digital music/video

10/16/2007, 3:40pm, EDT

Tuesday, October 16th

Apple reduces iTunes Plus pricing to $0.99

Apple says it will reduce price of its DRM-free songs on its iTunes Store to 99 cents from $1.29, making it more competitive with Amazon.com, Wal-Mart Stores and other rivals in online music. In an interview, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said all iTunes Plus music, will feature the reduced price later today or tomorrow. iTunes Plus offers songs without digital rights management, or DRM, anti-copying software: so far, the only major label to cut a deal on DRM-free songs is EMI Group Plc, but Apple has also already begun adding new music to iTunes Plus from independent recording companies at 99 cents a song, according to the Wall Street Journal.

"It's been very popular with our customers, and we're making it even more affordable," Apple's CEO said in an interview cited by the WSJ.

Apple launched iTunes Plus with music from EMI in May at a 30 percent premium that standard iTunes songs, which are can be played back on any number of iPods, but are limited to five authorized computers.

Although Apple has continued to enjoy success in music sales--now the third largest music retailer--Amazon and Wal-mart have tried to gain market share with lower pricing for DRM-free songs. Amazon offers music for as low as 89 cents a song and has a wider selection of DRM-free music, the report said. Wal-mart sells music for 94 cents a track, but both have failed make inroads into iTunes' dominance.


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Other story tags: digital music/video

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Competition
0
10/16, 3:54pm, EDT
Ahh, see what a little competition does!
wr11
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date:Feb 2001
Status:Offline
zOMG!!
0
10/16, 3:55pm, EDT
i demandz mah rebate or i'm finding some madskillz lawyerz to litigate AppleZ!
rtbarry
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date:Aug 2001
Status:Offline
bigger files = more ipods
0
10/16, 3:59pm, EDT
Apple should want to sell higher bitrate aac files. they'd work to fill up people's ipods faster and thus make them obsolete more quickly.

same with video files.
zaghahzag
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date:Aug 2006
Status:Offline
iTunes customer again
0
10/16, 4:06pm, EDT
Now I will go back to buying from itunes, at least the FRM-free stuff.
ClevelandAdv
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date:Jul 2004
Status:Offline
no doubt
0
10/16, 4:28pm, EDT
there will be a lot of bitching and moaning of those who "upgraded" their music libraries a few months ago.

Of well. Competition is GOOD for everyone.
dpicardi
Forum Regular
Join Date:Sep 2006
Status:Offline
Fold "plus"
0
10/16, 4:29pm, EDT
If the songs are the same price, why not just fold the "plus" store into the regular store? That is, if a song is available without DRM, only sell it without DRM. It's a bit awkward navigating two different stores.

An argument against this would be if someone wants to purchase only DRM-free songs; the iTunes Plus store gives them a section just for that. But I suspect its much more common for a person to browse by artist or genre than "avec DRM" and "sans DRM".

Finally, I suspect this will all become moot before long, when the only songs with DRM are those of subscription services.
jimothy
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they'll probably drop
0
10/16, 4:47pm, EDT
the DRM stuff where they can if they have matching songs DRM and DRM-Free at the same price_

'Cuase who's going to voluntarily pay for a DRM file if it is lower quality and the same price as a DRM-Free / higher qulity alternative ?

Kind of redundant huh ?
UberFu
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UK iTunes prices
0
10/17, 4:46am, EDT
DRM versions still $1.59 (0.79UKP) plus version still $1.99 (0.99UKP)

Rip-off Britain + Rip-off iTunes
glowingcactus
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date:Nov 2001
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Many still at $1.29
0
10/17, 9:25am, EDT
Apple's web site (http://www.apple.com/hotnews) states that "iTunes Plus now offers over two million DRM-free tracks at just 99 cents," yet many of the "featured albums" that I spot checked have singles priced at $1.29.
jimothy
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Re: no doubt
0
10/17, 10:21am, EDT
there will be a lot of bitching and moaning of those who "upgraded" their music libraries a few months ago.

not really, since Apple still charges 30 cents a song to upgrade your library.
testudo
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