Manage updates with the Download AppMarch 23, 2004 10:47 AM PST
Real's Glaser exhorts Apple to open iPod
- Related Stories
-
Google to find place for Orkut network in search
March 22, 2004 -
Apple's iTunes sales hit 50 million
March 15, 2004 -
Real's reality
March 4, 2004 -
HP, Apple harmonize on iPod
January 8, 2004
Glaser, the feisty founder of the Internet entertainment network, said during a panel discussion Tuesday at PC Forum here that Apple is creating problems for itself by using a file format that forces consumers to buy music from Apple's own iTunes site. (CNET Networks, publisher of News.com, last week acquired EDventures, which sponsors PC Forum.)
Because Apple's iPod music player does not support other proprietary music formats and does not license its own format to rivals, Real's Rhapsody and other song sites are blocked from easily reaching iPod users.
"Apple's (market) share will go down if they continue to do this. The only way to presently put songs on an iPod is to (buy) them from iTunes," Glaser said, referring to downloads purchased from online music stores. In addition to iTunes songs, the iPod can play files encoded in the MP3 format, including tracks ripped from CDs.
Hewlett-Packard, which has partnered with Apple on digital music, is in a position to persuade the company to change its practice, he said.
"There is a good opportunity to say to Steve, 'You've done a good job of promoting this thing, but now one of two bad things will happen,'" Glaser said. "One, Apple's market share will go down to its historical single-digit levels, or two, it will slow down the development of this market."
Glaser predicted that customers will say, "I bought an iPod and can only shop at one store. What is this? The Soviet Union?"
Shane Robison, chief technology officer of HP, shared the panel with Glaser and said diplomatically that discussions on many issues are always ongoing.
Apple could not be reached for comment.
Glaser also applauded actions taken by European regulators to limit Microsoft's ability to bundle technology into Windows. Real has been directly affected by the practice, because it makes a competing media player.
"I think it is a step in the right direction. It is not transcendent," he said. "The specific solutions have not been announced yet, but the outcome suggests that the European regulators did the right thing for the right reasons."
Glaser further said that the European Commission's ruling is not likely to exert massive political pressures because most of the companies directly affected by the decision--Sun Microsystems, RealNetworks and Apple, among others--are based in the United States. The commission, however, has said it entered the investigation on behalf of European citizens.
Microsoft, meanwhile, struck a deal with Major League Baseball to offer live audio and video on its networks. MLB used to have a partnership with RealNetworks.
116 comments
Join the conversation! Add your comment
train following Apple's lead?
iPod owners have more choices than just buying music from
iTunes Music Store. You ever hear of MP3s? You can play those
on the iPod too, which can be encoded from CDs you own. Why
do iPod owners need other choices when iTunes music store
currently has the biggest selection of music?
iPod + iTunes is the slickest and easiest solution for digital
music, there's no need to change that!
train following Apple's lead?
iPod owners have more choices than just buying music from
iTunes Music Store. You ever hear of MP3s? You can play those
on the iPod too, which can be encoded from CDs you own. Why
do iPod owners need other choices when iTunes music store
currently has the biggest selection of music?
iPod + iTunes is the slickest and easiest solution for digital
music, there's no need to change that!
"iPod supports the most popular audio formats including MP3 (up to 320 kbps), MP3 Variable Bit Rate (VBR) and WAV."
Also, the Apple's iPod tech specs web page (<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.apple.com/ipod/specs.html" target="_newWindow">http://www.apple.com/ipod/specs.html</a>) says the iPod supports the following file types:
"AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 (32 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible, AIFF and WAV"
Could somebody be involved in a "disinformation" campaign?
It spreads like wildfire.
"iPod supports the most popular audio formats including MP3 (up to 320 kbps), MP3 Variable Bit Rate (VBR) and WAV."
Also, the Apple's iPod tech specs web page (<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.apple.com/ipod/specs.html" target="_newWindow">http://www.apple.com/ipod/specs.html</a>) says the iPod supports the following file types:
"AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 (32 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible, AIFF and WAV"
Could somebody be involved in a "disinformation" campaign?
It spreads like wildfire.
MP3 players access to the iTunes Store but they can't do this. If
they did, the other companies would instantly figure out the AAC
Fairplay encoding and start selling iPod-compatible songs of
their own, perhaps cheaper, ending Apple's monopoly on iPod
download stores.
As long as iPod is #1, Apple really has no reason to allow others
access to the iPod. Unless customers stop buying iPods because
they don't want to use iTunes (which hasn't happened), there's
no reason for them to make it open. If I were Apple, I'd be
watching this very carefully. As soon as large numbers of
customers were being lost because of the forced usage of
iTunes, they would have to open iPod to other store and open
their store to other players, while keeping the iPod-iTunes
syncing superior.
MP3 players access to the iTunes Store but they can't do this. If
they did, the other companies would instantly figure out the AAC
Fairplay encoding and start selling iPod-compatible songs of
their own, perhaps cheaper, ending Apple's monopoly on iPod
download stores.
As long as iPod is #1, Apple really has no reason to allow others
access to the iPod. Unless customers stop buying iPods because
they don't want to use iTunes (which hasn't happened), there's
no reason for them to make it open. If I were Apple, I'd be
watching this very carefully. As soon as large numbers of
customers were being lost because of the forced usage of
iTunes, they would have to open iPod to other store and open
their store to other players, while keeping the iPod-iTunes
syncing superior.
right? For the life of me, I can't find their website again, but the
FairPlay site definitely looked like it's own entity. If I'm right,
how on earth can this be a less attractive solution than those
offered by MS or Real? What's keeping others from using these
technologies?
FairPlay does not appear to be Apple technology - Forgive them
for not jumping into bed with Microsoft or Real! This seems like
a much better solution
defunct) Veridisc DRM solution of the same name.
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://64.244.235.240/info_about.asp" target="_newWindow">http://64.244.235.240/info_about.asp</a>
right? For the life of me, I can't find their website again, but the
FairPlay site definitely looked like it's own entity. If I'm right,
how on earth can this be a less attractive solution than those
offered by MS or Real? What's keeping others from using these
technologies?
FairPlay does not appear to be Apple technology - Forgive them
for not jumping into bed with Microsoft or Real! This seems like
a much better solution
defunct) Veridisc DRM solution of the same name.
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://64.244.235.240/info_about.asp" target="_newWindow">http://64.244.235.240/info_about.asp</a>
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://64.244.235.240/explained_contentprovider.asp" target="_newWindow">http://64.244.235.240/explained_contentprovider.asp</a>
In typical Apple fashion, they are ahead of the curve, and
discovered this technology. They anticipate its ultimate success
(802.11 anyone?) and have signed an agreement with Veridisc
(creators / owners) of FairPlay to use their DRM. Soon, once the
kinks are all worked out on Veridisc's end, this will become a
widely available form of DRM, and much more appealing than
that of MS or Real. This will all make sense shortly - it's
nonsense to think that Apple has anything to lose by
competitors offering the AAC + FairPlay solution - it can only
benefit them. Apple is embracing standards all over the place,
they wouldn't make the kind of lock-in mistakes they have in the
past.
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://64.244.235.240/explained_contentprovider.asp" target="_newWindow">http://64.244.235.240/explained_contentprovider.asp</a>
In typical Apple fashion, they are ahead of the curve, and
discovered this technology. They anticipate its ultimate success
(802.11 anyone?) and have signed an agreement with Veridisc
(creators / owners) of FairPlay to use their DRM. Soon, once the
kinks are all worked out on Veridisc's end, this will become a
widely available form of DRM, and much more appealing than
that of MS or Real. This will all make sense shortly - it's
nonsense to think that Apple has anything to lose by
competitors offering the AAC + FairPlay solution - it can only
benefit them. Apple is embracing standards all over the place,
they wouldn't make the kind of lock-in mistakes they have in the
past.
outselling Apple's iTMS unless Apple allows services like
Glaser's to profit from the iPod.
Glaser's service doesn't even work on a Mac. I predict that
Rhapsody will die unless they open their service to more
platforms.
The concerted disinformation campaign being run by iTMS
competitors and added and abetted by media outlets like
CNET is the only hope for people who cannot produce a
best-in-breed application/hardware combo. Glaser should
worry about competing in the marketplace instead of trying
to manipulate it.
outselling Apple's iTMS unless Apple allows services like
Glaser's to profit from the iPod.
Glaser's service doesn't even work on a Mac. I predict that
Rhapsody will die unless they open their service to more
platforms.
The concerted disinformation campaign being run by iTMS
competitors and added and abetted by media outlets like
CNET is the only hope for people who cannot produce a
best-in-breed application/hardware combo. Glaser should
worry about competing in the marketplace instead of trying
to manipulate it.
does not play is wma vorbis orgg, and real files. There is a FREE
program that will make it so you CAN play these however.
ACC, iTunes and the iPod ARE the INDUSTRY STANDARD. Why
don't people understand this. WMA is as, or more proprietary as
ACC...actually ACC was developed be companies like Sony and
Motorola....WMA is windows only...hummm
Never happen.
does not play is wma vorbis orgg, and real files. There is a FREE
program that will make it so you CAN play these however.
ACC, iTunes and the iPod ARE the INDUSTRY STANDARD. Why
don't people understand this. WMA is as, or more proprietary as
ACC...actually ACC was developed be companies like Sony and
Motorola....WMA is windows only...hummm
Never happen.
Apple does not have to. Real has to...
To partner with Apple just like Hewlett-Packard.
Smart move on their part to change and get off
the band wagon and smell the roses. iPod is the
future in the present.
Apple does not have to. Real has to...
To partner with Apple just like Hewlett-Packard.
Smart move on their part to change and get off
the band wagon and smell the roses. iPod is the
future in the present.
okay, they may be proprietary, but they are licensable (is that a
word?) from:
AAC:
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.vialicensing.com/products/mpeg4aac/" target="_newWindow">http://www.vialicensing.com/products/mpeg4aac/</a>
standard.html
and
FairPlay (Veridisc not Apple)
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://64.244.235.240/explained_contentprovider.asp" target="_newWindow">http://64.244.235.240/explained_contentprovider.asp</a>
okay, they may be proprietary, but they are licensable (is that a
word?) from:
AAC:
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.vialicensing.com/products/mpeg4aac/" target="_newWindow">http://www.vialicensing.com/products/mpeg4aac/</a>
standard.html
and
FairPlay (Veridisc not Apple)
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://64.244.235.240/explained_contentprovider.asp" target="_newWindow">http://64.244.235.240/explained_contentprovider.asp</a>
Remember the first iMac commercials: "about as unPC as you can get," wasn't it? Well the iPod is about as unReal as you can get, and we love it.
Glaser, everybody recognizes your sour grapes and "me too" attitude. Fix your own product and let Apple worry about theirs.