Friday, September 30, 2005

PC Pro: News: Warner chief threatens to scalp iTunes

Via Slashdot: PC Pro: News: Warner chief threatens to scalp iTunes: "A Warner Music executive has threatened to cut off Apple if Steve Jobs continues to refuse to give ground on iTunes Music Store pricing."

Personally I couldn't care less if the record labels pull out as I've never bought anything from the iTunes music store, and I don't plan on ever doing so as long as they ship their music DRM encumbered. But this really is crazy. Apple is the only online music store that has been successful at getting people to adopt DRMed music.

Nash's comments echoes those made last week by Warner CEO Edgar Bronfman, who called for Apple to adopt variable pricing and share out revenues from iPod sales. (emphasis mine)

Do the labels honestly think they own all the music in the world. Did they make the same demand of Sony when the walkman became popuplar... because after all, without tapes to put in those walkmen they would've been useless.

I didn't realize just how strong the sense of entitlement is at the record labels until now.

1 comment:

Joel said...

I'm dying (not really DYING, but you know) to hear your thoughts on the Microsoft/RealNetworks agreement that will supposedly lead to their challenging iTunes' dominance. What say you, Gary-Who-is-in-the-know about these things?

I actually have yet to make the jump to itunes, probably because my laptop is a PC and Windows makes it easier for me to use WMP to organize my music. If I had an iBook or an iPod, I think I'd switch wholeheartedly. Have you tried Rhapsody?

Too many questions, I know.