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Apple Sells 275,000 Songs in First 18 Hours

re: aac lesser quality?

steve jobs claims that listeners can't tell the difference between aac128 and cds. he did not specify the listening environment (earplugs, real headphones, good speakers, etc.) why the are there higher aac bit rates available if the sound is already "perfect" at 128? personnaly i would prefer aac196 - same file size (approx) as mp3s i currently use but better (2X?)quality.
i am unaware of anything other than apple's claim to support the equivalency or superiority of aac128 over cds (AIFF files). a quick google search did not come up with any good comparison either. i just have a hard time imagining that the quality is really equivalent (if played over a good stereo system...)
 
cd quality -

the aac file, while kicking around it's brother the mp3, will never sound as 'perfect' as a cd, for one simple reason - you're taking the information from a cd or recorded source, and you're making it smaller (that is of course, why it's called compression). any time you do that, you loose a little something. so aac is good quality - really good quality, and at the same or smaller size than what most people already encode in (side rant - have you ever noticed this? most mac people I know encode at 192, but most windoze users i know stick with 128?? have they just gotten used to shoddy quality from everything else?? : o) but seriously, that's something i see all the time).

matt
 
A few things:

1. As for the money/songs Apple Music has generated/downloaded in the recent days, i think you really need to take a look at the end-of-year sales. The new music store may see a drought of sales for many reasons including time of year, quality of music being presented at any given time, etc. Then when christmas rolls around, you'll see sales going way up. Apple will probably have a gift card of some sort so each kid can log-in and download the songs they want (of course that's a whole nother thread). But either way, you'll see sales go up and down by the month. So hold tight and wait and see what the service does for the year and then you'll know if its successful or not.

2. I don't think people really understand the importance of this thing succeeding. We can't let Microsoft decide the industry standard for the file format of songs and movies. This is Apples attempt in not letting that happen.

3. As for the iTunes on windows. Everyone hold tight. 7 - 8 months isn't that far off.

I do know two people that liked the service so much while playing on my Mac that they went to Denver yesterday and each bought a new Apple laptop (ibook, al book). So maybe the itunes store has brought in more money other than song money.
 
A2C

Originally posted by Qball
The only bad thing about AAC is that it's difficult to say. "AAC" doesn't roll off the tongue like "MP3." I guess you could say "Double-A-C" or better yet, "Two-A-C." Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

How about "A2C" as in "audio to computer", but written A-squared-C ??

Or we could just say "AACK!" ... the sound Bart make swhen Homer is choking him ...
 
Re: but what are we really getting...?

Originally posted by thrice
First of all, the price. Look at what we are sacrificing for convenience. $0.99 gets you a song and $9.99 gets you the album, but you don't get any other info. What about liner notes? What about album art? (Yes, you do get COVER album art, but not the stuff that sometimes appears inside the booklet) What about lyrics and credits for the album? They're lost. Perhaps Apple will incorporate this into the id3 tags eventually. But for the price you aren't getting any of the things you would normally get with the purchase of an album.
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This won't be a problem if Apple proves its music service successful. Records company can easily make PDF out of the booklet, results in a "virtual album". It not only saves them more money, it saves time, too.


Second, doesn't it bother anyone that Apple has essentially placed a store on YOUR computer!!!! The iTunes Music Store is built into YOUR copy of the program, what other info can Apple retrieve from it. Now I'm not a conspiracy theorist normally, but does anyone know if Apple can/cannot read/determine what type of music YOU are listening to. Obviously they can track your purchases, but what else can they track. Is there anyway to monitor this on your own machine?
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And it never concerns you that everything you have on your computer is from the exactly same company...
Not making any sense :D
 
Re: A2C

Originally posted by robodweeb
How about "A2C" as in "audio to computer", but written A-squared-C ??

Or we could just say "AACK!" ... the sound Bart make swhen Homer is choking him ...
Click to expand...

Or how about pronouncing it like "ace".
 
Re: Re: but what are we really getting...?

Originally posted by macdong
And it never concerns you that everything you have on your computer is from the exactly same company...
Not making any sense :D
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Good point!
 
Pronouncing AAC

Originally posted by lmalave
Or how about pronouncing it like "ace".
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I think you are on to something. "Ace" sounds much better than "Aye, Aye, See".
 
Originally posted by unc32
A little software company couldn't put that together on the fly...not everyone will want to spend 10s of millions to get this running and then have to compete with Apples marketing team.
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I think that apple has done a poor job of advertising EVERYTHING. By my count i saw only 4 new Powerbook commercials, 1 pro mouse commercial and NO T.V. ads for the old and new ipods. I havent seen billboards or commercials for the new ibooks, nor have i heard any radio spots for airport. If apple put themselves out in the public eye more/better, i think it will increase their market share.

CASE IN POINT- You know the Centrino wireless networking commercials from INTEL? ALL my Windows user friends say "HA, Apple can't do that" And I respond that they have had wireless networking for YEARS, that is much better than anything for windows. They then ask why havent they heard about it. Sadly all i can say is that i don't know.

Word of mouth advertising can only take you so far. Apple needs to make the presence known to those who dont already own apple products. The "switcher" campaign was successful because it was always in your face. Consistant tv spots and appearences on the front page of apple's site is what made the campaign a success.

It's simple- out of sight, out of mind. Apple is too good a company with too many outstanding products to not get on their soap box and brag. They owe it to themselves.
 
Originally posted by MrMacman
you can't expect apple to sell that many songs every day.
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I don't see why not. Sure, there might have been some pent-up demand, but those figures also represent less than a full day of activity, probably before most of us had even downloaded iTunes 4.0, let alone fired it up and accessed the music store. If they keep the catalog refreshed, Apple could sell ten times that much every day, easily -- once Windows users get access. I'm just hoping the numbers we're hearing are accurate because they are way more then a little encouraging.
 
Originally posted by Wonder Boy
CASE IN POINT- You know the Centrino wireless networking commercials from IBM, I think? ALL my Windows user friends say "HA, Apple can't do that" And I respond that they have had wireless networking for YEARS, that is much better than anything for windows. They then ask why havent they heard about it. Sadly all i can say is that i don't know.
Click to expand...

Word, brutha. Those ads made me so mad, because I never saw the like out of Apple, and I just knew that everyone would think Intel invented wireless networking or something. Just makes me mad as hell, and its a perception that would be hard to overcome.

I hope the pending Superbowl spot is a rundown of Apple firsts, and they better mention wirless networking among other things.
 
My spin on the whole thing is that Apple is revamping the Powerbook line, has just introduced new iPod, iLife, uprgraded iBooks, hmm what else, maybe a tablet? anyway, it looks as though the entire product line is all polished and ready to be presented to the world as "the"digital hub. My bet is that come the end of June the media will be flooded with a major Apple ad campaign. Why else would they soft pedal the whole iPod/iTunes thing?

By the way, it's time that they jazzed things up a little, the Gap style commercials are getting a little bland.
 
Originally posted by beatle888
i really doubt that apple will be the main player in this download service. its only a matter of tme before microsoft does the same thing...ripping off as much as they can from apple and giving their second rate services to their customers. also, whats to prevent amazon from adding this to their store? i dont know. maybe apple can keep up with the competition once the other players enter the market.
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If that were the case, then why hasn't Amazon done something like this BEFORE Apple? they definitely had the infrastructre to do it. Again, the key will be the record labels, major and indie. If apple can get enough exclusive deals with them, then they could very well end up being the major player in this market segment. Not only that: Imagine if Madonna did an exclusive deal with Apple for her label, Maverick Records? Or, for herself? This is all quite exciting.:D :D
 
Reason for wintunes delay

I think it's kind of obvious why they didn't release winTunes at the same time. The plan is to get Windows users to buy macs. why would they if they had the same app on their pc. They probably will release winTunes within 5 months or so to make sure they are ahead of the compition.
Also I'm thinking apple made some sort of exclusive deal with the big 5 so others could not start a similar music service to beat them to the PC market.
Apple is in the Hardware business not Software. They are trying to get switchers not more iTunes (from winTunes) users.
Yes they would buy music but them buying one mac is the same profit as them buying hundreds of songs.

P.S. We need Tetris for the iPod.
 
This is great in multiple ways

The iTMS generates income in a number of ways.
Not only by selling music (the amount of which is hardly predictable since it's currently only available to Mac users in the US running 10.2).
It should also generate sales of Apple computers and MacOS X. Last but not least, it will boost iPod sales. Remember that Apple makes as much money by selling an iPod as by selling an iMac with manufacturing costs dramatically lower for the iPod.
Yet Apple must make sure this service comes to international Mac users very fast. Non-US users are already frustrated by the lack of services such as iPhoto ordering or Sherlock channels both of which would be feasible without any problems.
Indeed, if Apple would manage to bring about the absurdity of offering the iTMS to Windows users in the US before Apple users internationally, it might as well backfire: Namely people finally giving up on Apple and going PC using respective services. With Windows in it, there will soon be offers to circumvent the US billing address.
Lastly, I'm not too sure about AAC quality. Personally, I feel 128kbps isn't good enough for the kind of music I listen to. Also, there are still serious lacunas in Apple's offer, although I think that's understandable for the beginning. I very much hope for a choice of better encoded (160kbps+) songs for which I'd happily pay more.
For an independent if somewhat "physical" discussion of the quality see here

On another note: As for the choice of music: I'm slowly coming to understand what Steve meant when he said "but everyone under 30 knew what it meant, so that was probably what really counted" (Rip, Mix, Burn). It is, of course, not that people over 30 wouldn't understand (hey, we pioneered this stuff!) but that the music offered is for the younger generation and then taking up at 50 again it would seem ;-)
 
iTunes being outdone...not any time soon

Hey guys, for everyone worried, or predicting (in some cases gleefully) that Apple is going to get it's ass whupped by Microsoft or anyone in this business, you need to remember something:

Apple had to get consent for the use of this content, as will anyone who wants to jump into the fray. Anyone who wants to have a chance is going to find its a lot harder than setting up a bunch of servers and throwing a store together, it all starts with technology that not only satisfies the record companies and the artists who have distribution control over their product, but also the customers. One really must remember that Apple is not the first company to do this, they are just the first one to do it right, and I have the feeling that we aint seen nothing yet, that by the time it rolls out for Windows it's gonna be just sick.

I'd like to see anyone try and duplicate Apple's effort here. Whatever it is, it will have to pass muster with all five biggies before it is even a threat, and that was no easy thing even for Apple to do.

Still worried? Check out this quote from a CNET article I read on the subject:
"It's common sense that entertainment industries are cautious about working with Microsoft," Lesperance said. "Now more than ever they look at the long-term implications of making deals with Microsoft."
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And another:
Avoiding a hostage situation
Behind all of these moves lies a powerful motivation, analysts say: The entertainment industry is loath to lock itself to proprietary formats that might one day hold companies hostage to a single technology provider--particularly one like Microsoft.
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Apparently those in the entertainment industry are as wary of Microsoft as...well, as they should be.

Apple's got the right attitude for this business. M$ doesn't. Period. And Real sucks, even America Offline bailed on them. Sad.

So who's left? Do they have the very specific tools necessary to do this right like Apple does?

It would take a while just to emulate this beta effort. By the time anyone catches up to what's been done here they're going to have a lot of catching-up to do. :D

BTW, I think Apple is going to shock the world and have iTunes for Windows available in the third quarter. You can quote me on that. That job posting is just there to make it look to the untrained eye like they just decided that it might be a good idea to make this available for the other 97%. They've got it going on, I have a very sneaky suspicion.......:cool:
 
Scott's music

After installing the new iTunes update which appeared in software update today, i have an entry in the libraries entry on the left hand side of the screen called "scott's music". Has anyone else got this on their version of iTunes?

If i try to access it, the top central window brings up a progress bar that says "Loading "Scott's music"" It tries to access it for about 60 seconds, then gives up.

Has there been a problem with the iTunes Music Store server mistaking my machine for one belonging to someone else?
 
Re: iTunes being outdone...not any time soon

Originally posted by BaghdadBob
BTW, I think Apple is going to shock the world and have iTunes for Windows available in the third quarter. You can quote me on that. That job posting is just there to make it look to the untrained eye like they just decided that it might be a good idea to make this available for the other 97%. They've got it going on, I have a very sneaky suspicion.......:cool:
Click to expand...

I think you're not only right, but I'd be willing to bet that they've not only got the program pretty much up and running on windows, but have already moved on to the beta testing phase and bug removal. 8 months is not a very long time. I feel like I've got to say again that it has to be COMPLETELY BUG FREE because if it's not, the windows world will ignore it completely. Mac-bashing is a pastime just like cow-tipping to many windows folks, especially those who would use a music download service.
 
Re: Re: iTunes being outdone...not any time soon

Originally posted by Mudbug
I think you're not only right, but I'd be willing to bet that they've not only got the program pretty much up and running on windows, but have already moved on to the beta testing phase and bug removal. 8 months is not a very long time. I feel like I've got to say again that it has to be COMPLETELY BUG FREE because if it's not, the windows world will ignore it completely. Mac-bashing is a pastime just like cow-tipping to many windows folks, especially those who would use a music download service.
Click to expand...

Remember, this music thing is not going to be a huge moneymaker for Apple. They make their money on hardware and I don't think that they'll offer a version of iTunes for Windows until they've tried one more time to get them to switch- and that's the release of 10.3 and the 970s. If that won't get Windows users to come over, then Apple might as well release iTunes for them.

On the other hand, the most significant thing I use my home computer for is to manage my music and access the web. If iTunes is available for XP and my beige G3 dies, Apple better have a more compelling and affordable system than their current offerings or I'll just buy a $500 Dell. Toss on an OSX theme and run iTunes. The difference (other than the money I get to keep), will be minimal... - j
 
Originally posted by Bonte
That?s intellectual rights paid to the writer of the song, this has nothing to do with the performer unless MC Hammer 'wrote' it all by himself. :/

Those payments come from CD-r and cassette royalties and the payments are based on radio station play lists. To bad those stations play a lot of ****.
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no the mc hammer coment was to his only recieving $1 per cd sold. not to radio play. i was not clear in my writing...:eek:
i am ususaly not clear in my writing... sorry
 
Re: Re: Re: iTunes being outdone...not any time soon

Originally posted by jayscheuerle
Remember, this music thing is not going to be a huge moneymaker for Apple.
Click to expand...

I don't agree with this assessment at all. The preliminary usage figures suggest that this could easily be a $200-300 million a year business for Apple, with little overhead. In terms of revenue, hardware will probably always be king at Apple, but in terms of profit, the music business could make all the difference.
 
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