Apple, record labels working to spur album sales with interactive goodies, tablet due this September?

Let's face it, folks -- the CD insert is no longer "the new hotness." And besides, those wacky PDFs included with iTunes album purchases never did much more than take up valuable hard drive space anyway, right?. In an effort to get consumers to stop buying single tracks and start buying more filler entire albums, Apple has reportedly joined forces with EMI, Sony Music, Warner Music and Universal Music Group in a project that's being codenamed "Cocktail." Financial Times is reporting that said initiative is considering adding "interactive booklets, sleeve notes and other interactive features with music downloads," with one executive familiar with the situation saying that "it's not just a bunch of PDFs; there's real engagement with the ancillary stuff." Of course, all of this should still be taken with a pinch of salt for now, as even the music companies mentioned above refused to comment. And given the tremendous indifference consumers have shown with that other interactive tech that's being pushed so hard right now, we're not even sure it'll have the desired effect.

In related news, another sect of folks "briefed on the project" have stated that these new content deals could be launched alongside a new, full-featured "tablet-sized computer in time for the Christmas shopping season, in what the entertainment industry hopes will be a new revolution." Adding fuel to the already raging fire, the report asserts that the "touch-sensitive device... will have a screen that may be up to ten inches diagonally," and while it will "connect to the internet like the iPod touch, it'll probably [do so] without phone capabilities." You do know that Apple has been good for a music / iPod-related event right around September the past few years, right?

[Via AppleInsider]

[TMC Posted Jul 27th 2009 12:32PM]

Please :D

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 27th 2009 12:52PM]

As the founding fathers would have said, "Give me lossless or give me the hard copy."

Why pay the same amount for lower quality goods? Ease of use maybe but using TBP ain't all that difficult either.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 27th 2009 1:40PM]

It is *very rare* that I want more than a song or two from any artist, and unless it's some kind of 'Greatest Hits' album of someone I loved but haven't purchased singles (a vanishingly small number anyway), I'd never buy an album online. And if they ever made it expensive for singles, I'd just stop buying and go with CDs and my current iTunes collection.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 27th 2009 3:13PM]

I want one.

[Fanfoot Posted Jul 28th 2009 1:14AM]

1) I'm very interested in the iTablet or whatever they're going to call it. Will be interesting to see the applications it is put to. A web browser for the living room. A digital picture frame. A movie player. A universal remote control. Security monitor. eBook reader. Game player. Etc. Will have to see what Apple does with it. Can't believe this "interactive booklet" crap has much of anything to do with the success of this product.

2) I won't pay any more for an album with this extra crap in it. And it better not take a lot longer to download than it otherwise would. I might consider an entire album purchase every so often if it happens to include some lyrics, liner notes, etc. But I'm not looking for a lot, and it won't make much difference in my purchase plans.

3) Want to sell me a higher priced album? Sell me one that includes videos for all the songs. I may listen to music a lot in my car, but sometimes I play it back on my Apple TV at a party, and if it happens to include video instead, that might be nice.

4) Hey Apple, how about a freakin' equivalent of the DVD in the electronic video world? You know, cover art, extras, games, etc all wrapped up in one file? Supported by all of your devices that can play back video?

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 14th 2009 5:56PM]

Information Society : 300bps N,8,1 is still my favorite digital interactive feature...

Even though I work in new media I generally don't like interactive experiences. I would rather just have some videos, or the lyrics, or a manifesto by the artists, or pictures of their signifigant others wearing tour shirts or whatever.