Confirmation of Apple Music Service Rumors
An LA Times article (registration required) confirms previous rumors of an Apple Music service:
According to the article, the new service will be enabled through a new version of iTunes and will utilize the AAC audio format (MPEG4). While MPEG4 allows for Digital Rights Management (DRM), Apple appears to be trying to avoid such limitations:
- Although no licensing deals have been announced, sources close to the situation say at least four of the five major record companies have committed their music to the Apple service. It could be launched next month.
According to the article, the new service will be enabled through a new version of iTunes and will utilize the AAC audio format (MPEG4). While MPEG4 allows for Digital Rights Management (DRM), Apple appears to be trying to avoid such limitations:
That approach [using AAC] allows the songs to be protected by electronic locks that prevent them from being played on more than one computer. Still, sources say, Apple wants to enable buyers to burn songs onto CDs. That feature would effectively remove the locks.
Previous rumors provided some additional details including a $.99 price point and the use of the "One-Click" system for purchases.
The use of AAC would imply future support for the format in Apple's iPods, and a "next month" launch would correspond to the most recent iTunes rumors.
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117 months ago
Hey everyone....take a look at this article over at the macobserver.com. According to the article both the LA Times and San Jose Mercury News today publised an article abot an Apple branded music sharing service....maybe Apple is going to announce it later today!! Guess we'll find out soon enough
http://macobserver.com/article/2003/03/04.6.shtml
http://macobserver.com/article/2003/03/04.6.shtml
117 months ago
I discussed this about 3 months ago in the apple.com disussion boards for the new itunes 4 if there was a new version coming.
I wanted a windowsmedia.com type system where people can listen to music for nothing of the net
I wanted a windowsmedia.com type system where people can listen to music for nothing of the net
117 months ago
Yowzers!
thanks for that!
Looks like maybe they've done an 'ATI' on Apple? I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for a new iTunes!
thanks for that!
Looks like maybe they've done an 'ATI' on Apple? I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for a new iTunes!
117 months ago
According to the article, Apple will be using AAC for the encoding! Hooray for all you AAC kooks!
117 months ago
If its got a good repetoire of hard to find songs, i have no problem paying for that.
117 months ago
I think this may be a news conference, or mabye even an ad during prime-time TV, and that is why Apple's site is not updated
117 months ago
Several comments based on the article...
Sony's real sticking point is probably that it's heavily invested in Windows?
If Apple can't get Sony to sign on, will they kill the whole program? As everyone has mentioned, selection is critical to success.
The article only mentions the big five. If Apple does not seek them out, will smaller labels be able to join the program of their own initiative? Will enough of the smaller labels bother?
The article says the new program will come out in a month in an updated version of iTunes. Will this be iTunes 3.1 or the next major upgrade, v. 4, with Rendezvous?
Now that we know it probably will happen, who thinks that the program will be part of .mac?
The article is right in pointing out that Apple OSs have been largely overlooked with current pay-for-download services. This is further evidence that Apple isn't waiting around for third-parties to fill the gaps anymore.
I don't know much about the "Advanced Audio Codec" format. Will older/current iPods be able to play them?
(My apologies for cross-posting this from the older news thread on this subject, but my sense is that all of the discussion will move here now.)
Sony's real sticking point is probably that it's heavily invested in Windows?
If Apple can't get Sony to sign on, will they kill the whole program? As everyone has mentioned, selection is critical to success.
The article only mentions the big five. If Apple does not seek them out, will smaller labels be able to join the program of their own initiative? Will enough of the smaller labels bother?
The article says the new program will come out in a month in an updated version of iTunes. Will this be iTunes 3.1 or the next major upgrade, v. 4, with Rendezvous?
Now that we know it probably will happen, who thinks that the program will be part of .mac?
The article is right in pointing out that Apple OSs have been largely overlooked with current pay-for-download services. This is further evidence that Apple isn't waiting around for third-parties to fill the gaps anymore.
I don't know much about the "Advanced Audio Codec" format. Will older/current iPods be able to play them?
(My apologies for cross-posting this from the older news thread on this subject, but my sense is that all of the discussion will move here now.)
117 months ago
I don't see why an older iPod would have problems with acc, its just a codec. There will need to be a software update for iPod, but that's quick and painless.
117 months ago
I just hope that there is a way to preview/sample music. Something like being able to listen the first 30 seconds, or the whole song with some sort of noise watermark. It would be a shame to download a song (and pay) and then realize it's not the version you were looking for. Samples also make it possible for you to discover new music.
117 months ago
this is a good step for the record companies... Hollywood already uses Apple to display all of their newest movies with quicktime, so why not use itunes to do the same with music.
I just hope Apple stays strong and doesn't resort to DRM (it's stuff like this that made me stray from the MS flock)
I just hope Apple stays strong and doesn't resort to DRM (it's stuff like this that made me stray from the MS flock)
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