Pandora to Remove 40-Hour Free Listening Limit Ahead of iTunes Radio Launch

[CFreymarc]

Q: How do you do when Pandora's Box is open on the Internet?
A: You have an 800-lbs gorilla is sit on it.

 

[notabadname]

We've seen competitors large and small enter the market and, in some cases, exit the market. I've never seen an analysis that identifies an effect from any competitor

Said;
Sony about the iPod . . . .
Blackberry about the iPhone . . . .

And many more business's under-estimations of competitors

 

[Kaspersky]

It would be great if the last.fm do something too...

 

[OneMike]

this is a good move

 

[ArmCortexA8]

i dont support any services that enforce DRM of any kind, and for the proprietary use of software due to DRM to listen to music. Is a con job. If I pay for music I play it my way wherever and whichever device I want.

 

[zioxide]

If Pandora is so quickly willing to drop their 40 hour listening limit now, it just proves they didn't have a good reason to have a limit to begin with. Pandora sucks all day long!!

Not necessarily.

It's more of an indication that more players joining the game (Spotify, Rdio, iTunes Radio, etc) forcing the royalty costs down.

 

[macguy360]

If Apple were really smart, here is what they would do.
1. Team up with AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint to provide a cellular capable iPod that incorporates itunes radio.

2. Set up a flat rate fee to have unlimited internet access on the ipod to use for internet radio and downloading apps through the app store. (kind of like amazons whispernet for kindle)

3. Watch iPods and ipod touches sell like hot cakes.

4. Rake in the dough, while at the same time bringing tons of new customers and extra money to whichever cellular provider agrees to the deal.

If the itunes radio is set at a 128 or 256 streaming quality, using apple compression algorithms or an algorithm similar to what pandora uses, then it wouldn't use much data. I would guess maybe 2-3gb per month. If a cellular provider charged $20 per month they would still make a profit off the deal.

 

[seecoolguy]

Ultimately both products are crap unless you like listening to the same song over and over again. These products are just one step above what you get on satellite radio minus the talk radio stations.

In the beta there have been bugs but it's beta, when it's been working I've loved the selection on iTunes Radio much more than pandora. I never had good luck on their offering and I always felt it was like listening to regular radio, I always became frustrated, but honestly I've had a better experience on iTunes Radio.

 

[phoenixsan]

Call me.....

cynical if you want, but Pandora have an eight year advantage in the market. More know-how and expertise.....Seems to me they are feeling the heat already.....

 

[alent1234]

If Apple were really smart, here is what they would do.
1. Team up with AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint to provide a cellular capable iPod that incorporates itunes radio.

2. Set up a flat rate fee to have unlimited internet access on the ipod to use for internet radio and downloading apps through the app store. (kind of like amazons whispernet for kindle)

3. Watch iPods and ipod touches sell like hot cakes.

4. Rake in the dough, while at the same time bringing tons of new customers and extra money to whichever cellular provider agrees to the deal.

If the itunes radio is set at a 128 or 256 streaming quality, using apple compression algorithms or an algorithm similar to what pandora uses, then it wouldn't use much data. I would guess maybe 2-3gb per month. If a cellular provider charged $20 per month they would still make a profit off the deal.

what you described is the iphone

 

[kage207]

Ha...

I did the monthly subscription with Pandora after iRadio was announced. Reason: Cause I hated having a 40 hour limit on my mobile. I loved the free version and didn't mind the advertisements, now I love Pandora without it.

Now I am just waiting for iRadio to launch so I can buy iTunes Match. Now I can have all 40GB of music I have in the cloud + awesome radio to find new music.

If Apple were really smart, here is what they would do.
1. Team up with AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint to provide a cellular capable iPod that incorporates itunes radio.

2. Set up a flat rate fee to have unlimited internet access on the ipod to use for internet radio and downloading apps through the app store. (kind of like amazons whispernet for kindle)

3. Watch iPods and ipod touches sell like hot cakes.

4. Rake in the dough, while at the same time bringing tons of new customers and extra money to whichever cellular provider agrees to the deal.

If the itunes radio is set at a 128 or 256 streaming quality, using apple compression algorithms or an algorithm similar to what pandora uses, then it wouldn't use much data. I would guess maybe 2-3gb per month. If a cellular provider charged $20 per month they would still make a profit off the deal.

You know the guy above is right... It is called the iPhone.

Secondly, I use about 3-4GB a month of data, mainly due to Pandora. I am also the heaviest user on the Mobile Data Share plan of my family. Though we use about 5GB a month cause my family doesn't come close to using as much as myself.

 

[TC400]

I've never even hit the 40 hour limit before.

I did with in two weeks. It was dumb. And you know you didn't listen to 40 hours....

 

[iSRS]

Personally I find the mix much more relevant on iTunes Radio vs Pandora (which I stopped using) and Spotify (my current go to). Spotify on demand (if you pay) is good though. Will see if I continue to subscribe to Spotify. I have iTunes Match. No ads, and have yet to hit the skip limit because, again, much more relevant.

 

[linuxcooldude]

cynical if you want, but Pandora have an eight year advantage in the market. More know-how and expertise.....Seems to me they are feeling the heat already.....

Perhaps...but...even with most streaming radio services are struggling to make money.

With Apples service, their music service is only meant to supplement their hardware sales. Give their users more reason to stay with iTunes. Apples only concern is to break even, if possible, rather than expecting to profit from it directly. Where the other services, music streaming is primarily their only money maker.

I could see a bigger potential tapping into Apples already large music source. By analyzing what music is already in your iTunes library, it can know what music you already like and play similar genes of music. Then if you hear a song you really like and want to buy is only a click away.

 

[mikefla]

Pandora's CEO is such a B.S.'er. Obviously they are concerned, very concerned. This is not just another competitor for them, this is the one that could potentially buy them out or simply just put them out of business. Why in the World would they make this change all of a sudden. Who are they kidding? Competition is great, it makes products better and prices lower.

-Mike

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Perhaps...but...even with most streaming radio services are struggling to make money.

With Apples service, their music service is only meant to supplement their hardware sales. Give their users more reason to stay with iTunes. Apples only concern is to break even, if possible, rather than expecting to profit from it directly. Where the other services, music streaming is primarily their only money maker.

I could see a bigger potential tapping into Apples already large music source. By analyzing what music is already in your iTunes library, it can know what music you already like and play similar genes of music. Then if you hear a song you really like and want to buy is only a click away.

Exactly, I agree. Now we are talking...

-Mike

 

[lolkthxbai]

Pandora's box has been opened...

LOL I see what you did there!

I wonder though, how developers feel about having their services or apps mimicked and baked into iOS...

 

[WhiteIphone5]

I barely use pandora and always end up hitting the 40-hour limit, like do they count skipped songs as if I listened to the whole thing?

Loving Iradio at the moment, I just hate the ios7 bug where everything I selected " never play this song again" it comes back -.- lol

----------

If Apple were really smart, here is what they would do.
1. Team up with AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint to provide a cellular capable iPod that incorporates itunes radio.

2. Set up a flat rate fee to have unlimited internet access on the ipod to use for internet radio and downloading apps through the app store. (kind of like amazons whispernet for kindle)

3. Watch iPods and ipod touches sell like hot cakes.

4. Rake in the dough, while at the same time bringing tons of new customers and extra money to whichever cellular provider agrees to the deal.

If the itunes radio is set at a 128 or 256 streaming quality, using apple compression algorithms or an algorithm similar to what pandora uses, then it wouldn't use much data. I would guess maybe 2-3gb per month. If a cellular provider charged $20 per month they would still make a profit off the deal.

And then get some random "extra charge" lol

 

[bretm]

I've been using iTunes radio. It's selections are questionable. With pandora they play related bands based on the band you originally choose. I'm not sure how apple is deciding. They need to work on heir algorithms. Maybe it's cuz their selection is limited to what is in their library?

 

[winston1236]

If Apple were really smart, here is what they would do.
1. Team up with AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint to provide a cellular capable iPod that incorporates itunes radio.

2. Set up a flat rate fee to have unlimited internet access on the ipod to use for internet radio and downloading apps through the app store. (kind of like amazons whispernet for kindle)

3. Watch iPods and ipod touches sell like hot cakes.

4. Rake in the dough, while at the same time bringing tons of new customers and extra money to whichever cellular provider agrees to the deal.

If the itunes radio is set at a 128 or 256 streaming quality, using apple compression algorithms or an algorithm similar to what pandora uses, then it wouldn't use much data. I would guess maybe 2-3gb per month. If a cellular provider charged $20 per month they would still make a profit off the deal.

Wait. People still buy iPods?

 

[njytouch]

I already have iTunes Match. So getting iRadio for free is very welcome.

 

[JBaker122586]

"We've now been around for eight years. We've seen competitors large and small enter the market and, in some cases, exit the market. I've never seen an analysis that identifies an effect from any competitor ... we don't see the picture changing."
- Pandora CEO in 2013

"We've learned and struggled for a few years here figuring out how to make a decent phone. PC guys are not going to just figure this out. They're not going to just walk in."
- Palm CEO in 2006

"But if you actually take a look at the 1.3 billion phones that get sold, I'd prefer to have our software in 60% or 70% or 80% of them, than I would to have 2% or 3%, which is what Apple might get."
- Microsoft CEO in 2007

 

[Rocketman]

Pandora reports revenues of $168m. Apple spends that on postage stamps. JBaker

 

[lordofthereef]

No shocked AT ALL. I have already switched over to iRadio. Well, mostly. It still doesn't seem to be as good at not throwing in that random terrible song that I would never listen to, but that may be because I have tailored my pandora stations over the years. They (Pandora) has so much more data off of me to work with that it's not a fair comparison (yet). Interestingly I have found some artists through iRadio that I quite like that I had never come across using Pandora. Also, being that I am a match subscriber, NO ADS is a nice touch without requiring any additional fees.

----------

Wait. People still buy iPods?

Not sure if sarcasm...

Of course people still buy iPods. For those that don't need or care for or can;t afford internet on the go, and iPod touch is the best thing to an iPhone. It's a faction of the cost, has a much longer battery life (due to no cellular radios) and acts virtually identically to an iPhone (minus the calling features).

----------

Perhaps...but...even with most streaming radio services are struggling to make money.

With Apples service, their music service is only meant to supplement their hardware sales. Give their users more reason to stay with iTunes. Apples only concern is to break even, if possible, rather than expecting to profit from it directly. Where the other services, music streaming is primarily their only money maker.

I could see a bigger potential tapping into Apples already large music source. By analyzing what music is already in your iTunes library, it can know what music you already like and play similar genes of music. Then if you hear a song you really like and want to buy is only a click away.

I think what we can glean from this statement is that music streaming royalties are ABSURD. People think Apple's markups are high? Look at the royalties companies pay for songs. A really popular hit song from 3-5 decades ago is still bringing in the coin TODAY. Can't so much say that about 3-5 year old hardware or often times software even.

And no, this isn't a defense of APple. Just a general observation.

 

[seanman236]

As someone using the ios 7 beta and thus has tracked the cellular usage of iTunes Radio. My process does not pass as empirical- I simply load one song on one channel on pandora and listen. I then load one song of comparative length on iTunes Radio and listen. When I check my cellular usage tab in settings I have noticed a difference in the amount of data iTunes Radio uses in comparison to pandora; to get to the point, it uses more data based on what my
Phone is telling me. As one who faces the 2 Gb data cap through verizon, and one who uses data based music streaming frequently, this is a problem. I do prefer the iTunes Radio interface over pandora: that said, I get more music for my dollar, currently, with pandora. Or so it would seem.

For example, I live in the DC area where we do have limited but functional data on our metro/subway system. Pandora never pauses or lags when my phone crosses into a "1x" or basically non 3G region. As I take the same route daily, I have noticed where pandora has no problems, iTunes Radio does struggle to keep a connection. A qualitative observation, but one noticed consistently since ios7 first came out.

In comparison to total iPhone users I am a minority. That being said, off hand I do choose pandora over iTunes Radio as it both maintains a stronger connection and, from what my phone is telling me, uses less data per song. I would be happy to be proven wrong as I prefer the iTunes Radio interface over pandora. But it has been a detail I have noticed and as I am bound to a data cap, it's, I believe, worth noting that pandora is more efficient in delivering content than iTunes Radio in its current iteration.

Has anyone else noticed similar trends?

 

[macs4nw]

Pandora's box has been opened...

Oooh, a reply to this is tempting…..

….."We've now been around for eight years. We've seen competitors large and small enter the market and, in some cases, exit the market. I've never seen an analysis that identifies an effect from any competitor ... we don't see the picture changing."…..

But just in case, let's remove that cap. You've gotta love such a boastful, and outwardly confident assertion. Might they just be a tad worried?

"…..According to Herring, both increased advertising income and and tighter control over other cost saving techniques have allowed the cap to be lifted"…..

Article Link: Pandora to Remove 40-Hour Free Listening Limit Ahead of iTunes Radio Launch

The timing of these "cost saving techniques" is amazing. Color me skeptical that the imminent arrival of ad-supported iTunes Radio, has nothing to do with the Sep.1 lifting of that 40hr cap.

More proof, if any was needed, that competition is good for the consumer.