Greg Joswiak, Apple’s VP of ipod marketing, has publicly stated that Apple is taking a neutral position on the subject of native third-party iPhone apps: Apple won’t support them at all, but it also won’t attempt to deter their development via legal means or via software updates that would break them.
This is terrific news. Apple took this stance with the Apple TV, and it worked wonderfully for them. This is what I needed to hear from Apple in order for me to consider installing third party apps on my iPhone. Now, all I need is a real killer app that gives me a reason to invest the time — I haven’t seen it, thus far. Visit site »
I know it’s the unpopular choice amongst Apple fans, but I actually sort of agree with Rubin here. I do think people would flock to a subscription-based arrangement, if that arrangement met the following conditions:
Someone will eventually figure out how to do subscriptions well, and I do think it’ll succeed. I see no reason to believe it won’t be Apple, though. Visit site »
Yes, I’ve already bought it. No, I haven’t played it yet. I’ll let you know. The preview looks great. Visit site »
Apple and EMI today joined announced that EMI music will be available from iTunes DRM-free. Even though it was obvious the momentum was heading in this direction, I still wasn’t going to believe it until I saw it. This is a big day for consumer rights. Here are the nitty details:
Apple has announced that iTunes will make individual AAC format tracks available from EMI artists at twice the sound quality of existing downloads, with their DRM removed, at a price of $1.29/€1.29/£0.99. iTunes will continue to offer consumers the ability to pay $0.99/€0.99/£0.79 for standard sound quality tracks with DRM still applied. Complete albums from EMI Music artists purchased on the iTunes Store will automatically be sold at the higher sound quality and DRM-free, with no change in the price. Consumers who have already purchased standard tracks or albums with DRM will be able to upgrade their digital music for $0.30/€0.30/£0.20 per track. All EMI music videos will also be available on the iTunes Store DRM-free with no change in price.
All in all, this seems quite fair. EMI is obviously using the DRM-free tracks as a way to increase full album sales (by not changing the price for DRM-free and higher sound quality on album sales, but making them $0.30 more on a per-track basis), but I can live with that.
Thanks you, EMI, for being the first big boy to see the light, and thank you, Steve Jobs, for helping convince them. Visit site »
This would be really great if it happens. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve bought a track or two and then had to re-buy them when I wanted the whole album. It makes sense for the labels, too, as they are desperately trying to revitalize sales of entire albums. Visit site »
A confirmed source has confirmed earlier reports that we will see a Flash based Mac Pro or video iPod shuffle no later than Macworld 2008. Visit site »
Gruber has a nice article on how Apple might deal with the UI complexity of selling both DRM’d and non-DRM’d music on iTunes. He suggests a similar solution I’ve been touting — just don’t mention it by default. Some songs will be DRM protected and some won’t. People who really care about DRM (which isn’t most people) could turn on a preference to show the license or click something to get details — but most people don’t care, so don’t confuse everyone with it. Visit site »
Gruber provides his usual insightful commentary on Job’s DRM essay. The most interesting bit, to me, is that Nettwerk, an indie label that has some big-name artists like Avril and The Barenaked Ladies, is already selling DRM-free music on eMusic and has ben told by Apple they can’t do the same on iTunes. I hadn’t heard this, but if it’s true, it seems really contradictory on Apple’s part. If Jobs wants this essay to have some impact with the big boys, Apple should make a DRM-free deal with Nettwerk and other indie labels in order to prove they’re not bluffing. Visit site »
Steve Jobs is quoted in this Times article as saying that while Apple will control the availably of software for the iPhone, it won’t necessarily write it. Perhaps even more interesting is this tidbit: “Several Apple insiders said the phone could be upgraded to 3G with software if Apple later decides to do so.” If that’s true, it’s a huge fucking deal. Visit site »
I’ve been trying to order an Apple TV since the keynote ended, but the store keeps failing me. Nonetheless, it looks quite nice. Nothing revolutionary here, but a good, solid product that does everything it needs to, from what I can tell. Visit site »
I’m being completely serious when I say, “this changes everything.” This device stands to be every bit as revolutionary as the Macintosh and the iPod. There are people who shouted from the rooftops that it couldn’t be done — that no one could make a pocket device that was all things to everyone. And yet — at least from what we’ve seen — it seems as though Apple has done it. In-fucking-credible. There’s really no other way to describe it. Beautiful work by Wilson, Paul, and the rest of the Apple.com team, as well. It was a nice demo of Leopard, as well. ;) I have a lot more to say about this — including why it may actually be a good thing that it is shackled with a two-year contract. So stay tuned for that. Visit site »
Remember, The Wall Street Journal had the “Apple Switching To Intel” story the night before it happened, too. Visit site »
An interesting take on why the record labels may actually start to prefer non-DRM’d MP3s over rights-managed formats — and why it could be a serious pain in Apple’s rear end. Visit site »