Apple has done very well with its online music store since its launch selling over 50 million songs so far. Despite this many sales, they have only reached half their target of 100 million tracks by 28th April which had been predicted last October following the launch of the Windows iTunes version. Pepsi's promotion has also managed to give away some 100 million songs which are excluded from iTunes' sale count.
With other legal services including Napster, MusicMatch and MyCokeMusic aiming to compete with online music download sales, Apple is beginning face increased competition. Apple currently sells roughly 2.5 million songs per month and has kept its fixed track price of 99 cent per song since its launch last April. It still currently is available in theUS only and its music library size has grown about 250% its initial launch of 200.000. Apple expects to launch international versions of iTunes later this year. Quakester2000 submitted the
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But the number is far less than the target of 100 million tracks that Apple set itself last year. It launched its online music store for Mac users in April 2003 and expanded it to Windows users in October. Apple is the leading player in online music but it faces increasing competition from others seeking a slice of the market for digital downloads. Ambitious goal The tracks sold exclude some 100 million songs being given away as part of a promotion with Pepsi. Apple said the 50 millionth tune was The Path of Thorns by Sarah McLachlan, purchased last Thursday. "Crossing 50 million songs is a major milestone for iTunes and the emerging digital music era," said Apple boss Steve Jobs. But the figure is short of the ambitious goal announced by Mr Jobs when he launched a version of the store for Windows users in October. At the time, he talked of selling 100 million songs by 28 April. Read the full story here. |
While Apple only have a tiny percentage of the computer market, they have done very well when it comes to multimedia products such as their music download service and iPod hard drive based digital audio player. Unlike most of the others, iTunes uses the supperior AAC audio codec for its music where as the rest seem to prefer the controversial WMA codec. Unforunately this means that iTunes music is only compatible with the Apple and upcoming HP iPod's or CD players once recorded to CD-R/RW.
The only thing their music service along with many others seems to be lacking is competition in pricing. Apple has fixed its price to 99 cent per song since the iTunes launch about a year ago. With most other music services doing the same in the US, I would not be surprised if the music industry gets another lawsuit for price fixing again.
Feel free to discuss and read more about iTunes and other competing music download services on our Music Downloads, P2P & Legal Issues Forum.
Source: BBC News - UK Edition
