Comments on: The iPhone requires an iTunes Store account

Getting that new iPhone up and running will require an account with the iTunes Store, perhaps to reinforce the notion that Apple's the primary source of legal digital content.

[dragonbite]

Vendor Lock-In

Just goes to prove just because Microsoft is big with Vendor Lock-
in, doesn't mean they are the only ones! Apple just puts a friendlier
face on their monopolistic-oriented goals.

I'll wait for a more open option.

[jeroneanderson]

agreed

would be nice to see an open source phone which plays music..... too many companies lock their software on the phone and third party software options are limited....

[rugbyno9]

iTunes/iPod... still horrible

After the vendor lock-in with iPods and the rampant Shuffle failures that were reported I have no idea why anyone would buy a phone where the vendor put such big handcuffs on the system.

Apple is the new evil empire.

[dragonbite]

Apple = Mini-Microsoft

Apple wants to be a "mini-me" to Microsoft

[GatesOfHell]

So What?

Please! Lock me in to hardware + software that WORKS as well as
Apple's stuff does! Lock me in and throw away the key!

Human-made stuff fails all the time no matter who makes it. But
it's how they deal with you when it does that matters. When I start
to hear that Apple is abusing and/or ignoring its customers en
masse, I'll start to worry. In the mean time, I'll just use the iTunes
account that I already have that works so well with my iPod, my
Macs, my PCs, my digital cameras and my other peripherals.

[jeroneanderson]

I hope my experiences are exceptions...

My 30GB video ipod 5G died twice and had to be replaced for no reason, my 2GB nano died once and had to be replaced by apple. itunes is annoying. it would be much easier just drag and drop the music files onto an ipod instead of syncing with itunes.

Tying the itunes store which is expensive and intrusive into buying an already very expensive phone with limited range (GSM only works in big cities and is completely absent in many parts of the country) seems like an added nuisance I would like as an option rather than a requirement.

Other than these things, Apple makes great computers....I love my macbook pro that I am using to type this message. maybe they should focus on what they do best and get leopard to market instead of delaying it in favor of a telephone.

As far as phones are concerned, a java based open source phone would be really appealing with about 8GB of flash memory and a touch screen similar to the iphone. It would spur competition between makers and doubtless there would be skins to make it act more or less like an iphone if you wanted it to for a much lower cost than an iphone. Then there could be more providers than ATT as well and maybe even a CDMA version for 3G video broadcasts.

[jeroneanderson]

iphones and itunes are not all they are hyped to be....

My 30GB video ipod 5G died twice and had to be replaced for no reason, my 2GB nano died once and had to be replaced by apple. itunes is annoying. it would be much easier just drag and drop the music files onto an ipod instead of syncing with itunes.

Tying the itunes store which is expensive and intrusive into buying an already very expensive phone with limited range (GSM only works in big cities and is completely absent in many parts of the country) seems like an added nuisance I would like as an option rather than a requirement.

Other than these things, Apple makes great computers....I love my macbook pro that I am using to type this message. maybe they should focus on what they do best and get leopard to market instead of delaying it in favor of a telephone.

As far as phones are concerned, a java based open source phone would be really appealing with about 8GB of flash memory and a touch screen similar to the iphone. It would spur competition between makers and doubtless there would be skins to make it act more or less like an iphone if you wanted it to for a much lower cost than an iphone. Then there could be more providers than ATT as well and maybe even a CDMA version for 3G video broadcasts.

[Lee in San Diego]

I wouldn't say that

Sure there are problems, but consider the number of units out
there.

[carabethany]

Only to Load Music

It does not require an account to use the phone, it is just to use the
music part of the phone, same as their computers and the ipod.
You wouldn't want to use anything else anyway. It is an apple
phone. If microsoft made a phone or an actual computer you
would have to use their service like the xbox 360. Nothing new.

[MadKiwi]

And What's More...

That's the understanding I got from reading the email too. Although I'll go one step further and bet that you will only need an iTunes Store account if you want to PURCHASE media from it. If all you want to do is use iTunes to synch your iPhone you will be able to do that without an account, just like you can with current iPods.

[sbwinn]

TMHGIH

If the iPhone is the most hyped gadget in history (TMHGIH) the
ladies and gentlemen of the technology media have only
themselves to thank for it.

How Apple has "hyped" the iPhone:
1) Not commented on rumors (for years).
2) Announced and demoed the iPhone
3) Put out a few commercials
4) Mentioned the iPhone at a few conferences

The iPhone is an innovative product. Apple tends to be an
innovative company. The hype is largely yours C|NET et al.

What really kills me is when the press over-hype a product and
then start printing articles asking whether said product will live
up to all the hype. Makes you wonder what world they live in.

[jelloburn]

Best Comment...

...Bar None

[jeroneanderson]

true but...

it would be nice if third party software could send music to and from the iphone.... or using drag and drop in the OS where a folder of MP3s becomes a playlist....

[jeroneanderson]

perhaps...

ironically it was the G5 imac I was using which failed repeatedly and had to be replaced with an intel based iMac which Apple eventually did after numerous attempts to fix the G5 imac including one replacement G5 imac which also failed.... my G3 and G4 computers work fine as does the new iMac....

[snodman]

No surprise.

It's a cross platform iPod. O.K., a video iPod with a phone in it
too. The only way ANY iPod synchs and gets video and audio
onto it is through iTunes. iTunes is just the computer/iPod
bridge and boombox software.

Even the Apple TV boxes use iTunes to communicate with your
PCs. So the only real news is that you will have to set up a one
click account with the iTunes Store. The letter AT&T sent out
does not say why you have to do so, but does say you will need
to set one up if you have not already done so. Even to get the
weekly free song downloads from the iTunes Store you need an
account, so this may just be smart marketing by both Apple
and AT&T.

[Riquez-001]

will work great with OS X

You always get a CD with your phone, it includes software to
transfer images, sync phone books, etc etc. That's fine if you use
windows - but I don't. So I have to find other ways of using the
features & sometimes I find that it's impossible.
So, I know that the iPhone will work seamlessly with OS X - it's a
good choice for me.

The 'lock-in' that people talk about with Apple seems kinda
strange. Sure it exists, but I've never felt locked in or restricted.
There's never been a time where I couldnt play my iTunes music
- it works in the car, it works on my iPod, it works wirelessly in
my house.
Maybe it wouldn't work so well if I had an iRiver - but I don't
want an iRiver, my iPod is great. & I wonder if iRiver has a CD
that works with my Mac?

I'd like to be able to stream my movies to my xBox360, but it
tells me I need a Windows Media Centre PC - thanks, but no
thanks, I don't need to stream anything that badly.
That's lock in & restrictive.
Instead I'll just plug a DVI cable from my Powerbook to my TV.
At least Apple make the products work with Mac & PC.

iPhone might not have every feature - but it's fairly innovative
and the system looks simple and a pleasure to use.

If you want to wait for an Open alternative - then wait.
If you want to have your fun now - get one.
If you want to complain about a product that you have no
intention of buying & hate it because it's Apple - ****.

[Randydasher]

How do I register for itune