Well duh! Spotify just issued an update this week and it's better than ever. Nothing in the world comes close to it. Apple has probably been hindered by its huge contracts with music labels to provide a real streaming service. But they will eventually make one, it's the obvious progression of things. Even then, I like Spotify so much and have spent so many years tuning it to my preferences, that I wouldn't switch to iTunes streaming right away.
So how do Google Play and Apple's App Store compare in revenue from their Japanese customers? Neck and neck, completely counter to "everyone knows Android owners don't spend money".
The takeaway from the dramatic increases being seen in Google Play revenue over the past 12 months or so? By the end of this year monthly worldwide Google Play revenues may exceed those for Apple's App Store.
Figured it's probably good to mention that now to soften the blow for those who never saw it coming if it happens
24 bit lossless sales and I'd start purchasing more as that's even better than cd quality. I know I'm in the minority but it would at least open up doors for marketing. I read a year or two ago that apple was requesting 24 bit tracks from the studios so maybe this is under consideration.
As far as iTunes, I'm still running running iTunes 10 because 11 seemed awful to me. The box set cover art isn't even centered not mention the elimination of cover flow.
iTunes also hasn't fixed a major bug on ios7 when trying to choose an album after selecting an artist. None of the albums are alphabetized like they used to be and all of the tracks are listed which takes forever to find an album. This bug alone has kept me on ios6 on my phone. Running 7 on my ipad since I don't use that for music. Sucks because I like ios7 otherwise and would love to update my phone. It's hard to believe Apple would allow a major app like iTunes to be this bad.
I would re-buy a lot of stuff in 24 bit lossless.
It's not Apple holding this back either. A lot of artists are holding tight to this, as they know it's a once in 20 years audio improvement that is a new opportunity to sell the same stuff again.
This is a direct consequence of Apple free falling market shares in iphones and ipods. With android having over 80% market share worldwide, that means all those people are buying songs from google or other offering on android.
imo Apple needs to enter the mid-range market with a $300 phone to regain critical mass on its ecosystem. itunes on android will also help, but its better to offer cheaper hardware to keep selling music, apps, movies, ....
This is a direct consequence of Apple free falling market shares in iphones and ipods. With android having over 80% market share worldwide, that means all those people are buying songs from google or other offering on android.
imo Apple needs to enter the mid-range market with a $300 phone to regain critical mass on its ecosystem. itunes on android will also help, but its better to offer cheaper hardware to keep selling music, apps, movies, ....
Free falling? For the iPhone, I guess it depends on what your definition of the market is. For iPod, Apple still has 70% MS.
No $300 iPhone. Apple makes more money on iPhones than on iTunes.
The decline in music sales is universal, not just an iTunes problem. No software or hardware updates or innovations will prop up sales.
Maestro64 got it right, I think. It's an issue of quality in many respects. Maybe I sound like an old man, but modern music just isn't up to snuff. Labels are run by corporate interests and investors who demand quarterly results instead of allowing artists the time to incubate and create long-term viability through development and building an audience.
Hit songs are becoming more dependent on algorithms and marketing strategies than old school musical artistry. No one likes to admit it, but the quality is not there.
Add to that the devaluation of music in general. There are so many low-cost and free sources of music, including radio, piracy, streaming services, cable and satellite channels through television providers and of course YouTube.
People don't view music as having as much value as they used to. So they're not willing to pay for it.
Personally I prefer to buy a CD from Amazon and get the free MP3 that comes with it - playable in Amazon cloud anytime, anywhere.
Then I rip it in Lossless iTunes. A much better deal than ever buying something in iTunes.
That sounds like a terrific idea. CDs aren't DRM'd anyway, so it's not like Amazon is making the music less secure than the CD they're delivering.
I'm fully invested in the iTunes ecosystem, and I personally don't miss the lack of physical media. In fact, I like the iCloud storage and access to my music anytime.
24 bit lossless sales and I'd start purchasing more as that's even better than cd quality. I know I'm in the minority but it would at least open up doors for marketing. I read a year or two ago that apple was requesting 24 bit tracks from the studios so maybe this is under consideration.
I used to buy songs on iTunes. Syncing was an issue for me as it required Match to sync playlists. Dreadful. Heard about spotify for a long time so figured let me check it out. Signed up and never bought another song on iTunes since.
I have premium spotify service now for 10 bucks a month. I have access to any song, album, comedy and more. Playlists are sync'd perfectly and instantly on desktop, iphone, ipads. It is easy to use and what I felt was the perfect music delivery system and interface. Spotify nailed it, period. I have not opened up my iTunes app since signing up for Spotify over 6 months ago.
I feel Apple let themselves get disrupted. The Innovators Dilemma is alive and well. Jobs used to disrupt Apple before anyone else could. Cook sits by and allows Apple to get disrupted.
Cook should buy Spotify right now. Pay up before it gets more expensive to build your own and gain traction. Pay up now before they pay up more later. Either that or they have to cede the music market to the Spotify's and Pandora's of the world and just settle that music won't be part of their portfolio going forward.
I feel Apple let themselves get disrupted. The Innovators Dilemma is alive and well. Jobs used to disrupt Apple before anyone else could. Cook sits by and allows Apple to get disrupted.
SHH. I want iTunes match on my Nexus 5. Besides that, I refuse to buy a single Movie or Show on iTunes till they open up to more platforms. I don't need my movie collection locked to apple only devices in perpetuity thank you very much.
Enjoy not watching any iTunes movies on your Android device for ever.
Comments
So how do Google Play and Apple's App Store compare in revenue from their Japanese customers? Neck and neck, completely counter to "everyone knows Android owners don't spend money".
https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.appannie.com/reports/App+Annie+Japan+Spotlight+-+Japan+Inflection+Point.pdf
I agree, those data look fishy. Show us another, independent source.
Cpsro, AppAnnie depends heavily on and is widely used by iOS developers. They're hardly a biased pro-Android resource but here's two others using Distimo for the data source.
http://www.developereconomics.com/android-monetisation-myth/
http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/23/app-revenue-in-asia-grew-a-massive-162-in-2013-driven-by-google-play/
The takeaway from the dramatic increases being seen in Google Play revenue over the past 12 months or so? By the end of this year monthly worldwide Google Play revenues may exceed those for Apple's App Store.
Figured it's probably good to mention that now to soften the blow for those who never saw it coming if it happens
I would re-buy a lot of stuff in 24 bit lossless.
It's not Apple holding this back either. A lot of artists are holding tight to this, as they know it's a once in 20 years audio improvement that is a new opportunity to sell the same stuff again.
The sky is falling too. Look out.
Offer Apple Loseless Audio Codec albums or high resolution alternatives...get on the bandwagon Apple!
So they can have an additional .1%-.5% percent more sales for a 5X increase in data usage?
I'm saying giving the HMS Titanic a complete and awesome makeover while it is sinking will not stop it from sinking.
I misunderstood. My apologies.
Free falling? For the iPhone, I guess it depends on what your definition of the market is. For iPod, Apple still has 70% MS.
No $300 iPhone. Apple makes more money on iPhones than on iTunes.
RMS.
Maestro64 got it right, I think. It's an issue of quality in many respects. Maybe I sound like an old man, but modern music just isn't up to snuff. Labels are run by corporate interests and investors who demand quarterly results instead of allowing artists the time to incubate and create long-term viability through development and building an audience.
Hit songs are becoming more dependent on algorithms and marketing strategies than old school musical artistry. No one likes to admit it, but the quality is not there.
Add to that the devaluation of music in general. There are so many low-cost and free sources of music, including radio, piracy, streaming services, cable and satellite channels through television providers and of course YouTube.
People don't view music as having as much value as they used to. So they're not willing to pay for it.
PMS.
Personally I prefer to buy a CD from Amazon and get the free MP3 that comes with it - playable in Amazon cloud anytime, anywhere.
Then I rip it in Lossless iTunes. A much better deal than ever buying something in iTunes.
Internet safely!
That sounds like a terrific idea. CDs aren't DRM'd anyway, so it's not like Amazon is making the music less secure than the CD they're delivering.
I'm fully invested in the iTunes ecosystem, and I personally don't miss the lack of physical media. In fact, I like the iCloud storage and access to my music anytime.
Lossless, yes. 24-bit, no.
http://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html
I have premium spotify service now for 10 bucks a month. I have access to any song, album, comedy and more. Playlists are sync'd perfectly and instantly on desktop, iphone, ipads. It is easy to use and what I felt was the perfect music delivery system and interface. Spotify nailed it, period. I have not opened up my iTunes app since signing up for Spotify over 6 months ago.
I feel Apple let themselves get disrupted. The Innovators Dilemma is alive and well. Jobs used to disrupt Apple before anyone else could. Cook sits by and allows Apple to get disrupted.
Cook should buy Spotify right now. Pay up before it gets more expensive to build your own and gain traction. Pay up now before they pay up more later. Either that or they have to cede the music market to the Spotify's and Pandora's of the world and just settle that music won't be part of their portfolio going forward.
Left off the /s tag.
Enjoy not watching any iTunes movies on your Android device for ever.