Amazon Competing With iTunes?
Amazon announced today that it was finally opening its long-rumored DRM free music store. You an look for it to open later this year. With a full catalog of DRM free music and 12000 choices so far, is this a threat to iTunes? Not really. Apple continues to be at the forefront of the DRM free fight with the remaining three record labels (EMI being the only major label who has already signed on with both Amazon and Apple). Steve Jobs continues to use his heavy hitting industry clout to bend the last hold outs to his will, er, make them sign a DRM free agreement for his customers.
Amazon has industry presence, but in recent years has lost some of its cachet online by having several problems and issues with customer service and deliveries, among other things. Apple’s gold standard of customer service, coupled with the iTunes/iPod/iPhone juggernaut should hold it’s place at the top. Trust that Apple will find new ways to innovate as well to keep competitive in this market that has become an anchor for them. For the music consumer, more stores is always a better option. Amazon, eMusic, iTunes - most people shop at more than one store anyway, so I don’t forsee the market becoming to crowded to be profitable for everyone.
May 18th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Personally, I get most of, if not, all my music from iTunes because it is so convieneint and loads right to my computer amd ready for listening in a second. If there is some thing I want that is not availiable in iTunes, I go the old fashioned route and head to the nearest music store.