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Apple and Amazon?

Perfect way to get windows users on board!

This is a perfect idea. Apple can get windows users using iTMS without having to port iTunes. All they need to do is provide back-end access to Amazon, and bingo. This way they get the added user base with incredibly low development cost. And they still get the added benefit of having mac users have the "superior" user experience.
 
This could be interesting?!...

If you (think you) can't beat them, join them. Good strategy, if you ask me. Nothing wrong with teaming up with the big boys. If this will ultimately lead to the sheer domination of the iTMS, then so be it!

:)
 
Hope they up the data rate on the songs before hitting the general (PC) public. Some of the 128k songs sound watery.
 
Sounds a bit odd

I thought iTunes was supposed to be the only way to access the Apple Music Store. Does this mean iTunes for Windows will not happen? Perhaps it means that Audio CDs will be purchased from the Apple Music Store via Amazon.
 
Re: Windows AAC/DRM player

Originally posted by AidenShaw
What good is it to buy if there's no player for Windows???

I wonder what the plan is....
Click to expand...


Would it be easier for Apple to write a player for Windows w/AAC than it would be to provide access to the iTMS? Or could it be that the player part is done now, but the access part is not? So for now Windows users can get access through Amazon and play on the new player. Then later iTunes for Windows will be released with store access and player together?

Just wondering. I'm sure someone who knows about writing software can clarify this.
 
I was thinking the same thing. As far as I know, there isnt a windows MP3 player that supports AAC, most importantly, WMP, which I assume 80% of windows users never graduate from.
 
Re: Windows AAC/DRM player

Originally posted by AidenShaw
What good is it to buy if there's no player for Windows???

I wonder what the plan is....
Click to expand...

So far it's just a rumor that they're in negotiations, so nothing set in stone... yet. But NYT is a pretty reliable source (more or less, considering). We'll just have to wait and see how this plays out.

Should be an interesting journey.

edit: WinAmp is supposed to play AACs.
 
Just to clarify, it's not the NYT, It's the New York Post... Which, I'd argue, is somewhat less reliable than the New York Times.
 
I think (hope) this means that you'll have an option to buy the physical cd along with the digital downloads. That would rock!!!!!! I've seen several people suggest this already.
The joy of immediate downloading along with full cover art and option to rip at higher rates/different formats in the future.
 
"My gut feeling is also that any company involved with distributing iTMS will do OK, like an Amazon .... because the profits on the downloads are so good."

I wrote this on another forum 10 days ago and this sort of rumour makes me even more glad I bit the bullet a few weeks before that, ignored the stock market downer on AAPL and bought some Apple shares. At last they have a software and hardware mix (iTMS and the iPod) that can appeal to the masses, it is a highly highly profitable combination and there are few better prospects for distributing music media on a massive scale than Amazon.

I think the Windows version of iTunes will be for Amazon to handle on a licence basis. By launch time ahead of Christmas, the new format will be OK for Windows users right from the start and the marketing push for iPods I hope will be in your face and huge - something Apple dont seem to have been that good at in the past from what I have observed.

This association WOULD give Apple the kudos too in a doubting market place and WOULD at the very least consolidate Apple market share at a couple of percentage points higher. Big 5, Amazon, great stuff and the reward for being ballsy at sticking with innovation.

Edit. I changed will to would, as this is only a rumour after all!
 
Can we stop with the encoding debate?!?! For the true, hard core audiophiles ACC, MP3, etc. will NEVER be good enough for your tastes. They are all compressed formats and at least for the near future anything compressed will NEVER be as good as uncompressed. I have played many burned CDs with ACC and not a single person has complained about quality. I think to the average user (read 97% of the rest of the world) the ACC format is fine. More important items are doing things like partnering with Amazon and maybe AOL. Making it so you can by cheaper albums that have been around for years, giving discounts/specials, lowering the per song price are all more infinetly important than improving the compression rate.

Sorry about the rant but this drives me crazy.
 
Just to clarify, it's not ACC, It's AAC... Which, I'd argue, is somewhat more reliable than ACC.
 
Apple is already using Amazon.com's "one click" ordering system under license. I wouldn't think anything would happen until a Windows version of iTunes becomes available, even if then. Just speculation.
 
True, 97% of most users will not notice a difference in the encoded quality of AAC and MP3 encoded at a higher bitrate.

My argument is that some artists (U2, Coldplay, other larger artists) actually sound better than smaller artists that I've downloaded, such as Queens of the Stone Age, Earshot and Bloodhound Gang, for instance. Its as if they're encoded differently, although they all say 128kbit AAC.

Mac users should understand that 3% makes a difference, and if that 3% of audiophiles can hear lower quality, then it deserves to be addressed before being released to a larger (and far less forgiving towards Apple) audience.
 
In the first month Apple sold 3 million songs, in an us-only, mac-only market.

In a couple of months that market will be international and windows+mac. Possibly they will start selling 100 million songs in a month. They need alot more bandwith, alot more computer power, alot more marketing resources, alot more helpdesk-people..

Amazon is ideal to deliver all this, help marketing, help getting iTunes on windows computers, help with bandwith and resource problems,..

Amazon also has a big database on their customer preferences. If you like song X, you will probably like Y too. It would be nice if that stuff was in the iTMS too.
 
Originally posted by Macmaniac
Actually One-Click is Apples ordering system. Amazon is the only company that has access to it.
Click to expand...

Nope - it's the reverse. Amazon owns it, and Apple licensed it.
 
WinAmp - AAC - Should be soon...

Originally posted by Schlomo
I was thinking the same thing. As far as I know, there isnt a windows MP3 player that supports AAC, most importantly, WMP, which I assume 80% of windows users never graduate from.
Click to expand...

I have it on good word from "Rusty" of SomaFM.com (shameless plug) that WinAmp should be supporting AAC soon.

As an aside, he also tells me that SomaFM.com is very interested in supporting AAC streams and seriously looking into it.

...an idea which I am absolutely thrilled over!
 
Even better news!

It just occured to me - if Amazon is tied in with Apple TMS, and AAC/m4a/m4p as a result, could this spell the end of Real Audio use for album samples on Amazon!?

Ooooooo! Warm and fuzzy feelings follow...
 
Re: WinAmp - AAC - Should be soon...

Originally posted by Malic
I have it on good word from "Rusty" of SomaFM.com (shameless plug) that WinAmp should be supporting AAC soon.

As an aside, he also tells me that SomaFM.com is very interested in supporting AAC streams and seriously looking into it.

...an idea which I am absolutely thrilled over!
Click to expand...

Problem is that the DRM (called FairPlay) is an proprietary apple technology. Just AAC support is not enough.

I hope that apple will be smart enough to license fairplay to others for a very low price. Not just for software media players, but also for hifi modules, car-stereo, ..
If Apple doesn't sublicense their fairplay technology, they will probably be beaten up by a future wma-music-shop.
 
Re: Even better news!

Originally posted by Malic
It just occured to me - if Amazon is tied in with Apple TMS, and AAC/m4a/m4p as a result, could this spell the end of Real Audio use for album samples on Amazon!?

Ooooooo! Warm and fuzzy feelings follow...
Click to expand...

I second those warm and fuzzy feelings - that would be even better than the sheer demise of RealNetworks.
 
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