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Steve Jobs and the State of Legal Music Downloads

Posted by pudge on from the if-it-is-not-possible-then-please-drop-your-sharing-limits-in-itunes dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Rolling Stone has published an interview with Steve Jobs about the current state of the music industry. He is a smart man, that guy. 'When we first went to talk to these record companies -- about eighteen months ago -- we said, "None of this technology that you're talking about's gonna work. We have Ph.D.s here who know the stuff cold, and we don't believe it's possible to protect digital content."'"

5 of 964 comments (clear)

  1. Digital copying is ALWAYS possible. by L-s-L69 · · Score: 5, Informative
    "We have Ph.D.s here who know the stuff cold, and we don't believe it's possible to protect digital content."

    Smart guys. If you can play it, you can copy it. Either someone breaks the copy protection (Jon J) or you plug a digital out into a digital in.

    Trouble is the record companies know this but still keep trying which just makes it harder and more frustrating for the avarage guy/girl who wants to listen to ligit tracks on a mp3 player.

  2. jobs lies about subscriptions by bmarklein · · Score: 5, Informative
    Jobs is so intent on trashing the subscription model that he resorts to lies:


    One question to ask these subscription services is how many subscribers they have. Altogether, it's around 50,000. And that's not just for Rhapsody, it's for the old Pressplay and the old Musicmatch. The subscription model of buying music is bankrupt. I think you could make available the Second Coming in a subscription model, and it might not be successful.


    Actual current numbers for the sub services:
    Rhapsody (from Real Networks): 250,000
    MusicNet: 175,000
    Napster (formerly pressplay): 80,000
    MusicMatch MX: 150,000

    Total here is over 600,000. These services tend to run about $10 per month, yielding a total revenue of over $6 million per month across all services. iTunes has sold 20 million songs in 7 months, or less than $3 million in revenue. Profit margins on subscriptions are higher as well.

    I use Rhapsody and it kicks iTunes ass - there's just no comparison, given my listening habits (I'm almost always online). Looks like there are plenty of people who agree with me.

  3. plagiarized from ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    here

  4. Re:Bonus content by Frymaster · · Score: 5, Informative
    atually, the vinyl industry is a good lead to follow. remember the home taping "debacle" of the late 70's/early 80's ("home taping is killing the recording industry!"). the labels responded with lots of added features to get you to buy the platter:

    1. coloured vinyl. god i love coloured vinyl
    2. gatefold sleeves
    3. bonus flexi discs
    4. free "fan club" memberships with proof of purchase
    5. poster wraps. the idea was blatantly ripped off from a british band crass (who were definitely anti-record industry)
    6. free pony-sized four colour 8-page magazines
    7. infinity groove out tracks. good for parties or, uh, acid trips

    of course you cant to most of that with cd's... but the labels at least have to try.

    --

    2 1337 4 u!

  5. Re:Don't give in to Apple's lies. by dtiberius · · Score: 5, Informative

    Thanks, Dr. Richard Paley. BTW, the iron core of the moon still reverberates with the original aramaic words that created the universe.