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The iTunes Bowl - College Football games coming to the iTS
As an big college football fan, this got my attention. Playlist is reporting that Fox Sports will bring entire bowl games to the iTunes Store. Erica previously noted that iTunes is changing the way people watch sports. As a commenter on that thread pointed out, this is a godsend for sports addicts in far away places. The games will include the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, the FedEx Orange Bowl, the Allstate Sugar Bowl and the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game and will generally be up within 24 hours after the final play. In addition to the full-length games there will be highlight shows available at reduced prices (presumably similar to what they had last year from ABC; I still occasionally enjoy my Longhorn's rousing National Championship in iTunes).
The Tao of iTunes credits
Apple has a support article up today discussing how and in which order your iTunes Store credits get redeemed. Here's the run-down in a nutshell: If you have a free song credit from, for example, a Coke or Pepsi promotion and you're buying a song, that credit gets used first. It doesn't matter what other credits or allowances you have in your account. Buy a song, use the song credit. Gift certificates, prepaid cards and allowances form the second line of use. If you're buying an album (can't apply free song credits to albums), or if you've used up all your free song credits, these credits get used. If the cost of your items is less than your credits, you're done and dandy. If not, the balance moves up to your credit card. Your credit card only gets charged after you've exhausted all these other kinds of credits, and only for the remaining balance after applying the free songs, certificates, cards and allowances to your purchase. The credit card is basically the last line of defense, picking up any extra billing at the end of the purchase.
On declining iTunes Store sales
The Register rang the town bell this week, pouncing on a report from Forrester Research which declared that iTunes Store sales are on the decline. Forrester analyzed 27 months of credit card transactions to conclude that revenue has fallen 65 percent since January 2006, and the size of the average transaction has dropped 17 percent. These numbers, however, don't take into account transactions like gift cards and gifted music, and I have a sneaking suspicion they might also have omitted other popular services like PayPal, which can be tied directly to a customer's banking account, bypassing credit cards altogether.Apple is notoriously tight-lipped about the performance of their 800 lb gorilla iTS, but MacNN notes that Apple reported 'above-break-even' profits for the store during last September's earnings conference call. Considering the iTS has long been known as a paper-thin profit loss-leader to sell iPods, as well as the possibility that the neglected portions of iTS transactions could shift Forrester's findings, I'm a bit skeptical of these reports. Of course, The Macalope asks 'who cares?' to all this worry of how the iTS is doing, but Geoff Duncan at Digital Trends reminds us of some interesting potential shifts in the digital distribution model that could depend directly on how well present offerings fair. Microsoft opened a Pandora's box by agreeing to pay the labels $1 for each Zune sold, and there are rumors that the jackass labels might be using this to pressure Apple into a similar deal. On an even broader scale though, Geoff also mentions something called 'blanket licensing' where said jackass labels could apply a tax to broadband subscriptions, allowing users to continue to freely download content over any network or service they use.We will undoubtedly receive an updated performance report on the iTunes Store from Stevie at next month's Macworld. If anything, Forrester's report and the resulting discussion might signify a new wave of interestingness in the sea of DRM and digital distribution. Stay tuned.
NYTimes: 22 Songs Per iPod
The New York Times revealed this morning that iTunes sales only account for about twenty two songs per iPod. The rest, presumably, are ripped from the owner's collection of CDs or are obtained from various other--presumably both legal and nefarious--sources. I'm not sure what the big deal is about this. A $22 accessory sale on top of the original iPod price seems like a nice bonus to me from a financial point of view. And the "analysis" of this trend? "IPods are not sitting around generating dozens and dozens of transactions every quarter. People buy a certain number of songs, and then they stop," the Times quotes analyst Josh Bernoff of Forrester Research. I think more likely that some iPod people are iTunes buyers and many more are not. There are many legal ways to fill your iPod with content and I'm guessing that purchasing physical CDs and then ripping them is still the way of choice, even in a world of easy intangible purchases.
RIAA petitions for lower artist royalties
IGN reports that innovative marketing solutions like Apple's iTunes store and stores that sell digital ringtones are putting too much money into the pockets of the artists who actually create and perform music. The RIAA has petitioned the federal US Copyright Royalty Judgets to lower the rates paid to songwriters for the digital use of their creations. Apparently things have changed a great deal since 1981, the last time the US government set the royalty rates. The petition brief apparently read in part, "Mechanical royalties currently are out of whack with historical and international rates...We hope the judges will restore the proper balance by reducing the rate and moving to a more flexible percentage rate structure so that record companies can continue to create the sound recordings that drive revenues for music publishers."
iWoz on iTunes
iWoz - From Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It has made its way into the audiobook section of the iTunes Music Store (iTs link). All 9 hours and 14 minutes of it. Patrick Lawlor does a fine job of narrating it, but he sounds nothing like Woz. And he's no Joey Slotnick, either. That always bothers me when I listen to autobiographies and memoirs. I keep expecting to hear the words straight from the horse's mouth. It's distracting to have it be someone who sounds completely different than what you know the author sounds like. Am I alone in that thinking?I wonder if iWoz' presence in iTunes is Steve-o's way of making up for that $3,150 he cheated Woz out of?Anyway, for $15.95, it can be yours - and as the iTunes store blurb reminds us, it also makes a great gift!Thanks, Steve!
New iTunes Gift Card designs from Apple
iTunes Gift Cards are great gifts for music, movie and/or TV-loving friends and family on your Christmas list. And now you have a wider variety of designs to choose from when you pick one up at your local Apple Store.ITunes Gift Cards are $10 and up and are no longer Music Store-centric. Now there are Movie and TV gift cards and additional genre-specific designs to fit the bill. There's even a spiffy new iTunes Premium card, which comes in "beautiful gift packaging," for $100.You can still order Gift Certificates worth up to $500 from the Apple Store online and have them sent via email for instant gratification, or have Gift Cards sent via postal mail, but the best selection of card designs is available in Apple Retail stores.
iTunes: Another new free TV show appears
Hot off the presses and new to iTunes, another free TV show for you to enjoy. US: Twentyfourseven, Season 1, Episode 1An entrepreneur, a rock star, an actor, a director, a record producer, a player, and . . . a Buddhist? Living the life 24/7
Court TV shows added to iTunes Store
Attention Court TV watchers, you can now get your fix via the iTunes Store. That's right, Court TV is the latest network to add some of their content to the venerable iTunes Store. The shows available are: Murder by the Book Beach Patrol Body of Evidence Psychic Detectives The Investigators As usual episodes will set you back $1.99 each.
Apple thinks Silent Bob has too much to say
Kevin Smith, aka Silent Bob (and a feature speaker at the upcoming Macworld Expo), is one of many celebrities asked to whip up an iTunes Celebrity Playlist. Being an Apple fanboy, and one eager to promote the Clerks II DVD, he finally agreed, after having blown it off when previously asked, due to scheduling issues. So have you seen or heard Kevin's playlist in the iTunes Store? Nope. And you are not likely to anytime soon. I'll let Kevin explain why..."Cut to three weeks ago, when - as another promotional vehicle for the 'Clerks II' DVD - I was afforded a second bite at the iTunes apple (pun intended). [...] 'This is a great playlist,' Darin from Apple wrote. 'Too great, actually. We don't have the space for comments that run that long. Will he be OK with us editing them (significantly) or would he prefer to do that himself? Two sentences for each track is a good outline.' [...] But the idea of trimming down (significantly, apparently) that Rorschach of the Soul known as the Celebrity Playlist didn't interest me. So with no hard feelings on either behalf, I declined inclusion." Since Apple didn't want Kevin's Playlist, he published it on his blog - full commentary intact. Check it out here. There are some great tracks there and it's quite an eclectic mix. Warning for the young'uns and those reading while at work - some of the material on Kevin's blog may not be suitable for your consumption unless your folks have gone to bed or your boss has already left for the day.
The Beatles to be exclusive to iTunes Store?
Apple and the Beatles have a long, litigious history. As you may be aware, the Beatles created a record label on which they sold their music. The name of that label? Apple.Apple Computer, many years ago, agreed not to sell music so that there would never be any confusion between the two companies. Then along came the iPod and the iTunes Store and then another lawsuit.It would seem that Apple and Apple are letting bygones be bygones and are close to reaching an exclusive deal for the Beatles catalog. Steve had personally invited the Beatles to join the iTunes Store, and it looks like they may take him up on the offer. The iTunes Store, if Fortune is right, will be the only place where you will be able to purchase digital versions of the Beatles work. This will be a big boost to the iTunes Store, if it is true. Though I wonder if the Zune Market place is working on getting the Rutles' catalog.Thanks, Sam G.
Man runs up 8k tab in iTunes Store, fiance dumps him
In response to a call for readers' most embarrassing DVD purchases on Entertainment Weekly's website, Dalton Ross got an interesting comment from a woman named Susan who thought it might be fun to share with the world why her engagement was called off.I used to wonder how my husband-to-be had more than 700 music CDs and more than 300 movie DVDs and hundreds and hundreds of record albums until I discovered that he had $43,000 in credit-card debt. In looking at his last bill (for one month) he had charged more than 8,000 iTunes at 99 cents each and had charges at places that sell music and movies, too. This guy made $45,000 a year. Called off the wedding.If true - and since it's on the Interwebs it must be true - Susan made the right choice! And she saved both of them from even more debt.8000 songs from the iTunes music store? $7920Average cost of a wedding in the US?$27,490Posting about your failed relationship and shattered dreams on the Internet?Priceless.Perhaps someone should introduce this guy to Free Tuesdays? Is there an iTunes Anonymous chapter for guys like this? There's a reason why 1-Click purchasing should be off by default.[via TheAppleBlog]
TUAW Tip: Publish an iMix to your blog
In case you hadn't noticed, Apple is now making it easy for you to publish an iMix or Sport iMix (yours or someone else's) on your blog, "social networking profile," or any Flash-enabled web site. Unfortunately you can't stream any of the actual music or even the 30-second previews directly from the published iMix. Instead, those familiar little arrows take you to the iTunes Store where you can purchase the track your interested in, or the entire iMix. Still, this is a nice way to display the track list in an attractive manner. All you have to do is copy the HTML code that Apple provides under the "Publish to the Web" link on every iMix and paste that code where you want the list to appear. You can choose from two sizes and the RSS feed link to that iMix is provided as well. My one complaint about iMixes is that they lose context if you include things that aren't available in the iTunes Store. Apple simply truncates your playlist when you create an iMix out of it and omits any track that Apple doesn't sell. What they should do is list those non-iTS songs anyway and put a "notify me if this song is ever available to purchase" link next to them. That would maintain the integrity of the iMix and potentially generate future sales as well. [via Macworld UK]
HD TV shows and movies on your XBox
The other day Microsoft announced that you will be able to buy and rent TV shows and movies directly from your XBox 360. The twist is that they are offering the videos in standard def and HD (720p will be the max resolution).Now, I know you're wondering why I am blogging about this on TUAW. What I'm hoping this will do is force Apple to offer higher res movies and shows on iTunes. I have all this broadband just waiting to transfer HD content!
Sundance Channel making several programs available in the iTunes Store
The Sundance Channel just announced the immediate availability of several of its programs in the iTunes Store [iTS link]. Programs include "The Hill," "The First Amendment Project," and "The Staircase," and they are priced at $1.99 each. Sundance is also giving iTunes Store users a free sneak peek of Episode 1 of their upcoming six-part documentary series called "One Punk Under God," about Christian punk rockers, which will be downloadable from December 5-12, while the television debut is scheduled for December 13. Subsequent episodes will be for sale on iTunes the day after they air on television.[via iLounge]
iTunes 7.0.2 thinks I've moved to France (and they have no TV Shows there!)
A number of people, myself included, have noticed that after or shortly following the upgrade to iTunes 7.0.2, their default country was changed for the iTunes Store. The first sign for many folks that something was amiss was the missing TV Shows, Movies, Audiobooks and Music Videos in the sidebar nav. Resolving this little glitch is super easy of course... just scroll down to the bottom of the iTunes Store home page and select the country you actually reside in.I discovered this morning that iTunes thought I lived in France. I've never been to France. I look awful in a beret. I don't even speak French. Although I hear Paris is lovely in the Springtime.It would be nice to know if this glitch is directly related to iTunes 7.0.2 or if it's the result of other iTunes Store renovations that are being done, but in the end all that really matters is that you can always go home again, and with little effort.If you've discovered any other oddities after iTunes 7.0.2, let us know!Update: We've got first hand confirmation now that this hiccup is not specific to iTunes 7.0.2. Users who haven't updated yet are experiencing the same trip 'round the world.
Apple Announces iTunes Latino, Telemundo and mun2 in iTunes Store
Apple has launched a new Latino section in the US iTunes Store featuring Latin music, music videos, television shows, audiobooks and podcasts. "Latin music has been a huge hit on iTunes and now we're bringing music fans even more of what they love in a dedicated area on the iTunes Store," said Eddy Cue, Apple's VP of iTunes, in a press release. In a related press release, Apple also announced new shows from Telemundo (iTS link) and bilingual programming from their youth-oriented mun2 network (iTS link). Latin TV shows, telenovelas and reality content are all now available in the iTunes Store as well, rounding up what looks like a strong new offering for Apple's darling content store.
How iTunes saved NBC's 'The Office'
Our old friend Dave pointed us to a Newsday article discussing how iTunes essentially took NBC's The Office off the chopping block, where it was headed last year after disappointing Nielsen ratings, and catapulted it to "the Seinfeld of iTunes." If you're not a Seinfeld fan that might be meaningless to you, but trust me when I say It's the BEST, Jerry! The BEST!* Only recently did The Office cede the top spot to Lost as the single most downloaded program weekly, not to mention nabbing an Emmy (well-deserved, IMO) for Best Comedy. Angela Bromstead, president of NBC Universal, which owns and produces The Office had this to say: "I'm not sure that we'd still have the show on the air." The network had only ordered so many episodes, but when it went on iTunes and really started taking off, that gave us another way to see the true potential other than just Nielsen. It just kind of happened at a great time." Of course Nielsen is getting hip to the power of iTunes + iPod itself these days.Newer shows like 30 Rock and Jericho are also expected to be a big iTunes sellers when/if they hit the iTS, despite their currently poor Nielsen showings and may save their respective fates as well.The article goes on to talk about what doesn't sell well on iTunes. "Nielsen hits such as CSI: Miami or NCIS are no-shows in the top 50. The Simpsons? Nada (which is not on iTunes at all... even though Prison Break is a stalwart). What does any of this mean? Who knows - except, perhaps that serials and guy-oriented shows are the biggest beneficiaries of the iTunes effect." Personally I think iTunes is only part of this revolution. The networks themselves are getting smarter about putting their shows online, on their own websites, which may not be as convenient or trendy as iTunes, but it's certainly a start. With all the timeshifting and placeshifting going on these days anyway, Prime Time Television as we have known it for many years is going away sooner rather than later. iTunes is really only the beginning of the revolution. It's not the be all and end all.Thanks, Dave! *It's purely coincidence that I had not one, but two opportunities to reference Seinfeld today. Life is good.
Studios steering clear of iTunes Store for now
If you think the iTunes Store could use a bigger push from movie studios, you'll be just as disappointed as I am to hear that most of the big players have no interest in signing on before the holidays.According to this story at the Mac Observer, analyst group Piper Jaffray met with four of the six top Hollywood studios to talk about their plans to put their flicks onto the iTunes Store, but they've all decided to wait out the holidays for fear of "retailiation" [sic] - a great word to describe how big retailers like Wal-Mart could pull back on their support of DVDs if they become unprofitable because the movies are available cheaper online.There's more. Apparently, studios aren't too thrilled about Apple's "rigid pricing strategy" either, and that other popular bugaboo, the looming threat of piracy, comes up too.It's not all bleak, though. Piper Jaffray says more studios will have movies on the iTunes Store within the next six months. I'm just looking forward to downloading Adaptation at some point.[Via Digg]
ABC pushing broadcast, their own site, vs. iTS purchases
Mac Zone has a post concerning ABC's insertion of 30 seconds of network-pimping ads in the Lost season 3 premiere (iTS link) purchased from the iTS. While the first 8 second spot is just a harmless network ID badge, the second spot (at the end of the vid) advertises watching Lost on a full-fledged TV - you know, the thing you're directly avoiding by buying shows digitally through the iTS? Going even one step further, however, is this advertisement to 'watch more video at abc.com.' Somehow methinks this doesn't exactly jive with trying to sell videos through the iTS, which, if you remember, only helps Apple make money off all this by selling an iPod or two.Mac Zone wonders if this is a hint that networks, or at least ABC, prefer broadcast viewers instead of iTS purchases. For right now, due to the relatively small overall market share the iTS has (digital and real world combined), I wouldn't be surprised. Let's face it: even though the iTS has overtaken Tower Records, a brick and mortar store, it still claims a very thin margin of overall music and video sales. The networks are surely making more money right now via their traditional broadcast + advertising revenue model vs. the pay-to-play digital download method. And since we're pretty sure the 3rd parties, not Apple, prepare their own content for the store (meaning: ABC, not Apple, inserted those ads), I think the bigger question is whether networks like ABC are getting cold feet in the kiddie pool during this budding phase of digital distribution and considering any rash decisions, like pulling their content.
