News
Times Online UK: Apple’s man in black takes on the music pirates
“Many observers believe Apple is more focused on launching the Windows version of iTunes in the US than it is on Europe. The company has committed to launching the Windows version before the end of the year. Jobs says: ‘We said (iTunes for Windows) would be out in the US next quarter, before the end of the year. I think we are very much on track.’
One record industry executive says: ‘Everyone wants to see what success they will have on Windows. If they can sell ten million songs on Macs, which have only 5 per cent of the PC market, how much could they sell to 100 per cent of the market?’”
Embedded apps for iPod and future devices
MacRumors has posted information regarding two job offerings for engineers at Apple’s Job site. The first is a position for Jr. Software Engineer - Embedded Apps. “Join the iPod and Special Projects Group to create and enhance the embedded applications you find on the world famous iPod and the upcoming devices from Apple. You will join a small successful team; work in a fast paced environment to write the embedded applications software that allows the user the rich experience they have when using the iPod and future devices.”
The second position is for a “Senior Embedded Software Engineer” with duties to include “the design and implementation of consumer multimedia applications with skills required on the ARM platform.” The iPods use the ARM7TDMI 32-bit RISC core processor.
Jobs hopes iTMS for Europe early 2004
In a MacNN reader report, Steve Jobs was interviewed on the French TV show during the Apple Expo in Paris.
CNET: More Beatles vs. Apple
“Geoff Baker, spokesman for Apple Corps, confirmed the suit was filed two months ago in London High Court. He referred further questions to a statement put out by Apple Corps, the company the legendary rock ban formed in 1968 to manage its business interests.
‘Specifically, (the) complaint is made over the use by Apple Computer of the word ‘Apple’ and apple logos in conjunction with its new application for downloading pre-recorded music from the Internet,’ said the statement, apparently referring to Apple’s successful iTunes Music Store service for downloading digital songs”
FOXNews: The Beatles Sue Apple Computers Over IPod, ITunes
“The inevitable has happened: The Beatles have sued Steve Jobs over Apple iTunes and the Apple iPod—at least the band’s company, Apple Corps., has sued Apple Computers. [...]
When Apple Computers first came into existence, the Beatles’ lawyers sued—and won—over the use of the corporate name. The Fab Four, it was widely known, already had their own company called Apple Corps. (Ironically, Jobs admitted to naming his company as a tribute to the Beatles.) The result of the suit was a huge cash settlement and a promise that the Apple logo and name would only be used for computers—and never for a music company.”
Apple launches ‘iPod-a-Day Giveaway’
Source: MacMinute
BusinessWeek: Steve Jobs: “I’m an Optimist”
BusinessWeek online has posted an interview with Apple CEO Steve Jobs. “Apple’s visionary-in-chief looks at tech’s condition today and says: “I see a recovery in innovation coming out of this downturn”
Q: Will we see more groundbreakers like the iPod from Apple?
A: The iPod is not a new category. Music is not new. It’s not a speculative market. It’s a very, very large market. It’s been around for thousands of years and will be around as long as humans exist. So it’s not like saying we’re going to go build an information appliance or some technical curio and hope the market exists. We’re taking a giant market and bringing it into the Digital Age. That requires hardware, software, and the ease-of-use talent that Apple has.
BusinessWeek: Where “Think Different” Is Taking Apple
Windows iTunes “on track to launch by the end of this year”
At the 2003 Jupiter Plug.IN Conference & Expo, Peter Lowe, Apple’s Director of Marketing for Applications and Services addressed attendees at the keynote address, and mentioned several items in regards to iTunes.
“We fundamentally believe subscriptions are the wrong path…that’s not what consumers are doing offline…they want to buy downloads.
If digital distribution is about one thing, it is about being simple…as simple as a CD player…and it needs to be consistent….take the “but” out of it.
We believe Web is not the best interface to enjoy music…
Apple for Windows is on track to launch by the end of this year…Usage rules for Windows version of iTunes: certainly it is our intention to have the broad music rights…
Out of all our iTunes sales, 46 percent has been sold as albums..the disintegration of the album has not happened, contrary to what people are saying…”
Apple: Profits rise from sales of music and 3G iPods
Apple today posted a net profit of $19 million and revenues for the third quarter were $1.545 billion in its financial results for fiscal 2003.
“What’s Missing From the iPod?”
Wireless Supersite Editor Ross Rubin writes about “the glory as well as some gotchas in Apple’s iPod and music strategy.”
Plug an iSight into iPod and record video?
Jon Fortt writes about Apple’s recently announced Power Mac G5, iSight and upcoming Panther OS X. In the article, Fortt speculates using iSight with iPod for recording video.
“Slap the iSight onto a 15-gigabyte iPod and all of a sudden you’ve got a hard-drive-based camcorder that can hold hours of Quicktime video, plus play music.
Jobs didn’t have Apple build the iSight just to make a Web cam that mounts to the top of a monitor. If monitor mounting were his big stroke of creative genius, he could have simply asked a third-party developer to make monitor mounts. Jobs is thinking bigger than that, and Apple is staking out strategic territory. It’s focusing on audio, video and voice communication, which translates into MP3 players, camcorders and phones. If I were a betting man, I’d wager that an Apple-branded camcorder and an Apple-branded phone aren’t too far off.”
One million iPods, iTunes sells five million songs
Today at the WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference) in San Francisco, Steve Jobs took the stage to address the attendees and mentioned that the one millionth iPod would be shipped later today. Also noted, iTunes has sold over five million songs since its debut. Jobs is expected to announce the new Apple G5 Macintosh and show a preview of OS X 10.3 Panther. You can check for live coverage from the WWDC conference at Macminute.com or MacCentral.com.
Update: Apple has posted a press release declaring the iTunes Music Store has sold over five million songs.
iPod radio ads posted on Apple UK website
Apple UK has posted two iPod radio ads on its website. “The ads, ‘7500 songs… is that a typo?!’ and ‘Jazz, Classical, Opera, Funk, Soul…’, feature the voice of Hollywood actor Jeff Goldblum, star of ‘Jurassic Park’ and Apple’s own television ads. The radio campaign will run until mid-July.”
Source: MacMinute
Apple posts KBase Doc for independent labels
Macworld UK reports that Apple has posted a Knowledge Base document instructing musicians to contact Apple if they want their music to be added to iTunes Music Store. Musicians and independent lables should contact Apple via .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Newsday: iPod, iTunes Put Apple At Core of Music Industry
Stephen Williams writes about iPod and iTunes in his latest column for Newsday.
Windows iTunes Music Store confirmed for ‘end of year’
Macworld UK has a report about a recent interview with Peter Lowe, Head of Consumer Marketing at Apple by Media Analyst, Phil Leigh at ON24 Financial Network.
“Apple remains on track to deliver a Windows version of its iTunes Music Store by the end of the year, a senior executive confirmed last week.
Apple’s director of marketing consumer applications Peter Lowe confirmed the plans in an interview with a top digital-media analyst.
Lowe said: ‘There is a broad set of stuff that needs to be supported. We are working away at it and are on track to deliver it by the end of the year. Developing Windows software can be a challenge at the best of times, as there are so many configurations of Windows PCs and connectivity peripherals.’”
Open Letter to Apple Concerning the Mistreatment of Apple Customers
New open letter to Apple needs everyone to help spread the news. With a catchy Apple-Like “Think Differently” image, I spent hours in the hopes that classic iPod users will be heard!
If, somehow, everyone could unite and possibly contribute a dollar we might even be able to put this image on a billboard somewhere near Apple Headquarters in Cupertino, Ca. How we’d accomplish that I’m not sure, but sending this page to let everyone know about how we’ve been treated by Apple is a great start!
Ediotr’s note: The above ‘open letter’ regards the fact that Apple has not released iPod Software 2.0 and all its new features for Classic iPods.
BBC: Confidential Apple music details leaked
The BBC has posted a story about website CDBaby.com posting a transcript from a recent meeting between Apple and top independent record label executives. The story includes information about the success of iTunes Music Store. It also mentions that a Windows version of iTunes is planned for “later this year,” and that the iTunes Music Store will become available outside the U.S. in the future.
Editor’s note: In our earlier report, CD Baby had posted points made in the Apple meeting, but the report has since been removed due to Apple’s confidentiality agreement.
Apple woos independent labels
Yesterday Apple gathered independent record labels for a meeting to explain how they could participate in the iTunes Music Store. Derek Siver, President of CD Baby was at the meeting and has posted key points from the presentation by Steve Jobs. A few points from the meeting:
- Everyone is going to get the exact same deal. It’s not negotiable. It’s take it or leave it.”
- This is a reseller agreement: Apple buys at a wholesale price. Apple resells them to users. “No complicated or messy licenses.”
- Apple only deals with the partner/label. It’s up to the label to pay the artists, writers, publishing, etc.
- Rights are a 3 year term. For iTunes only, of course. This is totally non-exclusive.
