Apple Cuts iTunes Plus Price to 99 Cents

> amazingly, the Australian iTMS seems to have followed suit
> simultaneously.
>

Same in Europe. Maybe Apple is finally understanding that delaying
the implementation of such changes outside the US doesn't sit too
well with their non-US customers. That is, umh, if it wasn't for the
lack of TV shows and movies on all but the US and UK iTunes Stores
since what seems like ages now.

On another note, considering that I had bought an iTunes Plus track
two days before they lowered the price by a massive 23%, shouldn't I
sue Apple for fraud and traumatization? After all, listening to that
one song will never be the same again... [*]


Regards,

Jochen.


[*] -- Problem is, it wouldn't be much of a surprise if someone
actually did sue for that reason. Now that Apple has established
itself well beyond any threats of an untimely demise, it has
seemingly become a great target for ridiculous lawsuits. This is
probably the latest in that series:

<http://communities.canada.com/MONTREALGAZETTE/blogs/tech/archive/
2007/10/17/does-this-class-action-suit-against-apple-have-legs.aspx>


--
Jochen Wolters
jochenpolytropia.com | http://polytropia.com | jochenwolters (Skype)

While the 99¢ price for non-DRM tunes is a welcome change, I can't say
that price was that motivating for me. The biggest problem is that I
STILL have to convert those songs to MP3s to use them on non-Apple
devices.


--
Nik

nikinik.net | http://inik.net | http://notions.inik.net

On 10/22/2007 6:54 AM, "Nik Friedman TeBockhorst" wrote:
> While the 99¢ price for non-DRM tunes is a welcome change, I can't say
> that price was that motivating for me. The biggest problem is that I
> STILL have to convert those songs to MP3s to use them on non-Apple
> devices.

Which non-Apple devices? AAC is an industry-standard codec that's supported
by an increasing number of non-Apple vendors -- including, just in the field
of portable audio, Microsoft, Sony, SanDisk, and many mobile-phone vendors.
(Toshiba and Creative are the only big holdouts, it seems.) If you have a
device that doesn't support non-DRM AAC files, I recommend sending feedback
to the vendor urging them to support the format. (TiVo and Creative are
perhaps the two biggest offenders.)

On Oct 22, 2007, at 6:54 AM, Nik Friedman TeBockhorst wrote:

> While the 99¢ price for non-DRM tunes is a welcome change, I can't say
> that price was that motivating for me. The biggest problem is that I
> STILL have to convert those songs to MP3s to use them on non-Apple
> devices.

On the non-Apple devices you happen to have. Not on all non-Apple
devices. A somewhat notable non-Apple device which supports AAC is
the Zune. "AAC (.mp4, .m4a, .m4b, .mov): Up to 320 Kbps, Low
Complexity (LC), up to 48-kHz sample rate" from <http://www.zune.net/
en-us/meetzune/techspecs/player.htm>

(That's the new Zune--the original also supported AAC, I believe.)

Neither A in AAC stands for Apple, nor does the format belong to
Apple, it is Advanced Audio Codec.

Recently, Paul Thurott was chided by one of the inventors of MP3 for
recommending MP3 over AAC, on the basis that (very heavily
paraphrased through two levels) MP3 is the past, AAC is the future.
Reference Windows Weekly netcast episode 38. The netcast is easy to
find at <http://twit.tv>--unfortunately show notes elude me.

None of which helps, of course, with the device one has that doesn't
support AAC.

The easy solution is to buy from a source of MP3, such as Amazon,
where possible. Financially, Apple doesn't much care.

   --John

Nik wrote:
>The biggest problem is that I
>STILL have to convert those songs to MP3s to use them on non-Apple
>devices.

Why? AAC is widely supported by non-Apple MP3 players. Even the Zune plays AAC.

> What's not clear yet is whether it will still cost money to convert
> iTunes songs with DRM to iTunes Plus songs if the cost is the same;

Unfortunately, (at least for the German iTunes Store) the answer is
"yes." The "Update my Library" page still states that updating will
cost 0,30€ for upgrading music tracks, 0,60€ for videos, and 30% of
the current price for albums. Consequently, it did list a handful of
tracks that I could upgrade, all at 30 Euro-Cents each.

Probably the most annoying iTunes Store policy, yet.


Regards,

Jochen.


--
Jochen Wolters
jochenpolytropia.com | http://polytropia.com | jochenwolters (Skype)

At 5:47 AM -0700 10/23/07, Dan Frakes wrote:
>On 10/22/2007 6:54 AM, "Nik Friedman TeBockhorst" wrote:
>> While the 99¢ price for non-DRM tunes is a welcome change, I can't say
>> that price was that motivating for me. The biggest problem is that I
>> STILL have to convert those songs to MP3s to use them on non-Apple
>> devices.
>
>Which non-Apple devices? AAC is an industry-standard codec that's supported
>by an increasing number of non-Apple vendors -- including, just in the field
>of portable audio, Microsoft, Sony, SanDisk, and many mobile-phone vendors.
>(Toshiba and Creative are the only big holdouts, it seems.) If you have a
>device that doesn't support non-DRM AAC files, I recommend sending feedback
>to the vendor urging them to support the format. (TiVo and Creative are
>perhaps the two biggest offenders.)

        Dad's new Prius plays MP3 & WMA on
CD-ROM, but not AAC. This is the high-end of 3
stereo models (includes disc changer), and I'm
not going to tell him to trade in his Prius for a
car that plays AAC. He never really started using
his 60gb iPod photo, and the idea of
high-capacity CDs in a changer is very appealing
to him -- steering wheel controls and all.

        I'm disappointed in Toyota, but don't
think this is a priority for them; I'm sure that
within a couple years they'll have AAC support,
but not yet...


                                                Chris
--
Chris Pepper: <http://www.reppep.com/~pepper/>
                              <http://www.extrapepperoni.com/>
The Rockefeller University: <http://www.rockefeller.edu/>

Probably the most annoying iTunes Store policy, yet.

IMHO the most annoying Apple policy is refusing to accept that the Euro is worth quite a lot more than the US$ these days. When you take into account that prices are quoted including sales tax (VAT) in Europe, we Europeans are paying a 20%+ price premium. It seems other non-US territories suffer similar price penalties. Why is that, Apple?