Could the future of iTunes be digital software downloads?

One thing that struck me during Steve Jobs' keynote yesterday was this odd moment when Jobs was trying to rationalize many of the reasons MacBook Air owners would be happy not having an optical drive in their laptop. He was going down a list of things we need optical media for and replacing them one by one with various Apple creations. Apple's perceived solution for not having a drive would be to buy all your media through iTunes and play it on your iPod, delegate the task of reading discs to another computer in your house, or simplify things with a new and proprietary $99 external drive. Sounds simple, right?

It's commonly been referred to as the "Steve Jobs reality distortion field" and there hasn't really been a clearer example of it since Apple launched the "simpler" version of its one-button mouse that actually had five. In this case, it's the importance of optical media and the role it still plays in our lives. While I applaud Jobs and Apple trying to get rid of what's admittedly become a weak and cumbersome format, I'm a little disappointed that Apple hasn't decided to offer a real solution to the problem they're creating for novice computer users and road warriors who want to avoid optical media altogether--at least not yet.

(Credit: Apple.com)

What I'm getting at is that Apple's in the perfect position to start offering digital software downloads to the masses, and tie it into a software system that millions of people are comfortable with giving their credit card information to on a daily basis. I'm speaking of course, about iTunes.

Apple's got all the pieces in place to start offering people computer software the same way Valve's been doing with video games with its hugely successful Steam service for the last six years. I love Steam for many reasons, but primarily for its built-in updating tools and easy-to-navigate digital storefront that make it easy to buy software with one click and not have to worry about it again. If I could get the same performance from an app that's admittedly become a little bloated but already has a decent updating system, I'd be happy as a pig in mud.

Two things stick out in my mind as being good signs such a service is in the works via iTunes:

(Credit: CNET Networks)

1. The Apple software updater for Windows. Apple snuck this into iTunes 7 as a better way to update itself and QuickTime at the same time without the user having to go to Apple.com and run an installer, but it could easily be checked against a database of other user-installed applications for patches and updates similar to what CNET's VersionTracker offers with its VersionTracker Pro service. Additionally, Apple had a similar standalone utility to update iPods, which it later built-into the iTunes iPod dialogue. Since iTunes and QuickTime both have self-checking updaters, why even start including this app in the first place if there isn't some larger plan at work?

2. Apple's already got a directory of all sorts of free and shareware apps on the downloads section of its Web site but sells the bigger, more professional applications via its online and retail stores. While a good number of the software items featured through Apple's store have digital downloads at their home site, there's no such option through Apple's store.

So what's next? If the iPod's move to Flash storage, and the original iMac's ditching of floppy drives have been any indication of how Apple moves a trend from one end of the spectrum to the other, we'll be seeing disappearing optical drives from Apple's other laptops in the next few years. Does that mean the digital downloads store is right around the corner? Probably not just yet, but with a year of Leopard under its belt and an iPhone SDK out in February, Apple might need something to get developers excited come WWDC later this year, and a digital distribution store might be just the thing.

[thechristhomson]

I hope they don't go to digital downloads of software like iLife and iWork, because I love apple packaging. Yes yes, it's weird, I know... but I love their packaging! Oh, and how would you install Mac OS X 10.6 without a disc? That might get just a little bit technical if you have to boot onto an ISO or something...

[myett]

Apple's Top Secret Plan to World Domination:

1) Offer next version of OS X as a download on iTunes.
2) Offer all third party developer software for OS X as a download on iTunes
3) Offer an OS X that deletes Vista and installs on PCs (can't wait for that one!)
4) Rename iTunes -> iStore

[7aji88]

Not really... just make OSX possible to be installed on other PC, I know that won't work very nice on every PC and it will be just like the way how Linux may not work with every thing you have already working on Windows, but since it's OSX you gonna see all these companies make their hardware compatible with OSX because it will spread more; however Apple's hardware line will suffer because their awesome system can work on cheaper hardware!

[carsonstuart]

I guess iTunes would be a nice way to track which tools I have purchased and/or downloaded.
I would like to see Amazon compete in the SW download market as well.
I prefer to download software vs. using an optical drive; definitely a greener way to go.
If you don't put the nice Apple packaging on the wall and show it to your friends then it is going to end up in the landfill.

[zunezrok]

YAWN! Apple can only do the same thing over and over again for so long! Apple fanboys should buy the one hit wonder, apple, products cause in 10-12 years from now when apple is gone all of their products will actually be worth something(i guess)for those huge price points! Mac's are terrible machines. Pc's will always domonate the market! Ipod's will be KILLED by the zune! Mac OS X Will never be better than Vista! Apple tv will always be defeated by windows media center! And macbook air is USELESS! Notebook's will ALWAYS be better than macbook's! Microsoft pwn's apple! Go Microsoft! apple can suck it!

[sohrob76]

Dude, you're on crack! The Zune sucks my left testicle and is nowhere near the level of domination that the iPod is at. Mac market share here in the U.S. has more than doubled in the last two years as well. Quit suckin on Bill Gates pipe and wake up and smell the Folgers Crystals! Apple is the new king in town!

[fotoram]

This is probably one of the most idiotic comments I have read on these boards. I usually don't respond to obviously biased and non-intellectual dribble, but this moron takes the cake. Yes you have a right to your opinions, but at least make an attempt to be somewhat more educated than a first grader. Maybe if you stopped playing WOW on your XBox for a minute and actually read some business articles, you'll find that Apple's market share in computers is slowly growing every year. If you are old enough to look back on history, you'll also note that Apple's death has been foretold over and over. If you in fact are a Microsoft brown-noser, you probably better be nervous. Windows Vista is a bust, Zune's 2nd generation mp3 players are actually better than their first attempt, but it's too little to late because no one cares, and Billy Gates plans for world domination is quickly eroding to the tunes of Google, Yahoo, and Apple. So, stick to your virtual worlds and stay in school, maybe after a few years of education you'll actually have something to say that anyone will care about.

Let's see: a paragraph that doesn't address the content of the article, full of value judgments and opinions with no factual content, decorated with lots of exclamation points.

Looks like fanboy behavior to me.

[manoaHI]

I for one believe that the MacBook Air is not for one who doesn't already own a PC or Mac. I own multiples of each, so, the separate DVD writer is not such a bad idea, Also, who ever wins the Blu-ray, HD DVD, on-line battle, this allows Apple to release the appropriate add on. I know they support Blu-ray, and on-line downloads, When traveling, I'm not inclined to use optical media anyway, but having a portable optical drive that I can leave in the safe in the room, drop by some Blockbuster and rent a movie, if I have no dinner plans or meetings and just want to kick back in the hotel, then the portable drive is useful. Thus any on-line content or DVDs or games are perfect.

To zunerok, when the same thing is asked to the Woz, he believes that Macs and PCs are rather on par at home. I have the same number of Macs and PCs (3 each) at home. It is the business side that has the market share for Windows, this is mainly due to the fact that you can choose your vendor, or even make your own for Windows, but you can only buy Macs from Apple (regardless of the store). Also, you can't tell how many people are using BootCamp, Parallels or Fusion to run Windows software and support Windows Vista on their Mac, so there is value for this as well, but doesn't obviate the Mac. Using Vista, XP pro and Mac OS X, I don't believe that Vista is better than OS X. Each has its strong points and weak points, mostly I find OS X better since I am a UNIX head and the file system of OS X is far better than the file system of Vista. iPod vs. Zune, possibly but not yet, legal content, there is still more for iPod, but that could change in Zune's favor in time. Apple TV vs. Media Center, definitely Media Center. But remember BootCamp, Parallels and Fusion (Parallels and Fusion are available on PC but won't run any Mac software - but all can do Linux, OS/2 and others).

[Viddrumr32]

Oh my GOD i hate these pc fanboys! First of all Zune will NEVER be more popular than ipods unless apple somehow self destructs. The main reason is because the Zune has no 'cool' factor that the ipods have. 9 out of 10 people would choose an ipod over a Zune mainly because Apple makes iPods and Microsoft makes Zune and Microsoft has NEVER had a cool factor associated with it. And Vista is basically a copy of the things that OS X has been doing for years. And with the exception of you Zunezrok i've never heard anyone call macs terrible machines. Go read a review by ANY reputable tech review site and Macs always get great reviews. Keep your unbased claims and negative opinions to yourself.

[marcashland]

@Viddrumr32

Vista is copying things that OS X has been doing for years? I will accept that MS has snatched some ideas from the Mac camp when it came to the styling of things, but when it comes down to the actual workings, the two systems could not be more different.

I'll give apple that they know how to make a good looking product. Every release is packed in a good looking body that was well thought out in research and design at mac headquarters. When it comes to features and functionality, the "breakthroughs" are completely overshadowed by Job's stroking out on stage about every product.

For me, it really ends there. I haven't found software on a mac that isn't rivaled if not surpassed by software on another OS. Furthermore secunia came out and proved what windows people have been saying forever. Mac's are NOT more secure than PC's. I could list all the vitals on that point but you're better off reading the following.

http://www.electronista.com/articles/07/12/18/windows.security.in.2007/

[Nick.Kentros]

I think the Remote Disc in the MacBook Air is a fantastic piece of software, very impressive, and it shows that everything in the computing world will eventually be wireless.

Its also a stupid idea. Having the Remote Disc makes the MacBook Air dependent on another computer, and i'm sure that the people who will be buying this computer will have a second or maybe even a third Mac, but still, it just seems like its going to be way more of a hassle than anyone expects. The Steve Jobs Reality Distortion Field is in full effect with that feature.

That being said, the USB Superdrive is a fine alternative... except it costs $100, and that continues apple's other aggravating trend of over priced necessary accessories. There should be a mid-level MacBook Air that comes with the superdrive and a bigger hard drive (certainly they could fit the 160 gb hard drive from the iPod in there somewhere, they could have made it .8 inches deep with the bigger harddrive, no one would have noticed or cared)

All of that being said, The MBA is a very cool computer, and like all Apple products, will only get better in about 6 months. (I'm not a PC fanboy by the way, I use a MacBook Pro)

[Nick.Kentros]

Also, forgot to mention this: Time Capsule is probably the most exciting thing to come from this MacWorld. Wireless router with a server hard drive built in, so wireless external hard drive and back ups? Thats probably the best idea i've heard of in a long time, and I plan to buy a Time Capsule as soon as I can afford one

[Coopernatural]

With the low cost of USB optical drives and external hard drives, I'd gladly sacrifice that for the sleek form and light weight. My current PC laptop -- the optical drive is used solely for watching an occasional DVD. Maybe I'm a simpleton but -- OpenOffice, Firefox, Mozilla Thunderbird, some games, Google Earth, virus/spyware protection, NVu for website editing/building -- all of it downloaded wirelessly. I've used the ethernet jack once in a year and a half. It's being marketed as an ultra-portable that happens to have a full keyboard and big screen. It is what it is and I think it's great. If you NEED an integrated optical drive and an ethernet jack, buy MacBook or MacBook Pro. My complaint -- one mono speaker -- but I can deal with that.

[eddloggg]

I personally am a true believer in Apple. Had the Macbook Air been out a year ago I would have purchased it instead of my Macbook Pro. The lack of an optical drive does not bother me, especially since I have an old G3 smurf running as a server in my house. I have been using the 100GB drive in that to back up all of my design work for 7 years since I stopped using it as my main comp. Using it's drive would not be a problem, especially if it was for the gain in portability for my notebook. Though my Pro is a great machine, I wanted something smaller and lighter.

[cocomak]

Apple does thing with irrotational manner and this is its salt