Apple expected to boost iTunes song samples to 60 seconds

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
Apple this week is expected to double the length of free song samples within the iTunes Store, from 30 seconds to 60 seconds, according to a new report.



Citing anonymous sources, Greg Sandoval of CNet reported Monday that Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs is expected to announce at his company's media event on Wednesday that iTunes users will be able to sample a minute of a song before purchasing. Currently, iTunes song samples are limited to 30 seconds.



The report said that the addition of more sample time is one of a number of expected changes to iTunes, aimed at helping users discover music. It is rumored that Apple will spend "a large part" of the event detailing how the new iTunes improves the user experience. That correlates with a report from last week that indicated Apple would present changes to iTunes with a social focus.



Also echoing last week's report, Sandoval said that Apple is not expected to introduce a cloud-based iTunes service, which would allow users to stream music to devices such as the iPhone. Apple has shown interest in offering such capabilities, but the Cupertino, Calif., company reportedly does not have the necessary contracts in place.



"For those who are hoping Apple will finally launch the cloud music service that CNET and others have written so much about in recent months, you're likely going to have to keep waiting," he wrote.



Apple will hold its event on Wednesday at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, Calif., beginning at 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern. AppleInsider will have full coverage.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 40
    Citing anonymous sources, Greg Sandoval of CNet reported Monday that Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs is expected to announce at his company's media event on Wednesday that iTunes users will be able to sample a minute of a song before purchasing. Currently, iTunes song samples are limited to 60 seconds.



    A minute is sixty seconds!
  • Reply 2 of 40
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:

    Currently, iTunes song samples are limited to 60 seconds.



    No, they are currently limited to 30 seconds, as suggested by the headline.
  • Reply 3 of 40
    kolchakkolchak Posts: 1,398member
    Finally. They should also sample the middle of the song, not the beginning. There've been so many times when I couldn't tell what a song was because it started at the very beginning of a very long intro and the sample would end right after the very first few notes of the meat of the music.
  • Reply 4 of 40
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Apple this week is expected to double the length of free song samples within the iTunes Store, from 30 seconds to 60 seconds, according to a new report.



    As noted, this should help in those cases where the iTunes automatic sample is mostly 20 to 25 seconds of quiet intro with only a few seconds of actual main song. (or when the intro is completely different from the main song)



    Otherwise, a pretty small news item.



    Good news -- yes. Huge -- no.
  • Reply 5 of 40
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    No, they are currently limited to 30 seconds, as suggested by the headline.



    I believe my comment pointed out this error. And I was first to post. Perhaps you missed it.
  • Reply 6 of 40
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    "Apple is not expected to introduce a cloud-based iTunes service, which would allow users to stream music to devices such as the iPhone.



    If I have more than one computer in my network, I can share my playlist with the other using iTunes.



    Why can't a simple app be created to allow me to do this in my iPhone?

    Some apps such as Orb requires me to connect to a remote server and then stream my music. Why can't this be done locally?
  • Reply 7 of 40
    I wonder if this new policy will apply to videos?
  • Reply 8 of 40
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Hopefully we’ll get a redesigned iTunes X, too.
  • Reply 9 of 40
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 3,949member
    As usual, by the time of the event everything will have been leaked leaving no surprises. I long for the oooh-ahhh moments at events of old. If Apple isn't careful, these events will start becoming ho-hum and will not garner the media and public attention they used to. I think they need to start getting smarter about the run up. Maybe seeding disinformation, and doubling down on security. A little misdirection, a little slight of hand. Bring back the magic.
  • Reply 10 of 40
    h2ph2p Posts: 329member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Robin Huber View Post


    As usual, by the time of the event everything will have been leaked leaving no surprises. I long for the oooh-ahhh moments at events of old. If Apple isn't careful, these events will start becoming ho-hum and will not garner the media and public attention they used to. I think they need to start getting smarter about the run up. Maybe seeding disinformation, and doubling down on security. A little misdirection, a little slight of hand. Bring back the magic.



    Thanks for posting this... I wholeheartedly agree... BUT, I'm reading an Apple Rumor Site... what up?
  • Reply 11 of 40
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 3,949member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by H2P View Post


    Thanks for posting this... I wholeheartedly agree... BUT, I'm reading an Apple Rumor Site... what up?



    Oh, I'm not anti-rumor. I love rumors. That's why I'm here. I just want the rumors to be really wrong sometimes.
  • Reply 12 of 40
    plovellplovell Posts: 824member
    It seems to me that some (by no means all) samples are from somewhere other than the beginning.



    The "long intro" thing is vexing. The "60 seconds" will indeed help, as will more selecting from the "key" part of the music.
  • Reply 13 of 40
    Seems unlikely considering that record companies wanted to charge for the 30 seconds.
  • Reply 14 of 40
    About time. (Pun intended).
  • Reply 15 of 40
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Apple this week is expected to double the length of free song samples within the iTunes Store, from 30 seconds to 60 seconds, according to a new report. ...



    So tracks under a minute are free?



    Seriously, as someone who buys a lot of arty albums with "intro" songs and "in-between tracks" of 40 seconds to a minute 20, it's kind of a drag to pay the same price for that as one does for a regular song. It would be nice to get them free.
  • Reply 16 of 40
    I've heard a lot of people say, when asked about their computer, that they have Intel Athlons. I don't buy their claims that AMD has better recognition.
  • Reply 17 of 40
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 3,949member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by patrickwalker View Post


    I've heard a lot of people say, when asked about their computer, that they have Intel Athlons. I don't buy their claims that AMD has better recognition.



    Think you walked in the wrong room.
  • Reply 18 of 40
    newbeenewbee Posts: 2,055member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Robin Huber View Post


    As usual, by the time of the event everything will have been leaked leaving no surprises. I long for the oooh-ahhh moments at events of old. If Apple isn't careful, these events will start becoming ho-hum and will not garner the media and public attention they used to. I think they need to start getting smarter about the run up. Maybe seeding disinformation, and doubling down on security. A little misdirection, a little slight of hand. Bring back the magic.



    If you look at the last few years Apple has had several presentations per year ... some to announce something exciting, others, not so much .... but still necessary, IMO, if only to keep the Apple buzz alive and kicking.

    It would be almost impossible to have the same kind of excitement that the 2007 iPhone intro created. Even as a child I didn't enjoy discovering all of my presents as much as my first bike ... but I looked forward to every Christmas all the same.
  • Reply 19 of 40
    iguesssoiguessso Posts: 132member
    Bump it up to 5 minutes and I'm in!
  • Reply 20 of 40
    Good thing they don't intro Metallica songs. Those are easily two minute intros at times.
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