last100 - Latest Comments in With death of DRM imminent, what’s next for iTunes?

Re: With death of DRM imminent, what’s next for iTunes?

Mack D. Male — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 20:26:37 -0000

Steve, you make some valid points, I'll give you that. On the other hand, who would have thought that Starbucks, a coffee company, would launch a record label? Stranger things have happened is all I'm saying :)

Re: With death of DRM imminent, what’s next for iTunes?

Steve O'Hear (editor) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 11:59:45 -0000

@ Robert

I'm not sure Apple will ever start a record label, for several reasons.

1) It may conflict with their trademark since the Beatles-owned label Apple records still exists. They've already clashed in court with Apple, although some agreement was recently met - not sure if that gives way to Apple using the name more freely in a music-associated business or not.

2) It would antagonize the four majors to such a degree that the iTunes Store could become a graveyard aside from Apple's own content acquisitions.

3) Do artists really need a new label, even one as "cool" as Apple? A trend maybe to go-it-alone ala Radiohead. In which case, iTunes just needs to become more favorable to "indie" artists (with better terms).

Re: With death of DRM imminent, what’s next for iTunes?

Robert Castelo — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 02:53:15 -0000

DRM free music being sold elsewhere will play on iPods, which leaves Apple free to REALLY piss off the record companies by starting a record company.

An iTunes based record company would cut out the middle man record companies and immediately have a huge audience and brand recognition.