Who Is EMI Talking To? Apple Doesn't Seem To Know
from the Apple-doesn't-think-it's-them... dept
EMI has said two things concerning their relationship with Apple in the last two days, and, based on Apple’s response, you have to wonder if it’s really Apple they’ve been talking to. The first, as has been widely reported, is that an EMI exec says they have an agreement with Apple to offer variable pricing on iTunes, getting away from the $0.99/song model. The record labels have been pushing for variable pricing for years, and it seems to filter out into the press every few months. We first heard about it in April of 2004, but it’s come up again and again since then. So, forgive us for not jumping up and writing about it when we hear it being discussed yet again. Part of the problem is that it still doesn’t make any sense. The labels aren’t supposed to have any say in retail pricing. They got in trouble when they did that for CD sales a few years ago. They can only set the wholesale price that they charge Apple (or other resellers). Anything else sounds an awful lot like illegal price fixing. If they want to raise prices, raise prices to Apple and let Apple make the decision how to handle the retail pricing. When this came out a couple months ago, Steve Jobs famously called the recording industry “greedy,” so it surprised a few folks to hear EMI say they worked out a deal with Jobs. However, another story that just came out raises even more questions. EMI is now saying their new copy protection technology (from Macrovision) will let songs play on iPods. Apple, apparently, has no clue what they’re talking about: “The information EMI provided regarding iTunes and iPod compatibility with Macrovision’s technology is not true and we have no idea why EMI made this statement.” Combine the two stories, and it might make you wonder if someone at EMI is actually talking to anyone at Apple, or if they’re just very confused?
Comments on “Who Is EMI Talking To? Apple Doesn't Seem To Know”
meh idiots if u ask me
anyone in on or associated with the riaa are a bunch of retards, even though i dont use itunes i still agree with jobs ideals of calling them greedy, though id add a bit and call them greedy idiots with their heads up their butts, ill be honest i only buy a cd if the artist is struggling for fame and survival u get a famous rap star and see them with platinum teeth and it makes u wonder if there would be a better use for the matierals the earth has im not a tree hugger so dont drop that on me either, id just like to see one of those 10million dollar mouths bite the curb anyways just my cycnical and sarcastic 10 cents
No Subject Given
it is very frusterating when publically corperations announce and prance around saying “yes, it is our goal to rape and pillage the pockets of consumers.” that just doesn’t seem like a very good attitude and i have become rather sick of it and has turned me away from buying anything media related. they see apple running a great show and they want to gouge apple and its users more. why would anyone suddenly pay more for the same thing they’ve been getting in the past? there is a careful balance between price and volume
The real reason to increase download price...
The real reason the RIAA wants to increase the price of digital downloads is because they foolishly believe this will drive up traditional CD sales. They are so out of touch with reality!
Re: The real reason to increase download price...
Even so, those who traditionally download songs will revert to the already problematic filesharing/piracy at the gouge in prices for digital downloads. As history has taught us, the following goes:
1)Buy Retail Priced CD
>Prices too high/Cheaper to Download : Go to 2
2)Download for $.99
>Price is gouged to $2 a song : Go to 3
3)Download for Free
>Cops knock on your door : Go to 1 & Repeat
Get a clue!
I haven’t paid for a CD for about 5 years. The record industry has never had a clue and never will. Even the name “record industry” shows how backwards they are – no one has made records in years!
Re: Get a clue!
Actually, pretty much every artist still puts out vinyl (I assume that’s what you mean by records). I’ve been buying vinyl exculsively for years now, and I will continue to do so. Vinyl is dirt cheap to release, so anything on CD is usualy released on vinyl as well.
And as a bonus, let’s see the RIAA try to put a “copy-protection” scheme on my turntable needles. And before you say anything about inconvience, it’s a quick and easy process to get a high quality digital transfer off my vinyl with no chance of copy protection. So I’ve got the best of both worlds at less than 3/4 the price!
No Subject Given
I thought the full name was always “Recording Industry” — which is not limited to records …or 8-Track cartridges.
http://www.8trackheaven.com/