As Macworld begins, the Apple Corporation is facing unprecedented challenges to its supremacy in the music download market. The recent emergence of the iPod compatible Amazon download store as an entity in the real world and Universal’s refusal to renew its contract to provide music for iTunes may finally cause Apple to reconsider the way it does business with companies that provide content for its store. Though Apple still controls a solid seventy percent of the music download business and, according to Business Week, has a comparable advantage in the video download market, the company needs to rethink its policy toward pricing if it is going to remain competitive. In addition to competition from Amazon, Microsoft is convinced that its Xbox 360 has enough online services to make a significant dent in Apple’s dominance. Also, as more users move toward using their portable devices for movies and television, Apple will need the support of companies like Universal and NBC Universal to offer competitive content. Though changes are probably afoot, what remains unclear is what effect Apple’s policy changes will have for the millions of consumers chained to their iPods. [Business Week]
Amazon is pretty good, but there doesn't seem to ever be any alternative to iTunes. I never thought about getting into an exclusive relationship; I just wanted an mp3 player.
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The prices aren't the worst part of iTunes...iTunes is the worst part of iTunes. Prices don't help, t hough.
i think as long as either iTunes or the iPod continue to have the significant market share both products will be sitting atop
Amazon is pretty good, but there doesn't seem to ever be any alternative to iTunes. I never thought about getting into an exclusive relationship; I just wanted an mp3 player.
I have an emusic subscription, because it's cheap and has a good selection of indies and rather good hip hop mixtapes.
But really, I haven't seen any service that makes me want to give up just buying CD's.