iMusic from buy.com

kumrabai · July 17, 2003 8:48AM

Buy.com announces firm Jul 22 launch date for iMusic.

http://www.atnewyork.com/news/article.php/2235911

I don't like this - Apple is losing out on its best opportunity to dominate the market. Why should it take until the end of the year to get a Windows product moving?

And why does this matter for us? If Apple is able to sharply increase volume, prices come down, less partial albums etc. etc.

Andrew

hmurchison · July 17, 2003 9:24AM

This is good new. They will be peddling WM9 crap. While Microsloth has the advantage of marketshare their format is limited because it comes from one provider and has an inflexible DRM policy.

Apple needs to continue to push the advantages of AAC and get it's windows software out.

superkarate monkeydeathcar · July 17, 2003 9:35AM

already a thread

although it's mistakenly titled as best buy.

cubedude · July 17, 2003 9:56AM

Even if they do have a la carte downloads, it probably won't matter if they decide to charge to burn to a CD, transfer to MP3 player, etc.

kumrabai · July 17, 2003 10:13AM

Quote:

Originally posted by hmurchison

This is good new. They will be peddling WM9 crap. While Microsloth has the advantage of marketshare their format is limited because it comes from one provider and has an inflexible DRM policy.

Apple needs to continue to push the advantages of AAC and get it's windows software out.

Do we know that it's WM9? The article could be taken to imply that some of the basic architecture is similar to ITMS.

But in the end, get the damn ITMS for Windows out, absolutely.

hmurchison · July 17, 2003 10:32AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kumrabai

Do we know that it's WM9? The article could be taken to imply that some of the basic architecture is similar to ITMS.

But in the end, get the damn ITMS for Windows out, absolutely.

Yup

Quote:

The Loudeye Media Framework, built on Microsoft's Windows Media 9 Series, is a plug-and-play option for third-party retailers looking to distribute copyright-protected content on the Internet.

That's enough for me to never use it. I hate WM format.

murk · July 17, 2003 10:45AM

Apple should have at least trademarked everything with an "i" in front.

ast3r3x · July 17, 2003 11:09AM

Quote:

Originally posted by murk

Apple should have at least trademarked everything with an "i" in front.

its a crime how badlyl that was stolen from apple by so many companies

macsrgood4u · July 17, 2003 11:51AM

iMusic doesn't have many of the major labels on board. It's no competition and Apple will have an iTunes ported for Windows as soon as possible. They said yesterday, "by the end of the year". They want to get it right and not have an app full of bugs. Patience kiddies.

nebrie · July 17, 2003 12:31PM

I hope Apple sues them for brand dilution. If the best name they could come up with was that then they deserve it.

inactionman · July 17, 2003 12:48PM

Apple print ads read applemusic.com, you access it using iTunes blah blah blah. Buy.com cleverely calls their foray into music scene iMusic.

This just seems way too much like those porn sites ( or any site for that matter) that boost their hit count from people typing in the wrong address.

I doubt there is anything apple can do to stop them from using that name but buy.com's intent is glaringly obvious. At that very least, maybe this will get SJ to lock the iTunes programmers into the basement until they are finished iTunesWindows.

And of course, I have no doubt that "iMusic" will be a stunning failure.

torifile · July 17, 2003 12:50PM

Wasn't iMusic one of the rumored names for iTunes before it was released. IIRC, Jobs even accidently called iTunes iMusic during the keynote. Surely they must have some trademark on it, right? Prolly not....

inactionman · July 17, 2003 1:00PM

iMusic was indeed the rumoured name of iTunes before it was released. Even still, it seems that a good lot of the media seems to think that the iTMS is officially called Apple iMusic.

There is also a website that is already called iMusic.com.

Where do you go to find out what has been registered by a company. Maybe Apple does have this covered Christ they try to patent/trademark just about everything they can.

Edit: Checked Apple's website and they do not have iMusic covered.

kumrabai · July 17, 2003 3:46PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ast3r3x

its a crime how badlyl that was stolen from apple by so many companies

You know, it's an interesting thought. While you would have a difficult time trademarking the 'i' in 'iTunes', iMac etc, you may have a case for going after the iMusic as a concept. It's just too close to itunes music, wouldn't you say?

macsrgood4u · July 17, 2003 4:19PM

I have no doubt the lawyers in Cupertino will be looking into this. By offering a similar service or product and using an "i" could be a trademark violation. Trying to benefit from someone elses work by offering a service that is similar in name. Buy.com also said in the p.r. that they would use an interface that is similar to iTunes. That also could get them into trouble. Since the record industry isn't fully supporting Buy.com they'll have a difficult time. By the way, remember the Spanish site Puretunes? They may be shut down because of international copyright violations. There are some loopholes in Spanish law, but they may have not found the right one to jump through.

frawgz · July 17, 2003 4:32PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kumrabai

And why does this matter for us? If Apple is able to sharply increase volume, prices come down, less partial albums etc. etc.

Seems download rate has dropped sharply since the iTMS' inception. I hope they get iTMS Windows out soon, so they don't continue losing money on it.

cubedude · July 17, 2003 4:46PM

Quote:

Originally posted by InactionMan

iMusic was indeed the rumoured name of iTunes before it was released. Even still, it seems that a good lot of the media seems to think that the iTMS is officially called Apple iMusic.

There is also a website that is already called iMusic.com.

Where do you go to find out what has been registered by a company. Maybe Apple does have this covered Christ they try to patent/trademark just about everything they can.

Edit: Checked Apple's website and they do not have iMusic covered.

iMusic is trademarked by ArtistDirect, Inc.

www.artistdirect.com/

iMusic from buy.com

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