Exactly. I think we can now safely say that Universal is "irritated" with Apple.
Why does apple have to be like "my way or the highway"?
Apple doesn't like to be bullied, why would even larger companies want to be bullied?
Eventually a lot of companies are just going to say 'we don't have to take this from you anymore'. And the sad fact is that since apple didn't share with anyone at the beginning, other companies are out there that are willing to bow to record companies. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.
Just to reiterate again, i am a huge fan of apple and by no means do i want to see this happen. It just sucks to see them being so close-minded and pissing off their partners.
People like to pretend that they don't, but what really happened is that they are on other channels, they have at least a half dozen other channels targeted towards specific music genres. Those other channels might not show up on a typical basic cable package.
It takes a good strategy too. Money mispent and "will" misdirected will usually fail. I don't think Walmart's previous methods will succeed in paid downloads. Money and effort might somewhat make up for a misfit strategy but it can only go so far.
That may be true for some other companies but on average Walmart is one of the most sucessful companies in the world. People are saying others won't flock there to save 5 cents its actually closer to 30 cents for non DRM music.
Also for people that are not tech savy iTunes was always an easy solutions for many parents that downloaded songs for their kids, they didn't know anywhere else to go to find music. Now what parents doesn't know about Walmart? Do you think more people get Walmart gift cards or iTune gift cards?
Walmart is everywhere and they are an extremely strong company.
Apple isn't all that smart the key for them is they have the most recognized name when it comes to downloading music, Walmart could very easily with the right marketing take a huge bite out of that.
The only way anyone can compete with iTunes is to provide music that can play on the iPod. Its difficult to see thses highly paid people at Real or MTV will be stubborn enough or ignorant enough to miss this point.
That's it. Until MTV/Real can come up with an innovative device (like the iPod or iPhone) that people "must have" which exhibits a status symbol and integrates fully with their own music library with the greatest of ease (like iTunes), there's no way they can pull it off.
That's it. Until MTV/Real can come up with an innovative device (like the iPod or iPhone) that people "must have" which exhibits a status symbol and integrates fully with their own music library with the greatest of ease (like iTunes), there's no way they can pull it off.
An ipod will play MP3 downloaded songs no problem. These people aren't selling players they are selling a service. Same with Walmart. Even if there is a problem iTunes will convert the download. Only thing ipods and itunes will not except is .wma files.
That's it. Until MTV/Real can come up with an innovative device (like the iPod or iPhone) that people "must have" which exhibits a status symbol and integrates fully with their own music library with the greatest of ease (like iTunes), there's no way they can pull it off.
The iPhone is far from a must have. Any of these mp3 file downloaded from another service can be loaded into iTunes at any time, you don't have to buy from iTunes to use it to manage your library.
Many still by CD's because there is no DRM and you can retain a hardcopy and download that CD, Audiobooks and so on into iTunes.
Anyone can go to Walmart.com download into a folder and import it into iTunes with no issue at all.
How many times are they going to start "something new" to "kill iTunes"
What is really rich is how they have this great track record of dumping on the people who currently use their services.
This is why people will never go that route. MTV, Real, Sony, and Microsoft all have proven that they don't care about their customers.
The only constant in this race is Apple.
That is why they succeed.
As far as Real, no one uses them for new content. In my web designs, I use platform agnostic formats such as MP3 for audio and flash and mpg for video.
Apple is looking out for the consumer. If it were not for them, shady cmpanies like universal would be charging us all kinds of prices for different music just because they can. As Apple has stood out in this regard, they have my loyalty no matter what the competition does to suck up to record companies. i won't buy from them because then they just think they can stick it to me worse however they want. No thanks, I'll do business with the good guys.
Apple wants to sell DRM free music via iTunes. The record industry is in denial and refuses to cooperate. Eventually Apple will sell tunes at prices the record industry wants to charge to all providers without restriction. Then there will be competition with different providers adding their mark-up and the best one will win. Hopefully it will be the consumer.
If these guys want to compete with the iPod, they've got to match the iPod + iTunes combo and atleast make it as seamless an experience. Microsoft are a mess here, why they created the Zune Marketplace (and that rip-off of iTunes) is beyond me - especially when they could have made it work with Windows Media Player (11 was pretty decent). And it's subscription based too I suppose that will make it easier when they decide to ditch their customers (and Partners) to pursue their next big foray into the digital music industry...
iTunes and iPod won't be on top forever, but with these attempts to overthrow it, I can feel safe in wanting to buy another iPod at least for the next few years.
It's going to start off slow, but support against apple is building.
I don't want to say this, because i'm apple's biggest fan, but they can't hold on forever. History is starting to repeat itself again. They lost out on the OS wars because they refused to license their software.
You claim to be "apple's [sic] biggest fan" but there are so many uniformed assertions and assumptions in this post of yours that it's laughable. I actually suspect you're trolling, but in the off-chance that you're really that far off-track with your thinking, let me point out a few things for you.
Apple NEVER lost the OS wars. There wasn't even a war to begin with. Microsoft won it from the start. There was nothing for Apple to lose. That whole notion that Apple lost it all to Microsoft is a bizarre myth invented and perpetuated by people who think the entire OS wars revolved solely around the GUI. It didn't. Apple never had the kind of market share in operating systems that they have in music sales and music players, so comparing the two things is virtually meaningless.
If there's any comparison worth noting here, it would be the parallel of Apple's dominance in mp3 players/sales to Microsoft's OS dominance. Both companies saw where things were going (Apple saw the shift to digital music and Microsoft saw the shift from hardware profits to software--and yes, that was WAY before 1984 and the Mac OS.) And what conclusion does that comparison lead you to? Exactly the opposite of what you're saying, you so-called Apple fan.
There are also a ton of other problems with your conclusion. Even if we agree that it makes any sense to compare Apple's supposed loss of the OS wars to Microsoft with their dominance in digital music, the conclusions still don't support what you're saying. First, Apple is about 1000% more aggressive in their music strategy as they were with the Mac OS. Second, the iPod can play non-iTunes formats which is analogous to software/hardware compatibility that the Mac didn't have. The iPod has an ecosystem building up around it that will be hard to undo, just like the PC ecosystem back when the Mac was the outsider.
Nothing supports what you're saying about history repeating itself.
regardless of any other competitors, you still have to get the music into a mp3 player, that means the product must deal with many hardware makers, it just can't be as slick as a dedicated relationship of itunes and ipod. they other thing is anythiing other than an ipod is sooooo substandard, maybe some geeks can do it, but i can buy an ipod give it as a gift and i'll bet that isn't "re-gifted" also 95% of most peoples music on the ipod and itunes is ripped from cd libraries. why use anything else to rip then itunes. it's a bunch of smoke and mirrors and wannabees, or i want a promotion in a company and make my bucks before the company tanks and i'm out a job......they are looking to develope number 2 in the digital business, maybe they can use zunes as promotional give aways. makes some sense. they want to get some of the pie just like apple says it wants early on to get 1-10 million phones out there. 1-5% of billions is big and that's what it's all about. working on being #2........permanantly
Apple is more succesful now than ever. And they have mmore mindshare than even in 1984.
they also know how to run a business that is hugely profitable and at the same time, hugely beneficial to the consumer. that is the key.
Mocrosoft, universal, Real, sony - their problem is they only are thinking how to tie people in to them and get your money by some trickery. Apple gets your money because they create hardware and software that you just have to have. You want it. that is the difference.
Back in the day, there were a ton of different formats and the world was confused. Online downloads wouldn't work then like they do now.
Today, you have the best hardware media player (iPod) combined with the best software media player (iTunes) and they all have the same design philosophy. Now apple is making cell phones. It will not stop. Apple is not just a computer company anymore. They not only make the best computers, but the best consumer electronics as well.
Add to that Apples branching out into various insudtries. They have major allies in the computer industry, allies in the music industry (the less greedy companies that don't want to go back in the dark ages), the movie industry (Disney is incredibly huge), Cellphones, and CE.
the other companies mentioned are only allies for a short time to try to topple the king. If that were to happen, they would then fight it out amongst themselves, thus ruining all they have gained.
MS et al, only have allies in the sense that they all want to get your dollars at any cost. that is why people wanted to be done with them.
Apple also has the most important ally of all - the consumer.
that is because they have done right by the consumer and took flack from lame companies that just want you to have to succumb to their greed.
this won't change. As evidenced by the dissolution of Sony connect, MTV Urge, Rhapsody, the lack of any real support for Zune stuff, etc. IF they can figure out a better way to drain your dollars, they will and they will leave you hanging when they go to bigger and better things.
Apple on the other hand has not shown that trend and that is why people are flocking to them in droves. This won't change. Apple is not perfect, but they have defintely learned the market and they are reaping the rewards. For example, although others are happy to rent you music, Apple lets you keep it. That is the right way to go.
Apple is a whole new animal and they will keep the basics and change where needed.
In other words, Apple will keep making the best hardware/ software combinations in the world while offering them at prices that allow them to be profitable and at the same time beneficial for the consumer.
In the end, that is what makes for a successful company that is on the elite level.
Others will try to tempt people away with cheaper songs, etc. but in the end, they have a business to run as well, so you can imagine their little temptation time is limited before they make you pay. It's just like the drug pusher: "the first one's free" then you pay the price.
MS, Sony, Real, universal are the drugs of their industries. Apple is vitamins for their industries.
Apple wants to sell DRM free music via iTunes. The record industry is in denial and refuses to cooperate. Eventually Apple will sell tunes at prices the record industry wants to charge to all providers without restriction. Then there will be competition with different providers adding their mark-up and the best one will win. Hopefully it will be the consumer.
Steve Jobs blames the record industry for DRM music, he is pretty much full of BS when he says he doesn't want DRM music. He benfits just as much by people not sharing, if you cant share it converts into more iTune sales.
regardless of any other competitors, you still have to get the music into a mp3 player, that means the product must deal with many hardware makers, it just can't be as slick as a dedicated relationship of itunes and ipod. they other thing is anythiing other than an ipod is sooooo substandard, maybe some geeks can do it, but i can buy an ipod give it as a gift and i'll bet that isn't "re-gifted" also 95% of most peoples music on the ipod and itunes is ripped from cd libraries. why use anything else to rip then itunes. it's a bunch of smoke and mirrors and wannabees, or i want a promotion in a company and make my bucks before the company tanks and i'm out a job......they are looking to develope number 2 in the digital business, maybe they can use zunes as promotional give aways. makes some sense. they want to get some of the pie just like apple says it wants early on to get 1-10 million phones out there. 1-5% of billions is big and that's what it's all about. working on being #2........permanantly
These compaies aren't attempting to compete against Apple when it comes to the iPod, iTunes isn't even worth talking about becasue its a free download for everyone. Anyone can use iTunes to manage their library.
What these companies are attempting is to cut into Apple iTune Store sales. Its all about whose going to get the case for downloading music.
This isn't an ipod competition they could care less what player you or anyone else uses that want to people to buy mp3 from them and not from Apple.
Places like Walmart can achieve that because they have a well known brand name. It's safe to say the American population knows Walmart and shops at Walmart far more often than Apple.
Walmart offers gift cards and they are even starting to offer their own brand of credit card.
Wait, is this the same 'real' that made 'real player' and the 'real' format? If so, I wouldn't care if they priced downloads at 2¢ each if it was in that sucky format.
Apple is more succesful now than ever. And they have mmore mindshare than even in 1984.
they also know how to run a business that is hugely profitable and at the same time, hugely beneficial to the consumer. that is the key.
Mocrosoft, universal, Real, sony - their problem is they only are thinking how to tie people in to them and get your money by some trickery. Apple gets your money because they create hardware and software that you just have to have. You want it. that is the difference.
Back in the day, there were a ton of different formats and the world was confused. Online downloads wouldn't work then like they do now.
Today, you have the best hardware media player (iPod) combined with the best software media player (iTunes) and they all have the same design philosophy. Now apple is making cell phones. It will not stop. Apple is not just a computer company anymore. They not only make the best computers, but the best consumer electronics as well.
Add to that Apples branching out into various insudtries. They have major allies in the computer industry, allies in the music industry (the less greedy companies that don't want to go back in the dark ages), the movie industry (Disney is incredibly huge), Cellphones, and CE.
the other companies mentioned are only allies for a short time to try to topple the king. If that were to happen, they would then fight it out amongst themselves, thus ruining all they have gained.
MS et al, only have allies in the sense that they all want to get your dollars at any cost. that is why people wanted to be done with them.
Apple also has the most important ally of all - the consumer.
that is because they have done right by the consumer and took flack from lame companies that just want you to have to succumb to their greed.
this won't change. As evidenced by the dissolution of Sony connect, MTV Urge, Rhapsody, the lack of any real support for Zune stuff, etc. IF they can figure out a better way to drain your dollars, they will and they will leave you hanging when they go to bigger and better things.
Apple on the other hand has not shown that trend and that is why people are flocking to them in droves. This won't change. Apple is not perfect, but they have defintely learned the market and they are reaping the rewards. For example, although others are happy to rent you music, Apple lets you keep it. That is the right way to go.
Apple is a whole new animal and they will keep the basics and change where needed.
In other words, Apple will keep making the best hardware/ software combinations in the world while offering them at prices that allow them to be profitable and at the same time beneficial for the consumer.
In the end, that is what makes for a successful company that is on the elite level.
Others will try to tempt people away with cheaper songs, etc. but in the end, they have a business to run as well, so you can imagine their little temptation time is limited before they make you pay. It's just like the drug pusher: "the first one's free" then you pay the price.
MS, Sony, Real, universal are the drugs of their industries. Apple is vitamins for their industries.
I was going to quote certain comments but your entire post made me laugh. You need to put down the koolaid.
Oh and by the way people don't by their hardware because they love it so much, they buy it because you can't run their OS unless you buy it. Steve Jobs likes to create his own arena and only allow you to play within his boundries.
It would be truly interesting if he put his OS out there along side MS to see how well it could truly compete head to head.
I was going to quote certain comments but your entire post made me laugh. You need to put down the koolaid.
Oh and by the way people don't by their hardware because they love it so much, they buy it because you can't run their OS unless you buy it. Steve Jobs likes to create his own arena and only allow you to play within his boundries.
It would be truly interesting if he put his OS out there along side MS to see how well it could truly compete head to head.
You have completely missed the point in every post. Apple 'truly competes' by providing a coherent hardware/software system that works. This is exactly what the iPod/iTunes provides. Its not a question of 'allowing you to play in his arena'. You buy or you don't. Your choice. Also a great many people, myself included, DO buy the hardware because of of the quality of design and construction.
You sound like a bitter PC user. Perhaps you should go away.
Comments
Exactly. I think we can now safely say that Universal is "irritated" with Apple.
Why does apple have to be like "my way or the highway"?
Apple doesn't like to be bullied, why would even larger companies want to be bullied?
Eventually a lot of companies are just going to say 'we don't have to take this from you anymore'. And the sad fact is that since apple didn't share with anyone at the beginning, other companies are out there that are willing to bow to record companies. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.
Just to reiterate again, i am a huge fan of apple and by no means do i want to see this happen. It just sucks to see them being so close-minded and pissing off their partners.
People like to pretend that they don't, but what really happened is that they are on other channels, they have at least a half dozen other channels targeted towards specific music genres. Those other channels might not show up on a typical basic cable package.
It takes a good strategy too. Money mispent and "will" misdirected will usually fail. I don't think Walmart's previous methods will succeed in paid downloads. Money and effort might somewhat make up for a misfit strategy but it can only go so far.
That may be true for some other companies but on average Walmart is one of the most sucessful companies in the world. People are saying others won't flock there to save 5 cents its actually closer to 30 cents for non DRM music.
Also for people that are not tech savy iTunes was always an easy solutions for many parents that downloaded songs for their kids, they didn't know anywhere else to go to find music. Now what parents doesn't know about Walmart? Do you think more people get Walmart gift cards or iTune gift cards?
Walmart is everywhere and they are an extremely strong company.
Apple isn't all that smart the key for them is they have the most recognized name when it comes to downloading music, Walmart could very easily with the right marketing take a huge bite out of that.
The only way anyone can compete with iTunes is to provide music that can play on the iPod. Its difficult to see thses highly paid people at Real or MTV will be stubborn enough or ignorant enough to miss this point.
That's it. Until MTV/Real can come up with an innovative device (like the iPod or iPhone) that people "must have" which exhibits a status symbol and integrates fully with their own music library with the greatest of ease (like iTunes), there's no way they can pull it off.
That's it. Until MTV/Real can come up with an innovative device (like the iPod or iPhone) that people "must have" which exhibits a status symbol and integrates fully with their own music library with the greatest of ease (like iTunes), there's no way they can pull it off.
An ipod will play MP3 downloaded songs no problem. These people aren't selling players they are selling a service. Same with Walmart. Even if there is a problem iTunes will convert the download. Only thing ipods and itunes will not except is .wma files.
That's it. Until MTV/Real can come up with an innovative device (like the iPod or iPhone) that people "must have" which exhibits a status symbol and integrates fully with their own music library with the greatest of ease (like iTunes), there's no way they can pull it off.
The iPhone is far from a must have. Any of these mp3 file downloaded from another service can be loaded into iTunes at any time, you don't have to buy from iTunes to use it to manage your library.
Many still by CD's because there is no DRM and you can retain a hardcopy and download that CD, Audiobooks and so on into iTunes.
Anyone can go to Walmart.com download into a folder and import it into iTunes with no issue at all.
Again?
How many times are they going to start "something new" to "kill iTunes"
What is really rich is how they have this great track record of dumping on the people who currently use their services.
This is why people will never go that route. MTV, Real, Sony, and Microsoft all have proven that they don't care about their customers.
The only constant in this race is Apple.
That is why they succeed.
As far as Real, no one uses them for new content. In my web designs, I use platform agnostic formats such as MP3 for audio and flash and mpg for video.
Apple is looking out for the consumer. If it were not for them, shady cmpanies like universal would be charging us all kinds of prices for different music just because they can. As Apple has stood out in this regard, they have my loyalty no matter what the competition does to suck up to record companies. i won't buy from them because then they just think they can stick it to me worse however they want. No thanks, I'll do business with the good guys.
MTV and Real to join forces against Apple's iTunes
iTunes and iPod won't be on top forever, but with these attempts to overthrow it, I can feel safe in wanting to buy another iPod at least for the next few years.
It's going to start off slow, but support against apple is building.
I don't want to say this, because i'm apple's biggest fan, but they can't hold on forever. History is starting to repeat itself again. They lost out on the OS wars because they refused to license their software.
You claim to be "apple's [sic] biggest fan" but there are so many uniformed assertions and assumptions in this post of yours that it's laughable. I actually suspect you're trolling, but in the off-chance that you're really that far off-track with your thinking, let me point out a few things for you.
Apple NEVER lost the OS wars. There wasn't even a war to begin with. Microsoft won it from the start. There was nothing for Apple to lose. That whole notion that Apple lost it all to Microsoft is a bizarre myth invented and perpetuated by people who think the entire OS wars revolved solely around the GUI. It didn't. Apple never had the kind of market share in operating systems that they have in music sales and music players, so comparing the two things is virtually meaningless.
If there's any comparison worth noting here, it would be the parallel of Apple's dominance in mp3 players/sales to Microsoft's OS dominance. Both companies saw where things were going (Apple saw the shift to digital music and Microsoft saw the shift from hardware profits to software--and yes, that was WAY before 1984 and the Mac OS.) And what conclusion does that comparison lead you to? Exactly the opposite of what you're saying, you so-called Apple fan.
There are also a ton of other problems with your conclusion. Even if we agree that it makes any sense to compare Apple's supposed loss of the OS wars to Microsoft with their dominance in digital music, the conclusions still don't support what you're saying. First, Apple is about 1000% more aggressive in their music strategy as they were with the Mac OS. Second, the iPod can play non-iTunes formats which is analogous to software/hardware compatibility that the Mac didn't have. The iPod has an ecosystem building up around it that will be hard to undo, just like the PC ecosystem back when the Mac was the outsider.
Nothing supports what you're saying about history repeating itself.
as far as repeating itself... uh, no.
Apple is more succesful now than ever. And they have mmore mindshare than even in 1984.
they also know how to run a business that is hugely profitable and at the same time, hugely beneficial to the consumer. that is the key.
Mocrosoft, universal, Real, sony - their problem is they only are thinking how to tie people in to them and get your money by some trickery. Apple gets your money because they create hardware and software that you just have to have. You want it. that is the difference.
Back in the day, there were a ton of different formats and the world was confused. Online downloads wouldn't work then like they do now.
Today, you have the best hardware media player (iPod) combined with the best software media player (iTunes) and they all have the same design philosophy. Now apple is making cell phones. It will not stop. Apple is not just a computer company anymore. They not only make the best computers, but the best consumer electronics as well.
Add to that Apples branching out into various insudtries. They have major allies in the computer industry, allies in the music industry (the less greedy companies that don't want to go back in the dark ages), the movie industry (Disney is incredibly huge), Cellphones, and CE.
the other companies mentioned are only allies for a short time to try to topple the king. If that were to happen, they would then fight it out amongst themselves, thus ruining all they have gained.
MS et al, only have allies in the sense that they all want to get your dollars at any cost. that is why people wanted to be done with them.
Apple also has the most important ally of all - the consumer.
that is because they have done right by the consumer and took flack from lame companies that just want you to have to succumb to their greed.
this won't change. As evidenced by the dissolution of Sony connect, MTV Urge, Rhapsody, the lack of any real support for Zune stuff, etc. IF they can figure out a better way to drain your dollars, they will and they will leave you hanging when they go to bigger and better things.
Apple on the other hand has not shown that trend and that is why people are flocking to them in droves. This won't change. Apple is not perfect, but they have defintely learned the market and they are reaping the rewards. For example, although others are happy to rent you music, Apple lets you keep it. That is the right way to go.
Apple is a whole new animal and they will keep the basics and change where needed.
In other words, Apple will keep making the best hardware/ software combinations in the world while offering them at prices that allow them to be profitable and at the same time beneficial for the consumer.
In the end, that is what makes for a successful company that is on the elite level.
Others will try to tempt people away with cheaper songs, etc. but in the end, they have a business to run as well, so you can imagine their little temptation time is limited before they make you pay. It's just like the drug pusher: "the first one's free" then you pay the price.
MS, Sony, Real, universal are the drugs of their industries. Apple is vitamins for their industries.
Apple wants to sell DRM free music via iTunes. The record industry is in denial and refuses to cooperate. Eventually Apple will sell tunes at prices the record industry wants to charge to all providers without restriction. Then there will be competition with different providers adding their mark-up and the best one will win. Hopefully it will be the consumer.
Steve Jobs blames the record industry for DRM music, he is pretty much full of BS when he says he doesn't want DRM music. He benfits just as much by people not sharing, if you cant share it converts into more iTune sales.
regardless of any other competitors, you still have to get the music into a mp3 player, that means the product must deal with many hardware makers, it just can't be as slick as a dedicated relationship of itunes and ipod. they other thing is anythiing other than an ipod is sooooo substandard, maybe some geeks can do it, but i can buy an ipod give it as a gift and i'll bet that isn't "re-gifted" also 95% of most peoples music on the ipod and itunes is ripped from cd libraries. why use anything else to rip then itunes. it's a bunch of smoke and mirrors and wannabees, or i want a promotion in a company and make my bucks before the company tanks and i'm out a job......they are looking to develope number 2 in the digital business, maybe they can use zunes as promotional give aways. makes some sense. they want to get some of the pie just like apple says it wants early on to get 1-10 million phones out there. 1-5% of billions is big and that's what it's all about. working on being #2........permanantly
These compaies aren't attempting to compete against Apple when it comes to the iPod, iTunes isn't even worth talking about becasue its a free download for everyone. Anyone can use iTunes to manage their library.
What these companies are attempting is to cut into Apple iTune Store sales. Its all about whose going to get the case for downloading music.
This isn't an ipod competition they could care less what player you or anyone else uses that want to people to buy mp3 from them and not from Apple.
Places like Walmart can achieve that because they have a well known brand name. It's safe to say the American population knows Walmart and shops at Walmart far more often than Apple.
Walmart offers gift cards and they are even starting to offer their own brand of credit card.
PS: Apple's DRM-free songs cost $1,29, not $0.99, so the cost difference is $0.34 per track for 256kbps MP3s.
That's some quality subtraction there. Lets try this one again: $1.29-$.94=?
I'll give you a hint, it's more than $.34
History will be different in a couple of years.
as far as repeating itself... uh, no.
Apple is more succesful now than ever. And they have mmore mindshare than even in 1984.
they also know how to run a business that is hugely profitable and at the same time, hugely beneficial to the consumer. that is the key.
Mocrosoft, universal, Real, sony - their problem is they only are thinking how to tie people in to them and get your money by some trickery. Apple gets your money because they create hardware and software that you just have to have. You want it. that is the difference.
Back in the day, there were a ton of different formats and the world was confused. Online downloads wouldn't work then like they do now.
Today, you have the best hardware media player (iPod) combined with the best software media player (iTunes) and they all have the same design philosophy. Now apple is making cell phones. It will not stop. Apple is not just a computer company anymore. They not only make the best computers, but the best consumer electronics as well.
Add to that Apples branching out into various insudtries. They have major allies in the computer industry, allies in the music industry (the less greedy companies that don't want to go back in the dark ages), the movie industry (Disney is incredibly huge), Cellphones, and CE.
the other companies mentioned are only allies for a short time to try to topple the king. If that were to happen, they would then fight it out amongst themselves, thus ruining all they have gained.
MS et al, only have allies in the sense that they all want to get your dollars at any cost. that is why people wanted to be done with them.
Apple also has the most important ally of all - the consumer.
that is because they have done right by the consumer and took flack from lame companies that just want you to have to succumb to their greed.
this won't change. As evidenced by the dissolution of Sony connect, MTV Urge, Rhapsody, the lack of any real support for Zune stuff, etc. IF they can figure out a better way to drain your dollars, they will and they will leave you hanging when they go to bigger and better things.
Apple on the other hand has not shown that trend and that is why people are flocking to them in droves. This won't change. Apple is not perfect, but they have defintely learned the market and they are reaping the rewards. For example, although others are happy to rent you music, Apple lets you keep it. That is the right way to go.
Apple is a whole new animal and they will keep the basics and change where needed.
In other words, Apple will keep making the best hardware/ software combinations in the world while offering them at prices that allow them to be profitable and at the same time beneficial for the consumer.
In the end, that is what makes for a successful company that is on the elite level.
Others will try to tempt people away with cheaper songs, etc. but in the end, they have a business to run as well, so you can imagine their little temptation time is limited before they make you pay. It's just like the drug pusher: "the first one's free" then you pay the price.
MS, Sony, Real, universal are the drugs of their industries. Apple is vitamins for their industries.
I was going to quote certain comments but your entire post made me laugh. You need to put down the koolaid.
Oh and by the way people don't by their hardware because they love it so much, they buy it because you can't run their OS unless you buy it. Steve Jobs likes to create his own arena and only allow you to play within his boundries.
It would be truly interesting if he put his OS out there along side MS to see how well it could truly compete head to head.
I was going to quote certain comments but your entire post made me laugh. You need to put down the koolaid.
Oh and by the way people don't by their hardware because they love it so much, they buy it because you can't run their OS unless you buy it. Steve Jobs likes to create his own arena and only allow you to play within his boundries.
It would be truly interesting if he put his OS out there along side MS to see how well it could truly compete head to head.
You have completely missed the point in every post. Apple 'truly competes' by providing a coherent hardware/software system that works. This is exactly what the iPod/iTunes provides. Its not a question of 'allowing you to play in his arena'. You buy or you don't. Your choice. Also a great many people, myself included, DO buy the hardware because of of the quality of design and construction.
You sound like a bitter PC user. Perhaps you should go away.