Apple out to acquire Roxio? To enable windows user to buy in Apple music store

June 9, 2003

TheRegister writes that Apple would be talking with Roxio, the company that is best known for its Easy CD/DVD Creator products. The company also owns Napster and is involved in PressPlay an online music download service. TheRegister bases the rumors on 'reliable sources' that posted information on the Apple rumor site LoopRumors. Apple would be intrested in Roxio's products like Photosuite and Videowave which should be included in Apple's upcoming product iLife-suite for Windows.

This software would also include iTunes for Windows which enables Windows users to shop in Apple's online Music Store. Also Apple would get the assets of Napster trough Roxio and neutralize PressPlay a competitors for its music store.

But of greater interest to Apple is Roxio's Windows offerings, which include Toast, video editing and digital photo software. Apple bought MP3 jukebox software from Casady & Greene, reworked the user interface and renamed it iTunes. You can see it doing the same with Roxio's Photosuite (iPhoto for Windows) and Videowave (iMovie for Windows).

Now that Apple is charging for its iLife bundle - iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie and iDVD - its entirely possible that the company believes it can make more money selling the software than by giving it away to encourage consumers to buy a Mac. It certainly has to port iTunes to Windows to broaden the availability of its Music Store - indeed, it has been looking for a new member of staff to handle the port - so why not the rest of iLife?