Yesterday we reported that the Financial Times was claiming that there was talk of an unlimited subscription to the iTunes Store in the works and that the only catch would be a premium on the price of iPods and other mobile Apple products.
According to Business Week however, the claims are largely unfounded although there have been talks for an iTunes subscription model being floated around for months. The FT report claimed that for a $20-$100 USD premium on the price of iPods and iPhones users would have unlimited access, DRM-free, to iTunes music. The added revenue from the sales of the devices would then be “distributed appropriately amongst record labels.”
The latest Business Week report however completely contradicts the last report. “Insiders at major music labels” have supposedly dismissed the rumors completely although Apple has yet to make an official comment.
We will keep you updated on any developments.
Result for: itunes
In an effort to give back to loyal customers, Apple has said that they will be offering credits or refunds to those with Season Passes to the iTunes Store that were affected by the Writer’s Guild of America strike.
Buyers of a season pass get access to a full season of a TV show at a discounted price but because of the strike many shows did not see a full season of episodes. Some shows were even canceled or stopped indefinitely.
As a way to compensate, the company will deliver all subsequent 2007-2008 season episodes when it is possible and issue prorated refunds for shows whose seasons were permanently truncated. Additionally, all season pass holders will be “given two free video credits, good for two TV episodes, music videos and/or short films on the iTunes Store.”
Result for: itunes
According to a study by MultiMedia Intelligence, 50 percent of all phones shipped worldwide will be music-capable by 2011. The report also estimates that the Cell phone market itself will remain flat in terms of growth with about 950 million phones being sold in 2011, same like estimates for 2008.
The mobile music business was $6 billion USD for 2008 and MMI chief researcher Frank Dickson says that music is one of the key drivers “behind future success for cellular carriers.”
The study comes at a point when carrier independent music stores are becoming more and more commonplace. Apple offers its iTunes store through the iPhone’s wireless and Nokia is introducing its Nokia Music Store worldwide.
