Apple denies iTunes sales slide

Apple has denied a report that iTunes Store sales fell by 65% in the first half of 2006. According to a recent survey by research group Forrester, the number of monthly iTunes transactions declined 58% from January to June of this year, while the average size per purchase declined by 17%, leading to a 65% overall drop in monthly iTunes revenue. Apple said the report is “simply incorrect,” but will not provide specific iTunes sales data. Forrester said it was too soon to say whether its findings showed that buyers were “reaching their saturation level for digital music.” The research firm got its figures by analyzing 2,791 U.S. iTunes debit and credit card purchases made by members of its consumer panel.