program or something to get all those music lovers to buy Macs. Once they have a library of music to choose from, they just have to make a program that lets you use that music to make your own songs and there you have the next killer app thats mac only.

I think once this gets off the ground they will think up of more cool ways to get people to use macs and not just have it be because we have cool free apps.