Apple plans to open iTunes LP for independent labels
Responding to criticism that the iTunes LP format has been priced out of reach for independent musicians and labels, Apple has said it plans to open the format in the near future.
Apple's public relations team contacted one U.K outlet this week to let them know that rumors of a $10,000 production fee for iTunes LP are false. Apple reportedly told Electricpig.co.uk that the company is "releasing the open specs for iTunes LP soon, allowing both major and indie labels to create their own. There is no production fee charged by Apple."
Last week, a report stated that Apple charged a $10,000 production fee to develop its new interactive digital album titles. The details were discovered when a small record label representing four artists expressed interest in creating iTunes LP content.
Apple's statement would seem to suggest that the company intends to allow labels, musicians and developers the ability to create their own iTunes LP formatted content for sale on the iTunes Music Store. That system would bypass the current method, for which Apple reportedly charges $10,000.
Currently, there are only a dozen iTunes LP works offered right now. The new iTunes interactive media content formats are built using open web standards: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, using a new framework Apple calls TuneKit.
iTunes LP is the official name of Apple's long-rumored "Cocktail" project. Made official at the company's media-centric event in September, the format aims to incentivize purchases of full-length albums with bonus content like photos, videos, and more.
The still-new format has already begun to expand beyond albums and into the comic book realm. Tyrese Gibson's "Mayhem" went on sale in September, offering the comic along with additional content, including a song by Gibson, a 45-minute "making of" video, black-and-white storyboards, alternative covers and more.
Apple's public relations team contacted one U.K outlet this week to let them know that rumors of a $10,000 production fee for iTunes LP are false. Apple reportedly told Electricpig.co.uk that the company is "releasing the open specs for iTunes LP soon, allowing both major and indie labels to create their own. There is no production fee charged by Apple."
Last week, a report stated that Apple charged a $10,000 production fee to develop its new interactive digital album titles. The details were discovered when a small record label representing four artists expressed interest in creating iTunes LP content.
Apple's statement would seem to suggest that the company intends to allow labels, musicians and developers the ability to create their own iTunes LP formatted content for sale on the iTunes Music Store. That system would bypass the current method, for which Apple reportedly charges $10,000.
Currently, there are only a dozen iTunes LP works offered right now. The new iTunes interactive media content formats are built using open web standards: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, using a new framework Apple calls TuneKit.
iTunes LP is the official name of Apple's long-rumored "Cocktail" project. Made official at the company's media-centric event in September, the format aims to incentivize purchases of full-length albums with bonus content like photos, videos, and more.
The still-new format has already begun to expand beyond albums and into the comic book realm. Tyrese Gibson's "Mayhem" went on sale in September, offering the comic along with additional content, including a song by Gibson, a 45-minute "making of" video, black-and-white storyboards, alternative covers and more.
Comments
This is where an Apple tablet would make this even more interesting, just another example of Apple testing the waters ahead of a new product offering
What in the.
So much for that tempest in a teapot.
+1
Typical of the Tech Press, making a mountain out of a mole hill. I've yet to download an LP album to see if it's worth anything.
Dollars to donuts there'll be a "upgrade your Albums to LP" feature in the future.
As someone else stated Apple should have provided pdf's of original artwork from the get go. This is too much$, too little, too late IMO.
Who wants this? The labels? the artists? the consumers? Were people clamoring for this? I doubt it.
As someone else stated Apple should have provided pdf's of original artwork from the get go. This is too much, too little, too late IMO.
To answer your question, the labels wanted it. They are/were (not sure on the status) actually working on their own version of this. Apple should have done more from the beginning, but I wouldn't make any predictions on the success or failure of this product just yet.
Then they open it up to everyone.
Then it adds reading material to go with music. Long essays, and short stories make their way into LP's, still with accompanying music.
People suddenly want to carry it around with them and the laptop isn't the best way to do that.
BAM!
Apple introduces the spanking new tablet, and a new apple TV.
Everyone who has interest in these LP's start thinking of the device.
BOOM!
apple starts selling all out e-books and other interactive magazines etc.
BANG!
apple releases the tablet, and the sales are sky high!
I think the tablet will do everything that iphone can
BUT
it will have multi-tasking
it will be able to store files (some sort of finder)
it will have handwriting support and will work with a stylus.
and have a proper office suite.
fingers crossed for an ilife kind of suite. At least iphoto cmon.
Obviously it'll be the only device that runs all these new ebooks and interactive content.
Also it will not be a phone! but MAY have a sum slot for a 3g connection.
About apps, I think apple will let developers make apps for it as soon as its launched, so most iphone apps will be ported pretty quickly.
Gaming on the bigger yet still portable screen is going to be a big selling point. Also that alone is proof that it will run on some sort of ARM chip.
Obviously it'll be more powerful with better RAM and graphics, so it'll have even better games and apps!! Also there'll be a little more freedom with what kind of apps will be allowed. Background apps finally;
Then they launch the all new iphone with a tweaked look. that also supports background processes for apps. multitasking finally. and then these new apps start getting ported back to the iphone.
All pretty obvious!!
I'm just stating the obvious but this is obviously targetted to hit the HIGHLY RUMORED apple tablet. It starts with liner notes, lyrics and artwork to go with music albums. Then it goes on and adds a comic book.
Then they open it up to everyone.
Then it adds reading material to go with music. Long essays, and short stories make their way into LP's, still with accompanying music.
People suddenly want to carry it around with them and the laptop isn't the best way to do that.
BAM!
Apple introduces the spanking new tablet, and a new apple TV.
Everyone who has interest in these LP's start thinking of the device.
BOOM!
apple starts selling all out e-books and other interactive magazines etc.
BANG!
apple releases the tablet, and the sales are sky high!
Or just use your laptop...? Don't think a tablet will be at the right price-point unfortunately. I see it going the route of the Air. Very niche product.
Then it adds reading material to go with music. Long essays, and short stories make their way into LP's, still with accompanying music.
People suddenly want to carry it around with them and the laptop isn't the best way to do that.
BAM!
Apple introduces the spanking new tablet, and a new apple TV.
You might want to lay off the herb pipe.
Or just use your laptop...? Don't think a tablet will be at the right price-point unfortunately. I see it going the route of the Air. Very niche product.
Yeah initially it will be a niche product, just like the first iphone. but by the second iteration people would have found so many uses for it that it will become a huge success. it will completely replace books AND notebooks.
People will be able type with the on-screen keyboard or a bluetooth keyboard (remember they are already have patent in place for an even smaller keyboard obviously to go with the tabet)
So people can type when they want, and scribble when they want.
you'll be able to draw a lot of shit it as well.
The potential is endless.
With enough horsepower it'll be way better than laptops eventually.
I agree with bill gates when he says that tablets are going to be the next big thing.
I do like Apple pushing digital downloads into new areas with their LP concept, but I do worry about obsolescence for this kind of product. Compared with printed information, digital content has a much, much shorter lifespan... but then, as an investor I don't mind the additional revenue stream. I personally can't see the value in something I can't physically resell for it's collectibility.
Good thing though is iTunes LP is done via WebKit and open standards. So its not something that is like a digital format.
Good thing though is iTunes LP is done via WebKit and open standards. So its not something that is like a digital format.
That is what I never undrstood about all the crying. Everything is HTML, CSS and JS so anyon could have made their own that will open in any web browser without going through iTunes at all. Indy labels complaining that Apple wasnt controlling them enough through propritary setups.
by the second iteration people would have found so many uses for it that it will become a huge success. it will completely replace books AND notebooks.
Sounds a lot like what the original tablets were supposed to do....
Rebooting the Book (One Apple iPad Tablet at a Time)
http://bit.ly/zOoEu
As to those that argue that Apple's Tablet will be a niche product, I would argue that this is the device that you take with you to Class/School; when you are Traveling; Lying on the Couch; it?s the Extra Computing Device for your kids. It serves Verticals like Hospitals and Field Workers. In other words, it targets segments where the Laptop is less convenient, too bulky, too hot or too prone to breakage.
Plus, because it will be able to leverage the built in base of 85K apps in App Store, and 125K iPhone developers, it has a huge built-in advantage.
As such, I think this device will find a big market, with the larger question being whether it cannibalizes the notebook segment or not.
Mark
I'm just stating the obvious but this is obviously targetted to hit the HIGHLY RUMORED apple tablet. It starts with liner notes, lyrics and artwork to go with music albums. Then it goes on and adds a comic book.
Then they open it up to everyone.
Then it adds reading material to go with music. Long essays, and short stories make their way into LP's, still with accompanying music.
People suddenly want to carry it around with them and the laptop isn't the best way to do that.
BAM!
Apple introduces the spanking new tablet, and a new apple TV.
Everyone who has interest in these LP's start thinking of the device.
BOOM!
apple starts selling all out e-books and other interactive magazines etc.
BANG!
apple releases the tablet, and the sales are sky high!
I think the tablet will do everything that iphone can
BUT
it will have multi-tasking
it will be able to store files (some sort of finder)
it will have handwriting support and will work with a stylus.
and have a proper office suite.
fingers crossed for an ilife kind of suite. At least iphoto cmon.
Obviously it'll be the only device that runs all these new ebooks and interactive content.
Also it will not be a phone! but MAY have a sum slot for a 3g connection.
About apps, I think apple will let developers make apps for it as soon as its launched, so most iphone apps will be ported pretty quickly.
Gaming on the bigger yet still portable screen is going to be a big selling point. Also that alone is proof that it will run on some sort of ARM chip.
Obviously it'll be more powerful with better RAM and graphics, so it'll have even better games and apps!! Also there'll be a little more freedom with what kind of apps will be allowed. Background apps finally;
Then they launch the all new iphone with a tweaked look. that also supports background processes for apps. multitasking finally. and then these new apps start getting ported back to the iphone.
All pretty obvious!!
Apple's public relations team contacted one U.K outlet this week to let them know that rumors of a $10,000 production fee for iTunes LP are false... There is no production fee charged by Apple."
Last week, a report stated that Apple charged a $10,000 production fee to develop its new interactive digital album titles...
Apple's statement would seem to suggest that the company intends to allow labels, musicians and developers the ability to create their own iTunes LP formatted content for sale on the iTunes Music Store. That system would bypass the current method, for which Apple reportedly charges $10,000.
So which is it?
It's too bad, since I love the idea and I thought it would be this cool new aspect of the store and would really take off. I like all the stuff you get with CD's (art work, credits, lyrics etc.)
Or just use your laptop...? Don't think a tablet will be at the right price-point unfortunately. I see it going the route of the Air. Very niche product.
Actually many people do not like reading material on a laptop, specially when you're sitting in a comfy chair or say a plane these days. It more natural for some one to sit and hold something in their lap and look down then have a laptop and have to continually adjust the display to see what you are looking at then have to play with the mouse to flip a page or scroll down a page.
The reason books and magazines still exist today is people like the ability to hold it in their hands and turn a page. Even with all the great resource available on the internet and electronic form my kids rather use a text book then trying to read stuff on the their laptops since they will tell you it is hard to do and uncomfortable over longs period of time. Here I thought it was me being old and not willing to adopted a new way and I figured the next generation would be different but the kids feel the same was as me.
Who wants this? The labels? the artists? the consumers? Were people clamoring for this? I doubt it.
As someone else stated Apple should have provided pdf's of original artwork from the get go. This is too much$, too little, too late IMO.
That is because your not part of the generation who understand the whole LP concept. There is a whole generation who enjoys the whole idea of LP and the added features you use to get when you bought and LP, and only got with an LP purchase. Unlike the Gen X and Y crowds who are mostly interested in the next top song to listen to it hundreds of time only never to list to it again. This is more gear toward the Baby Booms which is the largest population in the US and has the most disposable income, well use to prior to this economy.
But as I said, this is just a way for Apple to test the waters of providing interactive content for something other than a computers. This is a concept that has been out there for a long time that no one has successfully deployed since there has not been a good environment to make it happen.
The long and short of it all, the LP concept they are deploying here is not the real end product.
And AI writers: please lay off the marketing happy talk. "Incentivize purchases?" It might fly in a press release, but to see that pulp make it to post, that just insults your readers.