Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Thursday, 14 August 2008 16:34
Opinion and Analysis
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The news that Telstra has launched a DRM-free MP3 option on BigPond is
all over the news, and it has been a long time in coming. Yes, there’s
the talk that iTunes is in danger, but now that the DRM demon has been
slain for music, video should be next!
”BigPond sells MP3 music”, scream the headlines, “put those songs on your iPhone, iPod or any mp3 music playback system... iTunes should watch out!”.
But as has been noted, iTunes might not have too much to worry about just yet. After all, Amazon sells MP3 tracks in the US but can’t defeat iTunes, nor have the music subscription systems from Real, Napster and others out there made much of a dent either.
Of course Apple was the first to go with DRM-free AAC files on a legal basis with the major studios, and while these aren’t MP3 tracks, at least there are plenty of MP3 players that also feature AAC compatibility. Devices such as Nokia N-Series phones and the latest BlackBerry Bold also feature iTunes music synchronisation compatibility for non-DRM tracks.
As for pricing, BigPond seems to offer identical pricing to the Australian iTunes store - $1.69 per track and $16.50 per album pricing for most of the MP3 catalogue, matching the same price as much of the WMA selection, with a small discount of “12% on track sales and 9% on album sales”, with downloads for BigPond members not counting towards download caps.
And yes, we have those major labels: “Sony BMG, Universal Music, Warner Music and EMI, as well as leading Australian independent record labels and distributors including MGM, Inertia, Liberation, IODA, and AmpHead,” plus others on the way, along with more MP3 tracks to come from all those back catalogues.
We also know what BigPond Group MD, Justin Milne had to say: “BigPond now gives iPod users an alternative place to purchase their favourite music in a format that will work on their player. And if they are BigPond customers they will save money on the tracks and download them free of data charges. BigPond is changing the online music game by creating a truly open world that puts consumers in the driving seat.
"Until now many people found it complex to download music legally, and ended up frustrated when they discovered their music was locked onto a single device or was impossible to transfer to the player of their choice. But from today BigPond's new service means consumers can transfer tracks from their computer to almost any device they care to use.”
So, when will we hear Steve Jobs, or Justin Milne, or anyone else say something like the above sentences, but substituting the word “music” for both “TV shows” and “movies”?
Continued on page 2.
