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Steve Jobs 'Thoughts on Music'

Thataboy said:
Oh, snap!

Watch as every tech publication, blog, and podcast reports on (and swoons over) this. Jobs has just successfully passed the DRM buck to the labels (where it BELONGS in the first place).

It is great to see Apple ON RECORD saying if the labels allow unrestricted music, they will do it. It is also very clear that Apple considers "option 1", the current model, the only alternative. They will NEVER license FairPlay to tons of manufacturers. When and if they do license it, it will be in a very limited and strictly controlled manner.

EXTREMELY interesting to see him debunk the "FairPlay locks people into iPods" myth. Though I wonder if this is disingenuous. After all, isn't the ENTIRE point of iTMS to sell iPods? If Zune somehow gets 30% marketshare in some imaginary fairyland future, Apple won't mind up to 30% of its iTMS sales going towards Zune users? Maybe this "lockdown" was important in the early stages of the iTunes-iPod development, but now iPod is so ubiquitous that Apple feels iTMS can exist independently?

I sense 4000 Diggs :)
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i say 10000, everbody assume Steve Jobs is angel, taking care of apples user, lol, what a beautiful fairy tale.
 
I haven't bought anything on iTunes since JHymn was disabled by iTunes 6. The bitrate is far too low anyway. I just buy CDs from Amazon and rip them at 320.
 
How would DRM-less music affect Zune's "3 days or 3 plays" rule, do you think? No way would the record companies go for consequence-free Zune-Tune Squirting, but if the music is unlocked, is there still a way to enforce the "3D3P" rule?

-Clive
 
dontmatter said:
apple is making a killing in this buisness.
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Nope. It makes something like a 25% gross margin on hardware players it sells. It makes about 5% on music it sells, and those music sales account for almost all of the headaches.

Further as stellar as Apple sales are, they are tiny as compared to Microsoft, or Exxon, or IBM, or HP. They are kinda close to Toshiba so long as you only consider their PC sales.

I find it quite interesting he listened to the various arguments and claims on the mucic DRM issue, particularly ones that might be subject to lawsuit or legislation, and he addressed them, one by one.

He did in an open letter what he otherwise would have had to do in dozens of lawsuits. He just saved Apple about $100,000,000.

Rocketman
 
Steve is full of it, right here and now.

He issues a lot of platitudes- things you all seem to like to hear- but he does not act on it. So I say BS Steve- put your money where your mouth is.

If you are REALLY for DRM-less music, do it. There is PLENTY of DRMless music right now- emusic for one. Same songs on iTunes have DRM- WTF?

So shut the F up Steve, quit your whining UNLESS you are gonna do something. Then, just do it. But this pie in the sky wishful thinking does not cut it, especially when YOU can do it different! Especially when you CAN make it happen.

Sorry, Steve, no pass on this one.
 
nemaslov said:
too bad that the artist get less, they always get screwed....kind of like record clubs...
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Do they? Everything I've downloaded is from independent labels or from labels owned by the artist themselves, not RIAA labels. Do you have something to back-up the claim that artists on eMusic are getting screwed?

Plus the vast majority of what I've downloaded are brand new artists for me (no CDs or iTS), so they are sales the artists wouldn't have had otherwise. Not to mention my friends, both online and off, share suggestions for eMu; so yet more sales.
 
Thataboy said:
After all, isn't the ENTIRE point of iTMS to sell iPods?
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The iPod has enough mindshare where it doesn't need the iTS. Besides, most people know that the iPod works best with the iTS, there's no question about it. Apple makes pittens on iTS content anyway, especially compared to iPods.

I gather he's just saying this to get Europe off his back.

A DRM-less world would be rather nice, however.

-Clive
 
Clive At Five said:
How would DRM-less music affect Zune's "3 days or 3 plays" rule, do you think? No way would the record companies go for consequence-free Zune-Tune Squirting, but if the music is unlocked, is there still a way to enforce the "3D3P" rule?

-Clive
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Well, CD rips still encounter the 3D3P rule, even without DRM...
 
Fingerprinting

I understand the problem of theft, but DRM is an ill-fated solution that punishes honest consumers instead of real pirates. Instead they shall invest in to fingerprinting music in sub-level audio noise that is played only when similar frquencies are played. So the fingerprint won't get lost.
 
carfac said:
Steve is full of it, right here and now.

If you are REALLY for DRM-less music, do it. There is PLENTY of DRMless music right now- emusic for one. Same songs on iTunes have DRM- WTF?

So shut the F up Steve, quit your whining UNLESS you are gonna do something. Then, just do it. But this pie in the sky wishful thinking does not cut it, especially when YOU can do it different! Especially when you CAN make it happen.

Sorry, Steve, no pass on this one.
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Do it? What the hell is he going to do? That's like asking me to sell DRM-less music. It's not like he runs the music companies or owns any of the copyrights. The evidence is clear that you are mentally unstable. No person in their right mind emphasizes that many words in text.

Maybe YOU should READ something OTHER than MACRUMORS, because right now YOUR education is SHOWING!
 
Statistics

Nice to hear it from the source. I hope they can pressure the music industry to get rid of these stupid DRM schemes.

I will take issue with his first argument concerning lockin. It may be true that some people only have 3% DRMd music on their iPod, but I have close to 90%. His numbers are averages, which means that a lot of people have much more than 3%. I bought into this at the start and have purchased hundres of dollars worth of music (over 700). I'm what you would call "locked in". So the argument ignores all of us who have really bought into the whole Apple iTunes experiance.

If I wanted to go to another device or service I would essentially be screwed. Good thing I don't. My choice to embrace this was influenced by two factors. First, I wanted the conveince digital downloading offered. I like getting my music this way, much more than buying CDs. One reason I have purchased so much music this way is because I can listen to it before I buy and I can buy only what I want.

Secondly, I understood that I would be locked in. However, I believed that Apple, not only had the best service, but that they would always have the best service. I believe in this company. If it had been Microsoft or some other service I wouldn't have done it, but because it was Apple I was willing to give them my trust.

I don't regret my decision either. Five years later there is no competition in sight, no service I'd rather use or device I'd rather have. And the future looks even better than it did at first.

But always in the back of my mind is what about the future? Will it always be this way? I don't know, but i hope someday the DRM is removed and I can use my music freely. I'm glad the guy in charge wants this too. I guess I always figured if I ever wanted out, others would want out as well (for some reason) and there would be a way for me to strip the DRM -- even if it was illegal. Let's hope it doesn't have to come to that.
 
RugoseCone said:
eMusic is the best! I've been a member since May and I've downloaded 440 tracks for $85.92 for an average cost of $.20 (rounded up). That would have cost me $435.60 on the iTS. The interesting part is almost 100% of the tracks I've gotten from my eMusic subscription are available on the iTS, but they are more expensive and have DRM. So I use eMusic.

How do I know they're available on iTS? Because I use iTS to preview everything I download from eMusic.
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Hmmm! Interesting that the companies sell the same music unprotected on emusic. Sort of bites into Apple's argument eh? (I've been a member of emusic since 1999!)
 
carfac said:
Steve is full of it, right here and now.

He issues a lot of platitudes- things you all seem to like to hear- but he does not act on it. So I say BS Steve- put your money where your mouth is.

If you are REALLY for DRM-less music, do it. There is PLENTY of DRMless music right now- emusic for one. Same songs on iTunes have DRM- WTF?

So shut the F up Steve, quit your whining UNLESS you are gonna do something. Then, just do it. But this pie in the sky wishful thinking does not cut it, especially when YOU can do it different! Especially when you CAN make it happen.

Sorry, Steve, no pass on this one.
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Doesn't emusic sell music that are from independent labels? I don't think you can buy any big label music from online sellers without DRM, unless you consider all *cough cough* of mp3.
 
biggarthomas said:
Hmmm! Interesting that the companies sell the same music unprotected on emusic. Sort of bites into Apple's argument eh? (I've been a member of emusic since 1999!)
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Well this, I believe, is because Apple offers a one-size-fits-all contract. Plus it reduces any possible confusion for the consumer. It also has something to do with the way Fairplay works. My understanding is the DRM is in iTunes and the iPod, not each individual Protected AAC track; but the dude from Apple that explained this to me could have been blowing smoke up my patoot.

As for jelloshotsrule's question. Go to emusic.com and click on the "About eMusic" at the bottom if all you are getting is the sign-up splash page. Then click on the logo in the upper left corner after the page loads. That should take you to the main site.
 
Stella said:
Absolutely. He's protecting Apple, no more.
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Why so cynical ?

He's protecting Apple ? by giving consumers a shot at digital drm free music - the freedom to switch players - the freedom to use Itunes or 'ahem' emusic (if they really must!) and not get bound up by drm heartache...

Apple have given you nothing but the best world class products, incredible innovation and more fun than you can possibly imagine.. Apple is a great company - they've made products that have enhanced all our lives.

Stop being so cynical..please...
 
Bravo Steve.

While this is also a strategic play (put burden on labels as opposed to Apple), this for the first time shows vision, courage and leadership from a major player / big corporation.
 
if the labels where smart they would change the music formats itself. imagine drm free music. then some online stores would sell cheap mp3's, others would sell more expensive 320kb versions, others would specialize in classic with high quality and indexes. apple would attach pictures, album art and lyrics that play only on ipods (while the music still would play everywhere).

so the music would play everywhere but there would be a number of extra features that play only on certain players.

this would make customers stay with one company because they like the price or the extras (good for the music stores).
customers would probably steal less music because they wan't the same extras for all of their music and not a mix where some show album art, others lyrics and others have less quality (good for the labels).
and the customer gets a full variety of qualities, prices, extras like pictures and lyrics, but the music at least will always play on every player (good for the customer).
 
spicyapple said:
Steve really points out the hypocrisy of the music industry, but without actually using that word.

Go Steve!
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Very True, That's why Steve is so ahead of his time.
Meanwhile the music industry still so much last century.

I thank god the we have Apple and Steve. without these two it would be a very backwards technology world.:eek:
 
Everything that Apple do is for the benefit of Apple, that has the knock on effect that people want to buy Apple stuff.

Apple release great products because Apple want to make a bucket load of $$ $$ - and thats the way to do it. SJ wants to do the best he can - like the majority of us want. Not a half hearted job, but the best. He doesn't give half hearted keynotes - they are sooo polished - thats one example of this.

That is a fact of life - its not being cynical.

If Apple want consumer freedom - it wouldn't have restricted iPhone 3rd party applications.

Give me a break with "He's protecting Apple ? by giving consumers a shot at digital drm free music - the freedom to switch players".

Apple are being ( slowly ) backed into a corner, and they need to respond. This A response.

BTW: I'm glad he wrote this - I most certain agree with the majority of what he has to say regarding DRM.

surferfromuk said:
Why so cynical ?

He's protecting Apple ? by giving consumers a shot at digital drm free music - the freedom to switch players - the freedom to use Itunes or 'ahem' emusic (if they really must!) and not get bound up by drm heartache...

Apple have given you nothing but the best world class products, incredible innovation and more fun than you can possibly imagine.. Apple is a great company - they've made prodcuts that have enhanced all our lives.

Stop being so cynical..please...
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TheBobcat said:
The day DRM dies will be the day the labels realize their business model is no longer effective, and they themselves are no longer necessary.
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If you think that establishments like record labels, book publishers, video game publishers, and movie studios are no longer necessary I don't think you fully understand the roles these establishments fill.

BillyShears said:
One thing I didn't think was very good was his talking about the "average" iPod. Jobs uses the term "average" in the sense of the mean, showing that the average (mean) iPod has 22 songs, or 3% of its music from the iTunes store. He claims this (costing roughly $22 to rebuy the songs) wouldn't lock someone into an iPod -- if someone wanted to buy a Zune, $22 likely wouldn't stop them.

But that's not really representative, in my opinion. Some people have bought more than 22 songs, while others have bought none. More stats would be helpful here.
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I'm not clear as to why you are saying it's not representative. They took the numbers, added them up, did some division and came out w/22. Even if you were shown all the raw data it still wouldn't change the average number unless someone made a math error or Jobs is lying.


Lethal
 
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