Unlimited iTunes Downloads Coming?
0Apple has some of the most exciting gadgets on the market. iPad 2, iPhone 4, and even iPod Touch are all worth being excited about, especially if one has never tried Apple products in the past. The iTunes is a pretty powerful software and makes working with your Apple products convenient (though Apple could improve it a whole lot). Those who have downloaded music files from iTunes know too well about its restrictions. Apple can’t get rid of all the restrictions, but it seems to be working with music companies to offer iTunes users unlimited downloads on their linked devices.
iTunes is far from a perfect software solution for Apple products. The music and apps that people purchase using this service do have some restrictions. The question is whether Apple can effectively negotiate its way out of some of these restrictions with music companies.
Music subscription services have become quite popular recently, affecting digital downloads. Users of these services may not own the music they listen to, but they have less annoying restrictions to worry about. With music companies experiencing stalled digital-download sales, they will have to do more to decrease their losses or increase their profits. That could explain why companies such as Vivendi SA (VIV)’s Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group Corp. (WMG) are willing to negotiate with Apple over iTunes restrictions. Less restrictions mean better user experience for Apple customers. This is just a no brainer move.
Apple has been contemplating multiple strategies to enhance its music service. Just recently, we heard about potential changes that Apple could make to MobileMe, including making the service free for Apple customers. Services such as Pandora have generated a lot of buzz among music fans. Apple simply can not afford to sit, waiting for a miracle to happen. Giving iTunes users the ability to have an online permanent backup of their music is a good start.