MSN Music vs. iTunes
FMQB Reports: "In order to compete with Apple‘s stronghold on the digital music market, Microsoft‘s MSN music service began a free song promotion this week sponsored by American Express. The deal offers free songs to users who buy music downloads with their American Express card, and those who apply for an Amex Blue card through a link on the MSN site will get credits to download free music."
"Meanwhile, Apple has stepped up its marketing efforts with the recent announcement of the new U2 custom iPod, just in time for the holidays. And Apple’s iTunes music store still accounts for 70 percent of the music sold online. However, a New York Post article notes that Microsoft may have the ability to cut into Apple’s share since its Windows Media format is supported by multiple portable music players. Conversely, Apple’s iTunes service is only compatible with the iPod. A number of iPod alternatives are now on the market, including portable music players made by Royal Philips Electronics, Samsung Electronics, iRiver and Creative Technology."
Click on COMMENTS below and join the dicsussion.
I still don’t see how WM will cut into Apple’s market share as long as the iPod maintains such a huge lead. It doesn’t matter how many players it works with if so few people are buying them.
“Conversely, Apple’s iTunes service is only compatible with the iPod.”
True, but you can burn those songs and rerip them into whatever program you want.
I don’t get what all the hype is with iTunes only working with iPod is all about. It is a beautifully implemented end-to-end solution – and it works. Is it really that big of a deal? Not to me it isn’t. So maybe someone someday will be independent enough to get off this bandwagon and start reporting on something more interesting.
I’m not sure how incompatubility can not be an issue? Won’t it suck when 2 years from now I want to move the tunes I paid for to some even cooler device (like my cell phone/PDA) that Dell or HP or some player we’ve never heard of comes up with?
Compatibility is a real issue. Boy did I really swear when I discovered that my extensive LP collection would not play on my CD. I’m still steaming about this after 20 years! Do even talk to me about about when they went from wax cylinders to flat disk!
It’s kinda silly to suggest that a ton of music players that don’t sell are more important to future marketshare than 3 (iPod, mini, u2) that do sell in huge numbers. Sorry, this is logical fallacy at its simplest.
Here is the attempted syllogism:
1. Lots of non-iPod players use WMA
2. People have lots of non-iPod players
3. WMA will therefore be used by lots of people.
If 2 were true, this might make sense. Of all my friends who don’t have an iPod yet none of them have even considered any other player for their wish list. Except one, who is getting one for free.
I don’t know about where you live, but thee’s an awful lot of white headphones on my campus…
David
Microshit should simply go to hell with its sh1t technology and bullsh1t company. Anyone buying anything from Microsh1t or even remotely considering that anything they offer is remotely close to being qualityware is living in a seriously disillusioned world. WMA? PUH-LEASE. That’s like trading a Ferrari for a Pinto! Up yours Billy Boy!
I could now buy music from MSN and Mycoke in Switzerland, but am waiting for the iTMS in Switzerland to finally open before buying. Why? For one, the DRM-protected WMA formats these first two shops sell will not play on my Mac. This is due to Microsoft, which hasn’t released a DRM compatible player for the Mac. Also I want to use these on my iPod mini. And Microsoft does not provide for WMA-DRM’d music to be playable on other players than those using specific Microsoft software. So who is closed?