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I think so too. Didn't he also announce the change of the company's name from Apple Computer, Inc to Apple, Inc? I think he bought Apple Corps. Think about it. It's the best way to get out of the legal battle over the name, add the Beatles to the iTMS, and get a Beatles iPod!

I wondered during the early days of iTMS whether Apple would buy Warner Music or EMI to improve access to music catalogs and more stable relationships with the other labels, but it never happened.

I wondered again during Disney's licensing negotiations and then later acquisition negotiations whether Apple would eventually acquire Disney. (Don't laugh: Disney's market cap is about $72B -- smaller than Apple -- and about 10 percent of that is Pixar.)

To date, Apple has managed its content relationships by strategic partnership rather than by acquisition or developing its own record label or movie studio.
 
I think so too. Didn't he also announce the change of the company's name from Apple Computer, Inc to Apple, Inc? I think he bought Apple Corps. Think about it. It's the best way to get out of the legal battle over the name, add the Beatles to the iTMS, and get a Beatles iPod!
The change of name is also an indicator, I agree. Except that Apple Inc. didn't bought Apple Corps. Ltd., this will never happen in Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr's lifetime...
 
I strongly disagree. Apple has created a huge problem for themselves. The player with large storage capacity for video has a tiny screen. The player with the big screen has very limited capacity, a huge price tag and won't be available for another 6 months. Now that we've seen the future I can't imagine many intelligent consumers would think of paying full price for yesterday's technology (5.5G iPod) now.

If Apple doesn't come out with a large screen iPod before June they'll have kissed a large chunk of revenue goodbye. I don't think they're that stupid.

I think you're right. Apple is going to wedge the widescreen iPod between the iPod (or nano if they do away with the iPod altogether, whatever) and the iPhone.

Apple likes to differentiate its lines:

* iPod shuffle is portable and easy to use, but you give up screen and capacity.

* iPod nano gains the screen and some capacity.

* iPod gives you more screen and capacity.

* widescreen iPod gives you even more screen and more capacity.

* iPhone gives you Internet and telephone but less capacity.

Lots of different features sets and price points, but it's not too complicated for consumers to understand. (On the other hand, I don't really see any reason to keep the iPod around after the widescreen comes onto the market unless there would be a huge price gap between the biggest nano and the smallest widescreen.)
 
One nice result of having the Beatles music in the iTunes Store will be that it'll end the debating over whether it should be added, whether it will be added, and whether anybody will buy the music once it's there.

If it happens as predicted, I'lll still be quite interested to hear how it came about.
 
Mac: I listen to music using iTunes and my iPod.
PC: And, I listen to music using iTunes and my iPod.
Beatle (played by Paul himself): And, now the entire catalog of Beatles songs are available exclusively at the iTunes Store.
Enter from stage left, Ringo Starr: What do you think of my new iPod in Submarine Yellow?


Paul: That's one fab iPod, Ringo.
(An urn is carried in and placed on table next to Paul.)
Paul: What do you think of Ringo's iPod, George?
(silence)
Ringo: Well, he always WAS the quiet one.
Paul and Ringo: Ha! Ha!
(Yoko enters. Paul, Ringo, PC, and Mac beat the living crap out of her.)

FADE TO BLACK.
 
All You Need Is Cash

I know this sounds naive, but it's a serious point:

Haven't The Beatles made enough money from their songs? Paul McCartney is one of the richest men in the UK. Why don't they just release their songs electronically, for free, to whoever wants them? They're part of our culture now, like folk songs.

Ha ha. EMI though are desperate for the money - the Beatles "Love" album has flopped, Robbie Williams has been a poor return on investment, and they're haemorrhaging cash just standing still being a wasteful greedy record company. Donations gratefully received.
 
We agree there.

IF Apple releases a widescreen HDD based iPod It'll have to be very different from the iPhone so as not to cannibalize their own sales. They might be able to pull it off if they release a slightly longer iPod to accommodate the larger screen and keep the mini's smaller click wheel as some of the mock ups have shown. No touchscreen, no wireless, just an iPod. OK maybe it would still have the accelerometer to switch between portrait and landscape.

I could also see a move from the polycarbonate+metal to nano/mini like anodized aluminum with colors.

Nothing that would eat into iPhone sales until fall at the earliest, but we shall see.


The Beatles made plenty of good music after "Yesterday" :p

B


Different audiences. A widescreen iPod only would be a large capacity 80 or 100 GB hard drive and NOT a small flash drive like the phone. I never would need the iPhone. I LOVE how a small Razr phone is flat and fits into my pocket BUT I would love an iPod bigger than an 80GB. Mine is already full. I am ok with TWO devices.
 
Ha ha. EMI though are desperate for the money - the Beatles "Love" album has flopped, Robbie Williams has been a poor return on investment, and they're haemorrhaging cash just standing still being a wasteful greedy record company. Donations gratefully received.

Actually you are wrong. The LOVE album has NOT flopped as it was one of the hits of 06 still #9 on Billboard and no small feat for music that was originally recorded over 50 years ago. One of the top albums in the UK, the #1 in Canada and on and on. No not huge like some Amercan idol BS, but not bad for "music everyone already has."
 
Can't imagine that the Beatles catalogue would by itself get a Superbowl Ad...

I doubt very much that Apple would spend that much cash on a Superbowl Ad for only the Beatles catalogue... It deserves an ad for sure, but a Superbowl Ad????? Meh.

But..

Let's consider that we have just seen a demo of a new iPod at Macworld. Er, well, the iPhone, but let's consider that the UI could easily be used on new HD based iPods right now.

Now a 60 sec spot showing off the new iPod AND the Beatles makes sense to me.. Perhaps a Beatles Edition similar to the U2 iPod?

Also, we're still waiting on new MacPros (8-core), the AppleTV could use a ad..(not sure if it warrants a Superbowl ad but still) and there's even iLife07...I'd love to see an updated version of the Wedding DVD ad... when that ad was made I had many people approach me wanting to get a Mac to make DVDs just like that.. Only problem was that at the time that task required the most expensive Mac made. Now that you can do all that on a Mac mini, isn't it time for an update?

Still, it could be all those things... Lets have the 1984 ad.. and when she throws the hammer, have the image dissolve into the "The first 30 years was just the beginning" image and have a montage of announced, and even brief glimpses of unannounced Apple products fly by, then "Welcome to 2007".



;-)


Let the rabid speculation begin!



jwd
 
I doubt very much that Apple would spend that much cash on a Superbowl Ad for only the Beatles catalogue... It deserves an ad for sure, but a Superbowl Ad????? Meh.

But..

Let's consider that we have just seen a demo of a new iPod at Macworld. Er, well, the iPhone, but let's consider that the UI could easily be used on new HD based iPods right now.

Now a 60 sec spot showing off the new iPod AND the Beatles makes sense to me.. Perhaps a Beatles Edition similar to the U2 iPod?

Also, we're still waiting on new MacPros (8-core), the AppleTV could use a ad..(not sure if it warrants a Superbowl ad but still) and there's even iLife07...I'd love to see an updated version of the Wedding DVD ad... when that ad was made I had many people approach me wanting to get a Mac to make DVDs just like that.. Only problem was that at the time that task required the most expensive Mac made. Now that you can do all that on a Mac mini, isn't it time for an update?

Still, it could be all those things... Lets have the 1984 ad.. and when she throws the hammer, have the image dissolve into the "The first 30 years was just the beginning" image and have a montage of announced, and even brief glimpses of unannounced Apple products fly by, then "Welcome to 2007".



;-)


Let the rabid speculation begin!



jwd


A nice iPhone ad during the super bowl would be worth it to Apple,Inc.
Toss in the Beatles on the music portion of the ad and there ya go!
 
?

this is probably nothing..probly just a promo for the beatles cd.. but might be worth pointing out :confused:
 

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Different audiences. A widescreen iPod only would be a large capacity 80 or 100 GB hard drive and NOT a small flash drive like the phone. I never would need the iPhone. I LOVE how a small Razr phone is flat and fits into my pocket BUT I would love an iPod bigger than an 80GB. Mine is already full. I am ok with TWO devices.

Again, I'm not saying no widescreen iPod, just not one that shares too many of iPhone's advanced features.

IMHO a Yellow Submarine iPod is far more likely than a "true widescreen video iPod" at this point.

B
 
On another note, I thought Michael Jacksons rights lapsed back to Apple Corps-sacreligeously, he allowed the songs to be used to hawk tennis shoes, instant breakfast, deoderant and SUV's.

As for "who would want to buy compressed Beatles music?" Well Apple has just sold their 2-Billionth 'compressed' songtrack...so somebody seems not to mind.

not sure I thought "BOFA" gave MJ a billions loan for collertal rights since he was broke then. thats when I think he sold neverland to get out of debt.

thats the last time I remember it being mentioned at least.


but if apple owns it now, so be it.. I'm all for that.
 
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