http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/ Engadget Comments for Apple planning subscription version of iTunes? Depends on how badly do you want to believe… http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/
Once its up, expect Apple fanatics to claim that Apple started subscription based online stores.... beware!]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/Dec 19th 2005 12:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/Dec 19th 2005 12:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/
If this model is incorrect, but Apple finds some way to make the subscription model profitable, then I think it's an excellent idea for them to offer that option. They would dominate the market.

An iMovie subscription model would kickass too!
Movies downloaded to my mac-mini when it's idle. Connect my mac-mini to my TV thru a new connector and bam, I'm watching Office Space.

It would be good for them to buy that DRM company. Maybe itunes will just be a marketplace and Apple will end up just getting a transaction processing fee. They barely make money on it anyways. I wouldn't mind. Labels would pay to promo their newest albums/singles...

]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/- They didn't create the GUI, they made it a PC reality.
- They didn't create USB, they made it a marketplace reality.
- They didn't create Firewire, they... oops, yes they did.
- They didn't create the HD-based player, they created one that worked seamlessly and was compact (do you even *remember* what a Nomad was like back then?).

They *did* create the online music store, and made it work.

As for subscriptions, why should Apple jump in? Their position has always been that people want to buy their music, not rent it. So far, not many people disagree (as Napster releases no sales figures, while Apple can trumpet theirs).

Let's just say for a moment the market proves them wrong, and people *do* like subscription services. Apple could add one with a minimum of effort (they already have the catalog, infrastructure, etc - all that remains are some minor technical/DRM hurdles, but piddly compared to what's in place). Poof, Applewould have a subscription music store that works with iPods almost overnight.

Why would you stay with Napster?

You have no sunk costs (you don't own any of the music anyway). You can redownload everything for no "fee" (just end the Napster subscription and open an iTunes one). And now you can fill your iPod and use the iTunes software, which Napster cannot.

This is a dead-end move for Napster and others. If it succeeds, Apple will swiftly move in and clean their clock. If it doesn't succeed (where I'm placing my bets), then Apple loses nothing, but Napster loses big.

So why should Apple be worried?]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/
1. Shore up the .Mac service. I don't buy the assertion that its "dying" though.

2. Start up a subscription service through iTunes. Obvious. In fact, its a little too obvious.

3. Begin the foundation for the *iMovie* Store. Very ambitious.

4. All of the above.

I really hope Apple does start the subscription service if only to bury Napster and Microsoft's Janus platform. It would be nice to see the Best Buy employees required to push the iTunes Subscription Service on their customers as they currently are doing for Napster; chuckling to themselves about how poor it [Napster] is.

]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/
I hope all of your sarcasm detectors just overloaded.]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/
My Mini! That's what.

And I'm going to keep bitching about it until a) I get it or b) Apple admits that repeatedly launching new products with inadequate manufacturing in place and bogus delivery times is not "insanely great."]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/Dec 19th 2005 12:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/Dec 19th 2005 12:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/
Please magic lady, whoever you are, fix .Mac. I beg you!!!

Fishes,
narco.]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/Dec 19th 2005 12:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/
It seems a user here named "Carmello" has been posting for the better part of the past day using my name and address. These are not my posts, as I'm patently incapable of writing like the lobotomized golden retriever that this user obviously seems to be.

Someone clearly has a lot of time on his hands, and given the slanderous tone of the posts, I'd suggest it might be in this site's best interest to clamp down on this type of malicious behavior.

But what am I except a technology journalist, after all? Such are the perils of using your own name in the first place, I guess. Call it a lesson learned.

Carmi Levy (the actual one)]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/
"But what am I except a technology journalist, after all? Such are the perils of using your own name in the first place, I guess."

Who writes stuff like that? You're a big fat target if I ever saw one... this guy's just saying what we're all thinking. Don't take yourself so seriously.

Pk
]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/Dec 19th 2005 12:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/Dec 19th 2005 12:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/Dec 19th 2005 12:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/15/apple-planning-subscription-version-of-itunes-depends-on-how/Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM