Buy.com to Challenge Apple's iTunes Music Store

[pretentious]

From Silicon Valley.com:

Buy.com will unveil a new music download service next Tuesday with a $40 million promotional campaign and launch celebration in New York's Times Square.
....
Like the iTunes Music Store, Buy.com will sell individual music tracks without collecting an up-front monthly subscription fee; even though it has yet to secure licensed music from all five major record labels, knowledgeable sources say.
....
Buy.com, the first of the mainstream Internet shopping sites, will attempt to beat its longtime rival, Amazon.com, to the punch, selling music downloads to the 97 percent of computer users who don't own a Macintosh and therefore can't use the iTunes Music Store.

It doesn’t say what kind of format the music will be in though, which is odd, since that will be what this service will live or die upon. One thing that I would guarantee that this venture will fail if it’s draconian WMP.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

Yeah, this isn't good for Apple....if only they'd get the PC version of iTunes out sooner.....

Once Buy.com gets the licenses to sell the music its going to be huge....now maybe they'll have delays that could give Apple some time.

D

 

[MacRumors]

Buy.com to Challenge Apple's iTunes Music Store

SiliconValley.com reports that Buy.com is poised to unveil a new download music service next Tuesday.

The new service is said to offer a similar model as Apple's iTunes Music Store with a non-subscription, pay-per-download model. According to the article, however, Buy.com as not yet secured licensed music from all five major record labels. The buzz surrounding the new service is reported to be quite positive with the attempt " to create an atmosphere where music fans will want to linger."

While the service will be offered to Windows users, it's unclear what Audio format will be used and whether or not Mac owners will be able to use the new service.

 

[gandalf55]

crap.

 

[eric_n_dfw]

Competition is good

There's obviously money to be made if all these other companies are trying to copy iTMS. Maybe the competition will convince those stuipid artists that won't sell singles to change their "tune".

 

[pretentious]

What the story dosen't tell us what format the music will be in, the one thing that will make or break this endeaver. If its WMP it will fail.

 

[anothermacfan]

tommy lee

hey all...i've known about this for a few weeks, but didn't want to say anything to spoil my source....

But here is an ad pic I have for it...

 

[Flowbee]

I think the Buy.com service will live or die by its interface and ease of use, as well as its catalog of songs. Hopefully, when the iTMS *is* available to Windows users, the selection of music will be better than its rivals. Even if Apple comes late to the game for Windows, if they offer twice as many songs, I think they'll be more popular. As I see it, that's Apple's main advantage now... the've got a good headstart on building a deep catalog.

I'll also be very interested to see the DRM on these Buy.com tracks.

 

[P-Worm]

Try again with the ad.

P-Worm

 

[Abstract]

Wow, great pic!!! (but where is it?)

I think this new service is a good thing. What's bad about having another option? You always think, "Is this good for Apple", and the answer is probably "No", especially if it's released before a PC version is released. However, this is generally a good thing, since it gives people options, and it could lower sales prices. Hopefully it can be available for the Mac as well.

 

[Freg3000]

This is so bad for Apple. I hope they don't drop the ball here. They have something so good, they shouldn't let it slip away. I think that the first service into the Windows market will be very hard to dethrone in the future. Even if it is not that easy to use, it will become the standard...for Windows. When the iTMS comes out it may be to late. Hopefully not.

 

[blogo]

it says from 99 cent per song, sp maybe they will price other songs higher

 

[hvfsl]

This sounds like Microsoft Windows VS Mac OS all over again. Apple was the first but more people had IBMs so they used Windows when it came out, even though it was rubbish until version 4. Lets hope Apple gets something out the door soon.

I am supprised they didn't realise this would happen. If Apple releases for only Mac first, then it gives time to others to make a service that only works on Windows. Apple should have waited until they had the Windows version ready(or nearly ready) until they released the Mac version.

Or maybe the reason why Buy.com has not managed to do a deal with all the companies is because Apple has a contract with some of them not to do any other download music services until iTunes for Windows comes out.

 

[pretentious]

Saw the ad...it looks soooo much better than we got from Apple. Lets hope that their DRM flubs it all up.

 

[Vonnie]

The obvious problem is WMA versus AAC. On mac you can use your AAC files in any application that uses quicktime. On windows, applications use the windows api. WMA, but no AAC. Will windows people buy AAC files if they can't use it in Powerpoint? Or in WinAmp?

Even if Apple can extend the windows api with aac support using some plugin mechanism, is it extendable enough to have support for Apples DRM system? And will it break during a Windows update from Microsoft?

Apple has bigger worries than wether or not they are the first.

 

[tduality]

'....even though it has yet to secure licensed music from all five major record labels, knowledgeable sources say.'

That sounds like important thing to achieve before going online.

Let's wait and see.

 

[snahabed]

Bad bad bad bad bad.

It does not matter in what ways Buy is worse. Windows users dont care about interface and ease of use.. they use Windows after all! They dont care about rights-crippled WMA... they use WMP after all!

I have said for months that porting iTMS for Windows (or getting all the proper licenses) should have been Priority #1... Yes, number 1, as in higher than a 15" AlBook, higher than Panther, and higher than the G5. Life would go on fine with an extra month or two of G4's and Jaguar. However, you dont introduce something, drop the ball, and let everyone else capitalize. Then again, that IS the apple way.

Please, sweet lords above, let Buy fail

 

[robotrenegade]

means nothing

 

[kenaustus]

It's just another little fish in a big pond.

Fortunately Apple is the biggest fish in this pond.

There are two major reasons why Apple will be hard to beat. The first is the huge inroads that the iPod has made in the Windows world and the second is that Apple's Music Store move into the Win world will include iTunes and full integration with the iPod.

Another consideration is the work that Apple has done over the past few years with the record companies. They know and trust him and it will be very difficult for others to establish the same relationship with these guys. All they can really do is go in and say "We want to do what Apple is doing." They may add that they will pay them more per song/album but they will probably get a very wary reception.

Read a while back that Apple spent over $10 million developing this integrated package. Buy.com and the other wanna be's aren't going to invest that kind of money. The result will fall short of what Apple will be providing Windows users and it will show, both in the short and long run.

Not a lot to get excited about.

 

[Steamboatwillie]

Strategy?

<theory>
Apple is done and ready to launch Windows version of ITMS, they allowed the competition to believe that the launch is months away and just when everyone scrambles to get thier shabby, quick written Windows ITMS clones out to market Apple pulls the rabbit out of the hat with iTunesWin32, slick as snot and bug free! No one saw it coming...
</theory>

I'm dreaming here but it would win the award for business strategy of the millenium if it was true!

... wish, wish, wish

 

[zim]

by buy.

i don't think that anything will have the ease of use that iTMS has. So, based on that, anything else that comes along is going to be compared to iTMS, apple has set the pace so it will be difficult for others to keep up, regardless of price. DRM will also be a key factor, would songs from buy.com work with iTMS will DRM dictate what players can use what files? I think that just offering songs for download is not going to cut it, the music industry wants to see management and so far apple has provided the best solution to it, in my opinion.

I think that one of the other issues to come will be this, so what if buy.com provides a better solution that the music industry likes, would they keep providing apple with back catalog? or would they just follow each other like sheep and leave us behind? I still stand by my first statement above, apple has provided the best solution to date, combining ease of use and DRM.

 

[Flowbee]

Originally posted by snahabed


It does not matter in what ways Buy is worse. Windows users dont care about interface and ease of use.. they use Windows after all! They dont care about rights-crippled WMA... they use WMP after all!

I think you're wrong. Given the choice, even windows users will pick the better service. Look at how many windows users are buying iPods, despite the number of cheaper competitors on the market.

 

[snahabed]

Originally posted by Flowbee
I think you're wrong. Given the choice, even windows users will pick the better service. Look at how many windows users are buying iPods, despite the number of cheaper competitors on the market.

Right, the better service between Buy and .... ..... .... oh yeah, iTunes won't be out for who knows how long?

I meant that Buy is going to have (likely) months to establish itself before iTunes comes out. They will amass all the brand loyalty. Plus, it very well may be web based. Will Windows users, in 2, 3, 4 or more months take the extra step to download Apple software that does pretty much what Buy has done for them all the while? Moreover, will Windows users prefer WMA, which is supported on their platform and almost all digital music players, or AAC, which is virtually unused outside of the iPod? Windows users dont like change. We are asking them to not only download new APPLE software, not only to adopt a whole NEW music format, not only to give up the service(s) they will have been using for months, but also to completely convert their music jukeboxes from MusicMatch, WMP, etc. to iTunes. That is a HECK of a lot more change than I think most Windows users (read: lemmings, no offense ) can handle.

The ONLY thing that would prevent Buy's domination is bad interface or DRM, and my point is that these are not big concerns for Windows users. If they were, then they would have all switched to Mac OS X by now.

Apple needs (needed?) to get iTunes out FIRST, and put behind it more promotional muscle than they have used in years for anything. Print, radio, tv. None of the "typical" "quirky" Mac ads either.

 

[robbents99]

Slow down....slow down....

Personally, once Buy has all the contracts with the music companies then worry. Or don't worry. I'd worry more about Apple as a whole then one specific part of their company.
It would be nice to have an update on Itunes for Windows maybe just a screenshot...

 

[Java]

Steve Jobs is a rockstar

I'm not so sure the buy.com music store will catch on like the iTMS. After all, Steve Jobs personally invited artists to view the store before it was released and asked artists what they felt about it (including Alanis Morisette and Mick Jagger).

Also, SJ did say he had a one year contract with the five major labels AND the incorporation of many indepedent labels will be coming on board soon.

It took the rock-star status of Steve to convince the big 5, so I am curious to see who buy.com gets.

Who is their CEO, anyway?