Facebook to Launch iTunes Competitor?

[n-abounds]

Personally, I don't think competition is a good thing for the music industry until the dust settles. I sure as hell don't want each label pushing its own website/drm/pricing scheme/music players. I think they need to realize that they need a fixed pricing scheme and such before competition will become beneficial.

 

[kitki83]

You know something I learn about technology either you jump on it right away, you wait to see what happens to decide or you just reject it. Hardly any company for last few years did what iTunes did, mp3 and device combo and now we are seeing the late bloomers joining in. I have to think why would people use to iTunes wanna change? But this does create deals and specials.

 

[macduke]

Hmm, well, Yahoo Finance ran an article saying that this rumor is false.

http://biz.yahoo.com/paidcontent/071005/1_315499_id.html?.v=16

According to them, Facebook is actually going to be working with iTunes.

This would make sense given how happy The Steve was at the last big keynote showing off the Facebook WebApp. I could see these two becoming good friends. I always used to think of Facebook as the Mac and MySpace as the PC. Facebook was just so much simpler, streamlined and didn't break down nearly as often. Now it's starting to get crapped up, but I guess that's what happens when you become the most popular kid on the block. I'm sure they worked closely with Apple on the Facebook WebApp. It is just too good. I'm not sure they could make a third party version that would be much better, so that's quite a feat. I'm sure a 3rd party app for Facebook would still be killer, and I'd love to see that come to iTunes as a free download if they ever get their pre-approved development going. Picture uploads would be nice.

 

[nlivo]

i could see apple and facebook teaming up. i have never used facebook because i have only seen the main page when someone was online and it looked very confussing.

 

[michelepri]

This shows what a follower Facebook is. Come on, why can't anybody come up with anything original and new instead of trying to copy Apple and take its marketshare?

And Facebook is not just behind Apple. It's actually a copy of all the other companies that have been trying to copy Apple. So it's the follower of followers.

 

[Windowlicker]

So for an old fart like me (31 yrs old and counting), can someone explain Facebook? Is it basically like a myspace.com for older kids or something? How does it differ from myspace?

Well, it basically is like myspace, but different. You don't see anyone's profile unless they accept your friend request. This way you get to build a group with people you know. It's an easy way to chat a little bit, put up info about gigs/parties and see who's coming, put up photos from your trip to Malaysia...

edit. I should've guessed someone else had already replied. Well, no real harm done..

 

[Darkroom]

iTunes killer? that's unlikely... maybe instead there making iphone.facebook.com more integrated with iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store?

 

[surferfromuk]

Identity crisis alert!!

... and the rest of the boardroom minutes they didn't print

'and maybe we should sell books, DVD's and electronics too...and maybe a clothes range and perhaps we should sponsor the development of a facebook PDA and maybe our own range of pasta sauce and maybe a facebook personal video network and our own business networking news channel and maybe we can do facebook personal finance, car loans and mortgages and..."

...and so it goes...

 

[Kardashian]

Actually, they already have some sort of 'partnership'.

If you join the Facebook Group 'Ticketmaster' - iTunes gives you 5 free downloads from the iTunes Store.

I think its more likely they have formed a partnership, rather than staged a war - if what I have written above is anything to go by.

PS: It's not just hear say, I have joined the group and got my 5 free downlaods. When you enter the code into iTunes, it even brings up a Ticketmaster logo, and says thank you for joining the Ticketmaster Facebook group. This means Facebook/Ticketmaster aren't just dishing out any ol' store codes, as iTunes recognises them as origining from Facebook - even displaying the logo of the company etc.

Therefore, I think a partnership is more likely.

 

[samh004]

I would of imagined the partnership would of just been along the lines of an official facebook "My iTunes" app. As you can't paste the code you get from iTunes currently into facebook. Thus with the official app, you'll be able to download songs yours friends like easier.

However, what I would like to know is how do I get these free downloads ? Is the group Ticketmaster Live ? Or have I got lost somewhere, I'm not seeing anything in that group about free downloads.

Edit: Apparently the free codes are no longer given, perhaps due to abuse, or maybe they just got too many members and reached a quota ?

 

[dukebound85]

This is ********... when competitors are going to accept that they cant beat iTunes...Accept it and live upto it....

Same was said about the romans or anything at the top. One thing is for sure all empires fall

 

[offwidafairies]

I cant see how a facebook application could even try to compete with iTunes. While I think there is plenty of room for improvement in iTunes, it is still a good step ahead of competitors. And I HATE facebook - it clogs up my email

 

[Sheradon]

Let them open it up !

The more IMP3 Stores out there there is with free DRM the more IPOD Apple sells.

Bring it on

 

[deannnnn]

I believe the update (that Facebook is teaming with iTunes)...
Facebook has always been very supportive of Apple and iTunes....
In fact, as a member of the Facebook Apple Students Group, they give out free songs every month or so.

It's pretty cool,
and I really doubt that Facebook would start their own service.

Facebook doesn't have much to do with music at all... so why would they randomly start selling it?!

 

[deannnnn]

I cant see how a facebook application could even try to compete with iTunes. While I think there is plenty of room for improvement in iTunes, it is still a good step ahead of competitors. And I HATE facebook - it clogs up my email

You can turn that e-mail feature off =)

 

[Bonte]

Same was said about the romans or anything at the top. One thing is for sure all empires fall

Hear hear, my prediction is the fall of the empire Microsoft within the next 5 years, Apple has some more time left.

 

[sananda]

However, what I would like to know is how do I get these free downloads ? Is the group Ticketmaster Live ? Or have I got lost somewhere, I'm not seeing anything in that group about free downloads.

US only.

 

[72930]

At the Facebook guy's keynote (definitely SJ inspired, but he had no confidence), he was using a Mac...just to show its worth mentioning

 

[dogcowx]

Update says no true.

So why isn't this shoved to page 2 as a non-newsish item?

 

[VoodooDaddy]

Personally I can't stand MySpace or Facebook,

I thought I was the only one.

 

[kmarty009]

until facebook makes peripherals that are as popular as the ipod, and use only facebook music store, itunes doesnt have much to worry about.

I second that notion. But competition is always good.

 

[scoobydoo99]

>Few details about the upcoming service is available,

that should be, "few details...ARE..."

 

[Yateball]

To me this is good news, competition always makes companies make their product better. This good result in a new updated and better itunes

 

[puckhead193]

i could see more of a partnership. Apple in the past has given memebers in their group on facebook free songs to download off of iTMS

 

[twoodcc]

With Facebook's popularity, this could be iTunes' most serious competitor yet.

it could be, but i doubt they'll be much. you never know though, but i have my faith in Apple