03-24-2008, 02:00 PM
|
|
Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,053
|
|
Apple to Trump Zune Pass?
“Is Apple ready to jump on the music subscription bandwagon? It seems out of character, since they won’t (at least so far) even go so far as to consider tiered pricing, but the reports are there. More to the point: does it make sense for Apple and the music industry?” - Michael Santo, RealTechNews.com
Whenever someone has ever asked me why I don’t have an iPod, I’ve always been very truthful in my answer. I would have had an iPod about three years ago if it wasn’t for the fact that I own almost no music. At that time, before the Zune, I was on board Plays For Sure and a Yahoo music subscription. That reasoning has held for a while now. Usually, the advice I’m given is to just steal the music. I am firmly against that. And so, when Microsoft offered the Zune, I jumped on it. I’m glad I wasn’t locked into the iPod ecosystem at that point because, music subscription aside, I think the Zune is a superior device. Not heads and shoulders above but it is likely to be my music player of choice for some time.
If this rumor is true and Apple is trying to come out with their own subscription model then Microsoft will lose one of its biggest edges. I think it’s almost essential that Apple comes out with subscription. Subscription is the future of content and despite Apple’s posturing, I’m sure it knows it. The plan that Apple proposes isn’t as good as what I currently can get with Zune but it does have a lot of merits. The premium on the player would pay itself off after just a few months for the end user. I can’t figure out how Apple would make any money on it that way but I’ll leave that in their hands.
Personally I’d like to see it happen so that all the people on iPods will finally come to understand what a music subscription is. I’m not sure if Apple’s business model is workable but if it is then the bar for Zune 3G will be that much higher!
|
| |
|
|
|
03-24-2008, 05:32 PM
|
|
Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,432
|
|
Apple releasing a subscription service would be just as bad as Fonzie jumping the shark. 
|
| |
|
|
|
03-24-2008, 05:35 PM
|
|
Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,053
|
|
For who? The biggest loser here would be Microsoft if it were true.
|
| |
|
|
|
03-24-2008, 06:45 PM
|
|
Intellectual
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 167
|
|
If Apple does offer its users a subscription service, Microsoft better say goodbye to iPod converts, well most of them. Because the real benefiters of the Zune and Zune Pass were those "loyal" iPod customers who were paying .99 per track and buying 30+ tracks a month. Now, they won't have a reason to even consider Zune.
The same applies to anyone who was paying anyone else per-track or for a subscription plan and decided to switch to Zune, like David.
|
| |
|
|
|
03-24-2008, 07:04 PM
|
|
Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,053
|
|
The important thing, as always, is that Microsoft needs to continue to differentiate itself. FM music & music subscription has always been huge for me but there is one thing that would blow it completely out the box. Give me a movie subscription.
|
| |
|
|
|
03-24-2008, 09:09 PM
|
|
Pontificator
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,097
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by David Tucker
RealTechNews.com</a></em><br /><br />Whenever someone has ever asked me why I don’t have an iPod, I’ve always been very truthful in my answer. I would have had an iPod about three years ago if it wasn’t for the fact that I own almost no music. At that time, before the Zune, I was on board Plays For Sure and a Yahoo music subscription. That reasoning has held for a while now. Usually, the advice I’m given is to just steal the music. I am firmly against that. And so, when Microsoft offered the Zune, I jumped on it.
|
Same here, except it was Urge and I waited until, Urge no longer exisited.
Quote:
Originally Posted by David Tucker
The important thing, as always, is that Microsoft needs to continue to differentiate itself. FM music & music subscription has always been huge for me but there is one thing that would blow it completely out the box. Give me a movie subscription.
|
Movie and Music Videos will do us well.
__________________
Please see www.grlt.com "Tech with a twist of lime!"
The Midlands Hybrid Club MidlandsHybrid.com
Current: Kacey's Wing, T-mo Wing Past: GCM_T, T-Mobile MDA |
| |
|
|
|
03-25-2008, 03:06 AM
|
|
Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,432
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by David Tucker
For who? The biggest loser here would be Microsoft if it were true.
|
I think this would hurt Apple in the long run as they have established themselves as the upper crust of the digital media world. When I discuss subscription based music most people (usually comes up when talking about the Zune) people usually turn their noses up to the idea, mostly because you don't "own" the music.
When people think of subscription services, they think of companies like Urge, eMusic and Napster - all of which are viewed as "cheap" alternatives to iTunes. For Apple to go and offer the same "cheap" service I feel would hurt their brand in the long run.
Though I remember reading something earlier that stated that the average iPod owner only purchases around 20-75 songs from iTunes during the lifespan of their handset. Who knows, this could be a huge money maker for Apple.
|
| |
|
|
|
03-25-2008, 03:24 AM
|
|
Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,053
|
|
Personally I think the concept of 'owning' music is absurd and if someone is so 'elite' that they can't rent music and would look down on Apple for offering their customers a variety of options to own music, then that's their problem. Apple would make more money than they'd lose. (And where would these people even go?) I'd bet money that as soon as Apple came out with a subscription service all the Apple people deriding it would mostly vanish.
I own my music experience far more than someone who buys their favorite 75 songs over the course of 5 years. Why? Because not only do I listen to everything I want but I listen to new things I may not even know exist. If that's not owning my music experience, I don't know what is.
|
| |
|
|
|
03-25-2008, 07:58 AM
|
|
Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,432
|
|
If it wasn't for the fact that music subscription based services were DRM'ed, I would gladly sign up for one. I understand wholeheartedly why it would be stupid to offer a subscription that wasn't DRM'ed, but I personally just cannot deal with the restriction. I like to listen to my music literally everywhere and DRM'ed media prevents me from doing so.
As for those people that feel they are too elite... well, we are talking about a company that has built a fair share of their recent momentum off super snobby and elitist-holier-than-everything-im-better-cause-i-use-a-mac type of commercials such as these...
It would just seem foolish to charge someone almost $2,000USD for a underpowered laptop with no optical drive and than offer that person an all you can eat music pass. Customers of Apple products usually can afford to spend a little extra, it just seems so out of character to offer such a pocket friendly service. 
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Hybrid Mode
