itunes - Internet Marketing News and Blogs

This week sees the launch of Tesco Digital, the supermarket giant's answer to iTunes.

We've taken a look at the new site to see how it compares with Apple's all-conquering download store, which has accounted for around 70% of worldwide online digital music sales.

Apple has said it will reduce the cost of iTunes song downloads in the UK following an EU antitrust investigation.

The long overdue move will see track prices fall from 79p to 67p within the next six months. UK consumers had previously been paying around 10% more than the rest of the EU.

NBC’s dispute with Apple over the company’s fixed pricing policy for downloads of its TV shows from iTunes is well worth tuning into.

The conflict is based on NBC’s demands for more control over the pricing of its content in iTunes, while Apple is insisting that variable pricing simply isn’t an option.

Well, here’s the kicker: Apple has already rolled out variable pricing in iTunes. It just depends on where you live. And, it’s frankly a bit of an outrage...

Apple has launched its video downloading service in the UK, allowing viewers to buy TV programmes from its iTunes store.

The company is initially making 28 series available via the site, which will compete with the catch-up TV services of UK broadcasters.

"The third alternative is to abolish DRMs entirely. Imagine a world where every online store sells DRM-free music encoded in open licensable formats. In such a world, any player can play music purchased from any store, and any store can sell music which is playable on all players.

In an article called ‘Zune: Falling Down On Cool’ BusinessWeek savages the forthcoming Microsoft device, predicting that “by this time next year, it will be considered a dismal failure”.

And the reason why it will fail? Because it isn’t cool, and neither is Microsoft, says BusinessWeek. It adds that attempting to become cool is the only reason that Microsoft is launching the Zune in the first place.

Authored by Arik Hesseldahl, the article states that “the Zune will be seen for what it is: a me-too product that is expressing Microsoft's envy at not being cool”.

Maybe so, but business isn’t really about ‘being cool’. 'Cool' helps with product marketing and customer aqcuisition, but product quality and lifespan are key to customer retention, recommendations, and repeat business.

Podcasting company Audible has reported widening losses in Q3, despite turning a profit at its UK subsidiary and seeing growth in subscribers.

eMusic has announced plans to launch in all 25 EU countries in a bid to become Europe’s number two music downloading site behind iTunes.

Nokia has agreed to buy Loudeye for US$60 million (£31 million) in a bid to expand its presence in the music downloading market.

Coke’s announcement of a partnership with Apple’s iTunes yesterday has received a show of support from one unlikely source: Wippit, the UK’s second largest music download site.

An email sent out by the firm said it welcomed the Coke and iTunes promotion, arguing that it will drive more people to its service.