Apple iTunes popularity to surpass RealPlayer

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
Apple's iTunes is climbing the streaming media charts faster than its competitors and will soon pass Real's RealPlayer in unique users.



According to recent data from Nielsen NetRatings and Apple, unique users of Apple's iTunes player passed QuickTime in mid-2005, and at its current growth rate should pass RealPlayer by mid-2006.



Already, the popularity of Podcasting has iTunes users tuning in over twice as long with iTunes than with RealPlayer or Windows Media Player. Data shows iTunes users tune in for an average of 111 minutes versus 46.4 minutes per RealPlayer user -- 2.4 times as long.



Come mid-2006, only Microsoft's Windows Media Player will have more unique users than iTunes. At that time it's estimated Microsoft's player will have about 80 million unique users, while iTunes will have just under 30 million. RealPlayer has remained steady over the last three years with about 28 million unique users.



Meanwhile, in-home broadband usage is also on the uptake, with data from February showing US broadband penetration to be at 68 percent in February 2006. Narrowband users -- those on 56Kbps or slower modems -- now only comprises 32 percent of active Internet users.



At the current growth rate, broadband penetration among active Internet users in US homes should break 70% by April of 2006.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 31
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Curious, since iTunes is essentially a QuickTime trojan horse...
  • Reply 2 of 31
    grahamwgrahamw Posts: 575member
    You're not kidding. I installed iTunes the other day and when I came home my apartment had been sacked by Greeks. There was feta everywhere.



    I say bring on the DRM. We need more Digital Ransacking Management.
  • Reply 3 of 31
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Hurrah!!!!!
  • Reply 4 of 31
    boogabooga Posts: 1,082member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Kickaha

    Curious, since iTunes is essentially a QuickTime trojan horse...



    To Windows users these days, iTunes *is* Quicktime. It is pretty much impossible to install Quicktime alone anymore. It is now bundled into iTunes for Windows, so the only way most Windows users ever see it is to install iTunes.
  • Reply 5 of 31
    Quicktime is available as a stand-alone installer: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/standalone.html
  • Reply 6 of 31
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    Some friends of mine who work in film/video are pretty annoyed with the QT/ iTunes situation.



    They want Quicktime but don't want iTunes. Apple forces you to take one with the other.



    I've heard their are ways to get around that but you have to force the two apart.
  • Reply 7 of 31
    kim kap solkim kap sol Posts: 2,987member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by TenoBell

    Some friends of mine who work in film/video are pretty annoyed with the QT/ iTunes situation.



    They want Quicktime but don't want iTunes. Apple forces you to take one with the other.



    I've heard their are ways to get around that but you have to force the two apart.




    demented_irony has just proven the contrary.



    But anyhoo...iTunes can't work without QuickTime. iTunes uses the QuickTime framework to play media.



    Technically, QuickTime *is* the media player...iTunes is just a front end.



    To say iTunes has surpassed QuickTime would be wrong since:



    1. A lot of people have QuickTime installed and do not have iTunes.

    2. People that have iTunes must absolutely have QuickTime installed.



    So iTunes will never surpass QuickTime in download...



    I know I'm engaging in a form of semantics and the real topic is iTunes vs Media Player vs RealPlayer vs QuickTime Player but...if we're going to go that far, I think it's safe to say QuickTime *Player* has no chance since it's predominently a movie player...and not an amazing one at that since it doesn't offer cataloguing features found in many media player apps.



    Any way you look at it, this is a win for QuickTime, AAC, H.264.



    I hate iTunes and how bloated it is...but if it can supplant Media Player, I'll be very happy.
  • Reply 8 of 31
    eckingecking Posts: 1,588member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by TenoBell

    Some friends of mine who work in film/video are pretty annoyed with the QT/ iTunes situation.



    They want Quicktime but don't want iTunes. Apple forces you to take one with the other.



    I've heard their are ways to get around that but you have to force the two apart.




    That's not true at all. In past 2 months I've installed quicktime on like 4 different win computers.



    I'm in film/video too and if your friends are editors you think they'd have a sharp eye(you need one for editing).



    It's called Quicktime Standalone Installer it's right above the ipod ad.

    It's not a cluttered page so it's extremely easy to find.



    http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html



    Take a look for youself.
  • Reply 9 of 31
    the cool gutthe cool gut Posts: 1,714member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ecking

    It's called Quicktime Standalone Installer it's right above the ipod ad.

    It's not a cluttered page so it's extremely easy to find.



    http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html



    Take a look for youself.



    Well, not that I care - but it doesn't exactly jump out at you.
  • Reply 10 of 31
    vox barbaravox barbara Posts: 2,021member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by kim kap sol

    demented_irony has just proven the contrary.



    ...

    I hate iTunes and how bloated it is...but if it can supplant Media Player, I'll be very happy.




    You don't mind to explain why (in your opinion) iTunes

    is bloated, do you?
  • Reply 11 of 31
    banchobancho Posts: 1,517member
    Realwho?
  • Reply 12 of 31
    grahamwgrahamw Posts: 575member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Vox Barbara

    You don't mind to explain why (in your opinion) iTunes

    is bloated, do you?




    It had the turkey, and it ate a bit too much. It's a bit sleepy but if you give it a few hours it'll be right as rain.
  • Reply 13 of 31
    auxioauxio Posts: 2,717member
    iTunes doesn't feel bloated at all on a Mac. And Windows Media Player feels like a piece of garbage.



    Simple fact: whichever media player isn't bundled in with your particular operating system is going to feel bloated.
  • Reply 14 of 31
    nauticalnautical Posts: 109member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by grahamw

    It had the turkey, and it ate a bit too much. It's a bit sleepy but if you give it a few hours it'll be right as rain.



    My gosh, you're mighty talkative all of the sudden. Working hard on that post count are we?
  • Reply 15 of 31
    nauticalnautical Posts: 109member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by auxio

    iTunes doesn't feel bloated at all on a Mac. And Windows Media Player feels like a piece of garbage.



    Simple fact: whichever media player isn't bundled in with your particular operating system is going to feel bloated.




    You know, I'm pretty sure that when people around here speak of iTunes as "bloated", they're actually not talking about its sluggishness or the amount of code contained within it; but rather the fact that its filled to the brim with features that should have merited the creation of another application. Thus iTunes is just as "bloated" on Windows as it is on a Mac.
  • Reply 16 of 31
    xoolxool Posts: 2,460member
    Here's a blog entry by a Microsoftie who tried to find a better device + software combo for over 16 months and eventually gave up. He purchased many devices and posted reviews on the way.



    Link



    I also posted it on Digg, digg it help get me on Diggnation! Do it!



    Anyhow, an interesting read. I'm smart and love my iPod & iTunes, but some people like to spend a lot of time and money to come to the conclusion.
  • Reply 17 of 31
    pmjoepmjoe Posts: 565member
    Well, I never had any motivation to put any music into Windows Media Player. I wouldn't even begin to know how to do it. I can play music and video files and streaming media with it, but as far as setting up a library and creating playlists, etc., forget it.



    On the other hand iTunes is just a joy to use, I don't even have an iPod and I use iTunes almost daily to organize my music and streaming media. My parents (in their 70's) don't really even know how to browse the web on their computer, yet I have them using iTunes to listen to their music.



    I used to use RealPlayer all the time, but to be honest, not too many sites provide RealAudio content anymore.
  • Reply 18 of 31
    Yeah, anyone else wish they would have come out with a new app when the started doing video? I like the name iTunes but thats a norrow name. i"tunes" how can app with that name have the movie I want to download?



    That question is not asked by me but rather could be an issue for people looking for downloading movies. (My parents come to mind) That shit would confuse them.



    all in favor of (insert your new app. name here) say AYE!



    imedia?



    iSamGoody



    iBlockMacBusterTunes



    iHaveMusicandMovies



    iHaveEverythigYouNeed





    those are some of mine......





    \ \
  • Reply 19 of 31
    boogabooga Posts: 1,082member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by demented_irony

    Quicktime is available as a stand-alone installer: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/standalone.html



    Fascinating... I wish Apple would point to this when Windows users request Quicktime. Pointing them to iTunes just pisses people off.
  • Reply 20 of 31
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Very interesting!





    Seriously though, who gives a fuck about realplayer!
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