Sam OliverOwners of the company's first-generation iPhone can already accomplish this via a mobile version of the iTunes Store that resides on the handset, but they must be connected to the Internet via a high-speed WiFi connection to do so.
The arrival of faster 3G cellular network access alongside the next iPhone, widely expected for an announcement during the second week of June at Apple's developers conference, would make it more "technically feasible" for Apple to offer the over-the-air route, the Times notes.
However, the paper reports that the music labels are holding their hand out, demanding that in return they be paid more than the 70 cent wholesale price of songs sold over traditional Internet lines.
Apple's hoping for "a big launch in June," according to one label executive familiar with the matter, and as such is also looking to expand its inventory of songs that are available for conversion to ringtones at 99 cents.
"The company is also hoping to add answer tones, also known as ringback tones—songs that a caller hears instead of the 'ring ring' sound while waiting for someone to answer," the report says. "In some cases, these command an even higher wholesale price than ringtones."
Given that the negotiations are only a few weeks young, it's reported that any deal may not be announced until after June 9th, the most likely day for the introduction of the much-anticipated 3G iPhone.
Marko Zivkovic
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
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102 Comments
What the hell difference does it make to the music companies whether someone is downloading something over a fixed line or 3G connection? It makes no difference to them at all. It will make a difference to Telco's, but that is about it.
Maybe it's just the fact that they are blood sucking scum. I hope everyone makes more of an effort to pirate music and that they slowly die.
What the hell difference does it make to the music companies whether someone is downloading something over a fixed line or 3G connection? It makes no difference to them at all. It will make a difference to Telco's, but that is about it.
Maybe it's just the fact that they are blood sucking scum. I hope everyone makes more of an effort to pirate music and that they slowly die.
Why would you want a slow death. I much prefer the quick and decisive blow type of kill for the big record labels. Not that I just want to pirate music either. Just want more money to the artist and less cost for a song. Seriously. There are 6 billion people in this world. If you create 1 world wide hit you can sell 40 mill of it. Now I am not expert in these things but 40 mil at 99c each seems to be a fair bit of money going around. I mean really what one song on this planet is WORTH $39,600,000... and if there are any could someone give me one. I could do with some pocket money.
I think that it is basically that the record companies already charge higher prices for downloading songs over the mobile network (using other services than iTunes) and they simply want to keep the price range they have managed to set.
However I do agree that there should be no difference.
Why would you want a slow death. I much prefer the quick and decisive blow type of kill for the big record labels. Not that I just want to pirate music either. Just want more money to the artist and less cost for a song. Seriously. There are 6 billion people in this world. If you create 1 world wide hit you can sell 40 mill of it. Now I am not expert in these things but 40 mil at 99c each seems to be a fair bit of money going around. I mean really what one song on this planet is WORTH $39,600,000... and if there are any could someone give me one. I could do with some pocket money.
I'm waiting for the "upload to iTunes Store" button to appear in Garageband.
Some of the homebrew stuff on radioheadremix.com is pretty listenable.
(For those who don't know iTunes users are able to purchase the separate components of a Radiohead song and submit their own remixes of that song for voting by the public)
WHY??? because they realize this is THE NEW PLATFORM, they will use every oppourtunity to push their tiered screw the customer agenda about pricing. we pay 99 cents for a higher quality song with better listening dynamics with itunes and ipod. i just bought a ringtone for 3.99 I only listen to 10-15 seconds before i pick up, and it plays through my tinpan phone speaker. how much does the record companies get for that download?? they realize and so does SJ that the iphone will be the moble itunes and i hope he kicks the record labels a..s for the years of price oppression since the cd has come out. SJ has done what antitrust and legislation hasn't been able to do (yea libertarians)
i'm tired of paying for crap. also the carriers have the most piss poor way of getting a ringtone...errors, repeat downloads, they need SJ to kick their a..s so we the customer can get a better experience. after my last and ONLY paid ringtone (ac/dc--back in black), i won't do it till SJ and itunes with the iphone gets to my grubby hands. the only other ringtones i have downloaded were free, like God Bless America, and The Star Spangled Banner. i won't pay for crap anymore. $4.00 for low quality just so i can have a segment, if you priced it for the amount of time you "listen" the the ringtone junk quality it's more like 30-40 bucks ($3-4 per 15 seconds, now i bet thats what the record lables want, segment pricing)
free us from record label oppression--i just won't or let my family download ringtones, my wife has a program that can take any itunes song and cut a segment and send to her phone....got it at apple store. yea.