Apple/EMI Press Conference Coverage

[Gasu E.]

By any reasonable defination, Apple has a monopoly on digital music players. Really.

By any reasonable definition, people who use phrases like "by any reasonable definition" without actually providing an example of a "reasonable definition" appear to be foolish. So here is a "reasonable definition."

In economics, a monopoly (from the Latin word monopolium - Greek language monos, one + polein, to sell) is defined as a persistent market situation where there is only one provider of a product or service. Primary characteristics of a monopoly
Single Seller: For a pure monopoly to take place, only one company can be selling the good. A company can have a monopoly on certain goods and not on other goods.
No close substitutes: Monopoly is not merely the state of having a unique or recognizable product, but also that there are no close substitutes available for the function the good fills.
Price maker: Because a single firm controls the total supply in a pure monopoly, it is able to exert a significant degree of control over the price by changing the quantity supplied.

 

[Cougarcat]

"$1.29 for premium tracks (DRM-less)". No thanks. I could pay less for a cd, and have much higher quality lossless tracks instead of an increase to 256 kbps. A pass on this one.

Exactly my sentiments, until I realized that albums are still 9.99 for premium tracks.

 

[johnee]

From press release: $1.29 for premium tracks (DRM-less), $.99 for standard (DRM), and $.30 for upgrade

So albums are same price DRM free..but single tracks cost 30 cents more?

Where is this information given? I guess I don't understand that policy. Why charge more for single tracks but not the album?

Since every business decision is made based on $, I'm assuming they will make enough money from selling singles to justify letting albums go for same price.

Either that or they are trying to be ethical, trying to support the album format so artist don't get discouraged about selling only one or two songs (but i doubt that's the reason).

 

[motulist]

Wow, that girl is a dumbass.

 

[Project]

what a lousy question at the end. smh

 

[acearchie]

Storage is going up, prices are going down. Its a good time to do this!

Steve Jobs

Interesting . . .

 

[Applespider]

what a lousy question at the end. smh

I thought the one about how many songs an iPod would hold was funnier

 

[Thataboy]

It is a bit odd that they are keeping the 99-cent versions with DRM.

But surely EMI wants to see what the results are. Do people prefer to pay 99 cents for low quality DRM, or $1.29 for high quality non-DRM? They (and Apple) will now have easy access to what consumers really want. If people buy the premium versions of the new Beyonce single, for example, 3:1 over the standard versions, then Apple can use that data to convince the other labels.

Ultimately, I think this is less about DRM and more about the labels' desire to up the price over 99 cents. They have wanted to do this forever, and Steve has said hell to the no. I imagine Steve said "look, we will sell versions at a premium, but NOT based on who is a big artist, or new releases, or hooey like that. kill DRM, give me 256k, and you can sell on iTunes for more money."

Now the next question is, will Steve allow the indies to follow suit quickly (since many have complained that they dont WANT DRM)? And how will the other big labels react?

 

[Dippo]

what a lousy question at the end. smh

I agree. She was just trying to attack at Steve Jobs, but of course he showed her.

 

[Compile 'em all]

This is really interesting. When asked about how much the 80 geg iPod will carry of these 256-kbps mp3s, jobs said that "storage prices has been going down,and capacity is going up. so it is a right time to do it".

Does this mean that will be see a 100-geg iPod soon

 

[vincebio]

Steve Jobs

Interesting . . .

yip..

APPLE STORE UPDATED!!!!

500gb ipod 6g £99

not bad

 

[motulist]

500gb ipod 6g £99

not bad

Okay, let's see... £99, that works out to be about $999 USD.

 

[codo]

I was hoping whilst Steve was among the UK media, someone would press him for Television and Movie content in Europe, unfortunately, no journalist did.

 

[acearchie]

This is really interesting. When asked about how much the 80 geg iPod will carry of these 256-kbps mp3s, jobs said that "storage prices has been going down,and capacity is going up. so it is a right time to do it".

Does this mean that will be see a 100-geg iPod soon

That is what I just said. . . but yeh I think so!

 

[jonnyblobby]

apple has also now posted info

apple news: http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/04/02itunes.html

 

[daneoni]

I thought the one about how many songs an iPod would hold was funnier

I dunno, maybe its just me but i thought that question was designed to get Jobs to say 'new ipods are coming out"....in his own way.

 

[Evangelion]

I agree. She was just trying to attack at Steve Jobs, but of course he showed her.

What was the question?

 

[Blue Buddha]

Still no Lossless

While I appreciate that this is a *big deal* in industry terms and great for Apple, I guess I'm still disappointed that the premium downloads are still only AAC instead of Lossless. Looks like my CD collection is going to continue growing for a while yet...

 

[Konradx]

That's right!

It's just a marketing ploy to get you to buy the whole album.
EMI wants you to buy the whole album not just one or two songs.

Oh i see. That sounds more reasonable.

 

[Mgkwho]

I guess the big way for labels to sign on is this increased price...

Oh, well. I guess it's the only download you'll ever need from now on! No more dupes of your own collection.

-=|Mgkwho

 

[caipirina]

They need to keep people interested in getting bigger, new ipods .. so yeah .. right time to do that ... and i thought apple was not big on the number game ... there might be something wrong with my ears .. but I don;t hear a difference between 128 and 192 or 320 ... and i just hate how all those mp3s keep cluttering my HD ... one copy is left on the computer, the other on the ipod ... if i wanted to use the music on my ipod to connect to one of my other macs for using it in an imovie .. no can do (unless i get some switchermaroo from versiontracker)

The way that apple makes us manage files .. sometimes utter clutter (tm)

And of course .. they had to find a way to hike up the iTMS prices .. seems they found a good excuse.

 

[jbembe]

The full albums still cost 9.99, and they are DRM-free and they have higher bitrate.

This is good for me, although I still buy mostly CDs for high quality and immediate backup copy, everyone gives me iTMS gift cards so it will be nice to be able to get high quality albums without DRM. Personally, I still like going to the local snobby CD shop and looking at all the different stuff out there that isn't promoted mainstream and getting it that way. But on the rare occasion it will be nice to get better quality from iTMS.

I wonder if they will have an upgrade-your-current-tracks feature. I would love to upgrade some of my lower bitrate previously purchased songs for 30cents each and have the DRM stripped as well!
NEVERMIND=> I just read the press release!! GREAT NEWS!

 

[Hattig]

That's not a bad deal. 256kbps AAC will be virtually indistinguishable from a CD, even on high end equipment.

The bitrate was the most important thing keeping me from paying money on iTunes. I can now buy the singles I like and not have to settle for average quality. I don't know if I'd still be willing to pay £7.99 for an album, I do like my physical media... maybe for those albums that come out at £15!

This is an admission that DRM doesn't work well for music, and that all it does is add cost overheads throughout the supply chain. Hopefully the combination of higher bitrate and no DRM will increase sales, and thus get the other music labels on board.

This should also silence Norway and Co. who said that Jobs' letter about DRM is all very nice but irrelevant. Now it is relevant. I wonder how much satisfaction he is feeling about putting one over them?

 

[gkarris]

I assume the higher quality means it takes more storage space.

Thanks for at least keeping the older format for those of us that are clamoring for space...

Jobs and EMI just took a huge bite out of the downloadable media industry.

Take that!

 

[Queso]

there might be something wrong with my ears .. but I don;t hear a difference between 128 and 192 or 320

For most types of music you won't if you're listening through iPod earphones. But if you pipe the same song to decent speakers via your tv you'll notice a big difference. I don't think the timing of this is coincidence.