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View Full Version : If Apple had added WMA playback support to iTunes/iPod


Eugene
2004-07-12, 09:23
http://news.com.com/2100-1027_3-5263842.html

WMA would be without question the dominant format behind MP3 and AAC/MPEG-4 would be nowhere. To those who demanded WMA playback in iTunes and the iPod, pff. At least AAC has a fighting chance now.

SKMDC
2004-07-12, 09:38
this is a victory on two fronts, a record company capitulating on a stupid policy (somewhat) and MS on the outside looking in, seeing how the other 10% lives.

ast3r3x
2004-07-12, 09:47
I hate copy protection. I hate that CD will no longer be free. I didn't at first, but now hate that iTMS gives me such a quality loss. I hate that I'm loosing freedom.

BuonRotto
2004-07-12, 09:47
Wow.

Still, would holding out with licensing FairPlay kill copy protection on music CDs or would the recording companies just look elsewhere and/or feed the iPod's competition in some way?

thuh Freak
2004-07-12, 10:56
you act like this is a great thing. ok, its great in that we're not going to be forced to use wma, but aac isn't tons better. when i buy a cd, i want the rights over where i can re-play it. i dont want the labels stealing those from me. i want it to play on my comptuer, the 'pod, mix-cds i make, tapes if i'm so inclined, and anywhere else i should roam. drm inhibits that, even if slightly.

Eugene
2004-07-12, 12:14
you act like this is a great thing. ok, its great in that we're not going to be forced to use wma, but aac isn't tons better. when i buy a cd, i want the rights over where i can re-play it. i dont want the labels stealing those from me. i want it to play on my comptuer, the 'pod, mix-cds i make, tapes if i'm so inclined, and anywhere else i should roam. drm inhibits that, even if slightly.
You make it sound as if AAC has anything to do with the occurence of copy protection. These are two separate issues. It's a win that the iPod's format of choice has clout. It's a win that these companies are figuring out that copy protection is responsible for 80% of their support calls (and costing them money in the process.)

AAC does NOT mean DRM.

hmurchison
2004-07-12, 12:59
Well I look forward to seeing a wave of Fairplay licensees soon enough. 100 Million songs are great but now people want to be able to play their songs on other devices. I'm not saying other portables but Elgato's Eyehome, Rokulabs Soundbridge and others should be able to license the Fairplay DRM. You know it has to happen but I just hope Apple doesn't get too greedy about the licensing. The money is in getting it out everywhere. The iPod can be the sole portable player IMO as long as it keeps up with the current times.

Eugene
2004-07-12, 13:57
The iPod can be the sole portable player IMO as long as it keeps up with the current times.
Eventually the the iPod's popularity is going to taper off, so the money is going to be in licensing the the QuickTime, FairPlay, and even the iPod brand a la HP instead of in selling the devices alone.

hmurchison
2004-07-12, 14:07
Eventually the the iPod's popularity is going to taper off, so the money is going to be in licensing the the QuickTime, FairPlay, and even the iPod brand a la HP instead of in selling the devices alone.

Agreed. To the victor goes the spoils. If Apple can reach a critical mass of sorts with the iPod and ancillary items like Airport Express then once they broaden out and license there the profits come. So far they are doing a good job. If the 4G iPods contain some good features I see the growth continuing well into 2005.

No one has made the perfect home unit yet. That's understandable because the components are still expensive for smaller companies. It's going to take a larger company with buying power to come up with a nice device for your home stereo that gives us what we want.

DMBand0026
2004-07-12, 14:14
Eventually the the iPod's popularity is going to taper off, so the money is going to be in licensing the the QuickTime, FairPlay, and even the iPod brand a la HP instead of in selling the devices alone.

I doubt that. Apple will continue to improve the iPod and its functionality. This thing isn't going away for a long time.

hmurchison
2004-07-12, 14:35
I doubt that. Apple will continue to improve the iPod and its functionality. This thing isn't going away for a long time.

I don't think he's saying that the iPod is going to go away but rather supply will catch up to demand eventually. Apple will have to have ideas on how to keep the excitement going then because that's when the perception of stagnantion starts to hit.

Looks like we'll see soon

1 4G iPods being announced soon.
2. International shipments of iPod minis
3. Airport Express shipping this month
4. Oct has iTMS moving into other European countries

2005 should see Apple extend the iPod with more partnerships and the eventual licensing of Fairplay (WWDC 2005???). Franky developers don't care about iPod sales or iTMS if it's not lining their pockets with money. Apple needs to provide a way for them to do that.

My guess is iTunes 5 will have small UI changes concerning how we access our music and more "backend" stuff that will prepare it to move out in other areas. I'll keep my eyes peeled and look forward to some "frothing at the mouth speculation" .

thegelding
2004-07-12, 14:47
you know, with the movie biz being in such an uproar over movies being downloaded illegally, i am surprised they aren't working with apple to make an iMDS (iMovieDownloadStore)...if the model works with songs, why not movies (yes movies are larger files and you would have to download and burn them..too big to have too many filling up you HD...and with the size of files to download only high speed cable people would likely be ok to do this)...still, i might download a movie and burn it to dvd...then again, movie prices are fairly low and i like getting a box and such...

g

hmurchison
2004-07-12, 15:06
Online Movie store is a much harder sell.

Music

1. CDs are individual songs grouped on polycarbonate discs. Users are free to bounce around the disck listening to their favorite songs.

2. Downloading is natural because we are accustomed to listening to singles and there is nothing that we miss besides maybe liner notes. The audio remains pure enough so to speak.
3. Portability. We have umpteen players for home, auto and portables.

Movies

1. DVDs are generally feature length movies on polycarbonate discs. They are generally watched in their entirety but users have the ability to skip to favorite parts.

2. Downloading would be unatural IMO. While downloads would allow for watching movies in their entirety you run into issues that most people don't see.
a. Which codec? AVC, MPEG2 or WM9???
b. Audio. AC3 and DTS are the standards. what do dls use?
c. Extras? DVDs sold well because people loved the extras
d. Seamless branching. Some dvds have the Directors Cut and orignal theatrical release on one disc. The DVD spec automatically branches the video parts according to the version you watch. More flexibility.

3. Portability. Very difficult unless you can burn a DVD but the MPAA isn't going to want that so you will likely have the download locked to the computer that downloaded it or you will have to authorize another computer.

Don't get me wrong. I think the idea of Movie downloads is inevitable. However I don't think it's going to compare to music downloads in potential. Video on Demand is great for rash choices but then that's only $3-4. Asking for someone to pay $12.99 for a digital download movie is quite another obstacle to surmount. People are happy about DVDs right now and you just don't hear as many complaints about them be overpriced as you do with music CDs.

In conclusion we must look at thinks objectively and when we do we will realize one fact. Audio is King! You want proof?

Go count the amount of GarageBand sites versus iMovie sites. It becomes obvious that people are more excited about making and listening to music than they are about doing the same with video. It's always been that way.

Eugene
2004-07-12, 16:36
c. Extras? DVDs sold well because people loved the extras
Depends on the extras... Most people don't give two shits about the extras other than "director's cuts" versions of the movie.