iLounge

“Apple’s charismatic CEO sat down with NEWSWEEK’s Steven Levy—after introducing the Windows version of iTunes and the upgraded iTunes Music Store last week—to discuss the world of digital music. [...]

Still, $300 to $500 is an obstacle to a lot of people.
No, of course I don’t think it’s too costly. Fifty million homes have DVD players that cost that kind of money. For music lovers, I don’t think it’s a hurdle at all. There are sneakers that cost more than an iPod.
       
Some think you wouldn’t want to sell a $100 iPod because the profit margin would be so low.
What are you talking about? We’d love to have a $100 iPod! We just don’t know how to do it right now. We’re constantly trying to make cheaper iPods. We’re working on the next step.”

“Apple’s successful music download service iTunes faces a new threat of misuse now that it has been extended to include users of Microsoft’s Windows operating system, say experts.

The threat comes from the combination of the relatively light copy protection iTunes uses and the big increase of potential hackers that comes with opening up to the world’s most common operating system.

The paid-for download service was the first to lure music fans away from free file-sharing music networks. Since launching in April 2003, Apple says more than 13 million songs have been downloaded.”

“Hell may have frozen over, as Apple’s Web site says, but the battle for supremacy in the digital music distribution market is just heating up. With the release of iTunes Music Store for Windows, Apple is confident that they have the solution to beat the competition. With the help of the iPod digital music player, analysts agree that Apple has an edge.

Windows users have been able to buy an iPod for some time now, but using the iPod with a Windows-based personal computer wasn’t as easy as it is on a Macintosh. Apple partnered with MusicMatch for a while, making it the standard for Windows users, but it still didn’t match the Mac experience. With the release of iTunes for Windows, users of both platforms can have the exact same experience, but more importantly, both now have access to the iTunes Music Store.”

“A number of FM modulators have been released since the introduction of the iPod but most have suffered from limited band selection and poor sound quality. Neither appears to be the case with the US$35 iTrip from Griffin Technology.

An FM modulator essentially turns the iPod into a low power radio station, taking the iPod signal and re-broadcasting it to an FM station of your choosing. The idea is to find an FM radio station that isn’t being used, digital tuners work best, then broadcast your iPod to it.”

“Although Apple Computer launched its iTunes Music Store for Windows amid much fanfare, the company said it doesn’t have any illusions that it can make great profits from selling songs over the Internet.

Instead, Apple is counting on the store as a key part of an overall music business for the company that can produce substantial profits—mainly through sales of its iPod digital music player.

“The iPod makes money. The iTunes Music Store doesn’t,” Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller told CNET News.com in an interview Thursday after the launch of the Windows version of the store. “

“During a slick presentation in downtown San Francisco on Thursday morning, Mick Jagger, Bono and Dr. Dre joined Jobs to endorse a new version of Apple’s iTunes software and music store for the Mac and Windows. [...]

Like the Mac version, iTunes for Windows offers songs a la carte at 99 cents a pop, and albums for $10. Songs can be shared between three computers—any combination of Macs or Windows PCs—and copied ten times to CD or any number of iPods. On the Mac, the service has won praise for its ease of use and liberal usage rights.”