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Repeated iTunes Downloads on Multiple Devices?
March 4, 2011
iTunes may be allowing unlimited repeatable downloads in order for consumers to pay for a song once, but access it on all their web music devices.
BY MOLLY BOLAND
You're watching multisource entertainment video news analysis from Newsy.
While techies obsess over details about Apple’s new iPad 2, iTunes is also grabbing some headlines.
“...Apple is in talks with record companies to make it easier for iTunes customers to access music they bought across multiple devices and to give users a permanent back up. That means we will be able the get back songs even if the original downloads are lost or damaged...” (KSDK)
According to a Bloomberg report, Apple is looking into making digital music access more flexible.
“Apple and the record labels are eager to maintain demand for digital downloading amid rising popularity for Internet services such as Pandora Media Inc., which don’t sell tracks and instead let users stream songs from the Web, whatever the device.”
“A deal would provide iTunes customers with a permanent backup of music purchases … The service also would allow downloads to iPad, iPod and iPhone devices linked to the same iTunes account...”
You would also be able to download to any device without paying a second time. Sound convenient? TG Daily writes -- an idea like this should have been in the works for a while now and called the current iTunes system for keeping track of your music...
“...needlessly cumbersome, and now Apple seems to feel the same way.”
The record companies rumored to be involved include Universal, Sony, Warner Music Group, and EMI. PCWorld heard the rumors but doubts the record labels would be so willing to cooperate.
“The big question is what kind of incentives Apple could offer the major recording labels to go ahead with the company's scheme. The music labels have been wary of Apple in the past, and may be reluctant to give up even more control of their product to consumers.”
iTunes currently accounts for almost 70 percent of all digital downloads, so some are wondering -- why fix it if it isn’t broken? Some analysts are saying it’s an effort to keep up with live streaming opportunities and make up for a decrease in sales in other areas.
“The problem for Apple and the labels right now is that music shoppers aren’t gobbling up enough digital downloads to offset the decline in CD sales. ... It remains to be seen if this sort of flexibility will be enough [to] ween cheapskate music lovers … off of free services like Pandora and Slacker.” (Laptop Magazine)
A writer from Time’s Techland has another theory -- Apple is trying to corner more of the online music market.
“If Apple extends this re-downloading feature to iTunes-purchased tracks but doesn't let you upload tracks you've purchased elsewhere to its servers, people may ultimately decide that it's just easier to buy music solely from iTunes.”
If the big deals do fall into place, Apple fans can expect an announcement by mid-2011. (SOC)
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