HMV to take Apple on digital music download market
September 6th, 2005 Leave a comment Visited 40 times, 1 so far today
HMV to take Apple on digital music download market
There is more competition in store for Macintosh maker in the market they dominate. The company’s iPod range of music players and the iTunes digital music store are the most successful products and services in their respective markets. The company sees new competition emerging almost on a daily basis. The latest entrant in the digital music service is none other than HMV.
The music retailer HMV (His Master’s Voice) has unveiled their version of the online music store which enables the users to purchase and download songs to listen in their digital music players. The service is directly aimed at Apple iTunes and would compete on the ground levels with the giants of the music industry. HMV Digital is what it is called and HMV has collaborated with none other than Microsoft to enter this market.
Virgin is also entering the market with Virgin Digital and is aimed at the same market of letting the users to download the songs after purchasing them. The market is getting increasingly crowded with new players making an entry. HMV on their part have not given a formal level for its lowest price tracks. The tracks are expected to be priced variably as they are in a formal retail store.
The company plans to give customers access to an online “jukebox” of tracks and albums which can be transferred to computers and digital music players or burned onto CDs. However, considering the locked nature of Apple’s products, these songs won’t be compatible with Apple iPod music device.
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September 6th, 2005 at 11:10 pm
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September 7th, 2005 at 11:31 pm
“However, considering the locked nature of Apple�s products, these songs won�t be compatible with Apple iPod music device.”
However, considering the locked nature of Microsoft’s proprietary Windows Media format, which only works on Windows OS, the songs will not be compatible with millions of Macintosh computers, whose numbers are increasing. At this time, of all the online music stores available, only iTunes is compatible with both Windows and Macintosh operating systems and the majority of users are likely to continue to choose iTunes as their preferred source of music downloads. There is plenty of choice available. iTunes downloads can be played on several different types of iPod all at competitive prices or simply burned to a CD in AIFF format for example and played on any cd player. Furthermore, the tunes can be reimported as mp3 for use on any other mp3 player. Some companies don’t like the choices consumers are making.