Write for NTugo: We're on the lookout for people who know how to write and know their way around WordPress. Details.

Apple

January 10

iTunes Isn’t Dead

Apple’s iTunes now has some serious competition from Amazon.com’s online music store. The e-commerce giant’s music store is totally DRM-free, with all four of the major labels onboard. I think it’s safe to say DRM is on the way out.

However, iTunes hasn’t gone totally DRM-free yet. Plenty of their music still carries DRM, and the albums that are available without it cost more.

I’d like to say iTunes isn’t dead yet.

The iPod is by far the most-owned portable music player, and the average iPod-owner is too tech-illiterate to know that Amazon sells music, know that it works with their iPod, and know how to get the music they bought on to the iPod. iTunes is so easy that my cat could by music and load it onto an iPod.

Also, Amazon may be the first to be totally DRM-less, but I’m sure iTunes will follow suit. Heck, there won’t even be record labels in a few years. Instead, artists will simply distribute their music through iTunes, Amazon, etc. There’s no need for the big record labels anymore.