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White Collar Criminals

APPLE MAKES A PLAY FOR THE MUSIC CLOUD

 Monday, December 14th, 2009 at 1:30pm by

apple logoA less forward-thinking company might shirk at the prospect of an unlimited music streaming service, especially one whose music business is rooted so firmly in pay-per-track iTunes and the iPods/iPhones that carry said tracks. If Apple were as thick-headed and dense as the major record labels, they’d forge ahead with their existing models while attempting to sue the newcomers into oblivion. But Apple is not that company. Apple is smart, aware and aggressive, and as such they’ve recently purchased music streaming site LaLa, a move that seems to indicate the company will soon be pursuing a subscription-based model.

And if Apple is going to make a play at a subscription streaming model, then the holy grail of music experiences — the ability to stream any song, at any time, from anywhere (aka “the cloud”) — is that much closer to becoming reality.

If Apple is going to challenge the notion that music “ownership” — having files on a personal hard drive or storage device — is out-dated, then you better believe that concept is going to receive wider mainstream acceptance. Who wouldn’t be excited about this? If there were an Apple service that allowed me to stream any track at any time from my iPhone or computer, all for a reasonable monthly price, wouldn’t that be the most awesome thing ever? Furthermore, I have full trust in the exceptional developers at Apple to come up with something that’s intuitive and easy to use; while MOG and Spotify have done a great job thus far it’s hard for me to imagine that Apple can’t one-up them, especially with LaLa’s engineers now under their visage.

The more time that goes by the less attached I become to physical product and album artwork. Sure, an album’s artwork can be cool and can ultimately enhance the experience… but I’m coming to view both of those things as peripheral to the actual music. Isn’t it really about the music anyway, the notes that come out of your speakers and into your ears? I don’t necessarily need all that extra stuff… I just want the tunes. And if a streaming service can enhance that experience, I’m all for it.

Apple’s streaming service can’t get here soon enough.

-VN

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  • Death2Apple

    Microsoft already has this on the Zune with Marketplace for $14.99 a month and the library is MASSIVE.

    • \m/Eluveitie\m/

      I haven’t used iTunes once since I got my Zune last year and I don’t plan on returning anytime soon

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mark-Gavin/1396340262 Mark Gavin

        I like my Zune, but since I switched to Mac I can no longer use it. :(

        Admittedly, I like the iTunes software much more than the Zune software, but for devices I prefer Zune.

  • builtforsin

    Who wouldn’t be excited about this?
    ME

    If there were an Apple service that allowed me to stream any track at any time from my iPhone or computer, all for a reasonable monthly price, wouldn’t that be the most awesome thing ever?
    Anyone with lack of internet access 100% of the time, and if you have an Iphone like me, this is already a bad start….

    Furthermore, I have full trust in the exceptional developers at Apple to come up with something that’s intuitive and easy to use;
    Really? I guess if you only used Apple manufactured devices that would be great, but Apple doesn’t play nice with hardware not purchased from Apple. They also price fix their hardware. You know why it costs $35 for a USB car charger? Because Apple changed the universal form factor of USB and licensed it to get their cut.

    • Trux

      +1000000

      I woudn`t be excited either…..

      Well put, good sir.

    • Truant

      -1000001

      you’re now at negative 1, assuming you started out at 0.

  • Sophus

    Today’s news post brought to you by Apple.

  • Tim

    Digital still doesn’t have the same fidelity as a CD, unless you use wav files, which are huge and would eat memory.

    • builtforsin

      1

    • Slaughterhouse

      I agree! The sound that an Mp3 produces is FAIL compared to a CD or WMA file! Im sure they’ll be using their patented AAC format though which sounds good…but CD’s just sound so much better than digital releases…you can hear the cymbals sparkle when its a digital release…

    • Deschain

      CDs are digital…

      • matt

        yeah but digital downloads (unless you want something that eats up hard drive space like FLAC or WAV) are lossy, meaning that some of the higher and lower frequencies are lost during compression into an MP3 or AAC or what have you. CD Audio is lossless, which means all the frequencies are there.

        • Deschain

          Even Flac and Wav files (unless ripped at the CDs 1400 kbps sample rate) are still technically not “lossless” like they are advertised. The only “lossless” audio format is vinyl because its a pure analog signal, and isn’t sampled in intervals like digital, (even though a CDs sample rate is so high you can’t really detect a difference). I just meant to point out that CDs are also a digital medium and eliminate the apparent dichotomy between CD and digital. CDs just have a much higher sample rate so they don’t suffer from audio degeneration like “standard” 128 kbps audio files that are often downloaded via torrents or iTunes (until recently when they upped their sample rate to 256 kbps).

  • Viking-Shredder

    I don’t know man. I’m still a fan of actually owning a physical copy of the music. Just something about having the physical copy makes me feel safer than confiding in computer files.

    • brandon

      1

    • http://www.myspace.com/somethinglikesweet CJ

      Yes.

  • musicalsnob

    damn did apple just by metalsucks????

    its like propaganda.

  • http://www.last.fm/user/groverXIII groverXIII

    Come on… how much music are we going to miss out on with this? I don’t use iTunes, so I don’t know how extensive their metal library is, but I’d imagine there are a lot of obscure bands that aren’t in there.

    • I’m not racst, but I hate Oceano

      You’d be surprised. I’m not exactly sure how itunes works, but I’ve actually found some no-name local bands from around where I live on there, so I’d assume that any band or label can submit their songs for purchasing.

      • Discipleofthewatch

        You can put your own cds into the iTunes program as well as downloading music, so it’s as obscure as you want it to be. I have a new mac, and I do love the thing. It was pretty pricey, though.

      • http://jordanmunson.wordpress.com Jordan Munson

        Pretty sure most everybody can put their stuff on iTunes. There’s probably a reasonably modest number of requirements you need to meet, and anyone can do it.

  • Dr schwine-hoot

    I really dont see ( at least anytime soon) physical copies going away. LP’s have been on the rise also over the last few yrs too. Yes the record sales may be a little down, but i think metal, especially is benefitting from this the most. Almost every big name and even semi- big in name in the metal community has charted on the BB top 200. Hell suffocation and Nile charted this yr! People still want the real thing, me included. And agree 100% with the comments above about the audio quality of CD over mp3…

  • Scourge441

    If you pay for digital music, you’re an idiot.

    • msv81

      +1

      You can google any fucking album on the face of the planet, save perhaps the most obscure CD of which 12 copies were ever printed, and find it in less than a minute if you know how to search and where to look. I’ve paid for maybe 1 or 2 digital releases through ITunes to get bonus tracks, but I’d be hard pressed to do that again. Paying a monthly fee for streaming music? Why? You can get a 250GB IPod for a very reasonable price (or, if Apple is not your thing, a Zune, etc. for even cheaper); fill it up and you can still listen to basically anything you want when and where you want.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Kasper-Maigaard/1027001938 Kasper Maigaard

    I’d probably buy an iPhone if that happened.
    I’m still a huge fan of physical product and I’ll continue to buy it if it’s worth it. I love the service sites like Youtube and Grooveshark provide, making it possible to hear the music before buying the physical copy.
    Long live the interwebs.

  • key

    Apple are tools. They make shitty products and advertise themselves as cool and indie. Whatever goodness of their software they have they keep to themselves: they sued people trying to run their operating system on other computers and palm for having the pre sync to itunes. they are elitist bastards who will do anything for money. They’re no better than microsoft and I can’t see why everyone is so aboard with this idea. I bet they bought up LaLa because it was a threat to them.

    • msv81

      Say what you will about the company (I am also annoyed by their smug, wannabe hip attitude commercials, they’re really pretentious), but Mac is immeasurably better than PC when it comes to just about everything. And this is coming from a guy who used to think the other way around……until I got a Mac.

      • Trainwreck

        Played any good games at max settings on your Mac lately?

    • I’m not racst, but I hate Oceano

      WHAT A MULTI BILLION DOLLAR CORPORATION CARES MORE ABOUT MONEY AND LEGALITIES THAN ABOUT MY INDIVIDUAL PERSONAL PREFERENCES AND BEING MY FRIEND

  • brian roach

    You people are delusional. Mac shits all over PCs, there is simply no comparison! This would rule, plain and simple. And the Zune is an embarrasment compared to the IPod, it’s not even close. Seriously people, come on? Let’s face reality here…

    • jason

      As someone who has been in the multi-media field for over 10 years and has both a Mac and a PC at home, I have to disagree. It simply boils down to personal preference. There was a time, long ago, when Macs were superior in regards to graphics applications, but now Windows-based machines are perfectly capable of handling vectors just as efficiently. As for the Zune, I really can’t speak on it because I’ve never owned one.

    • builtforsin

      YOU FUCKING IDIOT.

      They have the same “pieces” inside of them. Same processors, same RAM, same video cards, same sound cards, all the same shit.

      The only difference is that Apple only releases hardware/software that is approved for itself.

      Let’s talk about preception….
      See, Apple has tricked you! Apple only releases tested hardware in their computers, hardware that works 100% with OS X, software they developed. Hardware that is above average, that will perform GREAT on their computers, with THEIR OS.

      Contrary to popular belief Microsoft does NOT make hardware. So, when they create software that will work with ALL VENDORS (yes, im sure their are a few exceptions). So they can not keep the tight hardware/software relationships that Apple can. So when your Mom takes her $1 bills to Wal-mart to buy her new emachine for $300 IT FUCKING SUCKS.

      This is b/c cheaply made hardware with poor drivers will cause your PC to be pissed. This is not Microsoft’s fault you have no idea where/how to purchase a computer, it’s yours.

      Apple thinks you’re an idiot, so they shelter you, and hold you, and guide you, and take away your decisions, so you do not have to think.

      Guess what, they are right.

      • Deschain

        Apple is great for people who just want to access the internet, use applications, and perform standard multimedia processes. For those who enjoy tinkering, building, upgrading, and customizing their computer experience, PC is the better option.

        • jason

          That’s an interesting way of putting it…would you mind elaborating a little? I’m not trying to set you up for an argument, I’m just curious.

          • Deschain

            Sure. Apple is largely geared towards the average computer user. For the vast majority of people who “just want their computer to work” Apple’s easy to learn and easy to use interface is great. With a locked registry Macs are much less susceptible to viruses (but not immune), the applications are Apple approved, Hardware is uniform and Apple controlled so everything apple approves “works.” Likewise, Apples limited options takes the fear out of buying. No need to compare ram, video cards, processors, monitor size, usb ports, manufacturers etc. The MAc comes in six types, Mac mini, iMac, Mac pro, Macbook, Macbook pro, and macbook air. picking one out is easy.For the emailers, picture sharers, legal music downloaders, and word processors, Apple is an easy to use, reliable computer option.

            However, for those who want their computer to do more than “just work” PCs flexibility and customization options are immense. Users with some technical knowledge can fine tune their PC to meet their needs. From Gaming Machines, to Business machines, to multimedia machines, a plethora of companies offer a huge variety of components so individuals can tailor their machine to fit their needs. In addition to the purchasing options, users can build their PCs from the ground up, selecting every component for their dream machine. Single component upgrades are also possible, allowing you to keep your machine updated without having to purchase a new one everytime. While the shareware community for Apple produces a good number of applications, the amount of freeware available to PCs is much much greater. Although some of the freeware applications suffer from poor designs or poor performance, a much greater variety exists, allowing users to perform a greater number of functions and access a greater number of features and programs on PC. However, finding the right program requires knowledge and time.

            For some users, Mac is the better options, for others the PC is the better option. It just depends on what the user wants to do.

    • Dirtman73

      Whahuh? Pull your head out of Apple’s ass before you make illogical comments bucko. As builtforsin stated, Macs and PCs use the same hardware. And the new Zune HD player fucking rocks. It’s $.cheaper.$, better built, and it has superior sound compared to the iPod. But so do dozens of other MP3 players out there. Hell, my four year-old Zen Vision still kicks Apple’s newest iPods in the ballz when it comes to sound quality.

  • matt

    until i can access the internet anywhere, anytime at average speeds like they have in Japan, then i don’t care. I’ll take having the physical product or a digital download that I can access instantly at any time instead.

  • d00shc00gr

    iTunes made me rage every time I used it. all my friends with iPhones hate them. I’ll not trust another apple product ever.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Magne-Gunvald-Karlsen/616928992 Magne Gunvald Karlsen

      A couple of friends of mine said that iTunes is God’s punsihment for eating the apple, back in the days. :-)

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Magne-Gunvald-Karlsen/616928992 Magne Gunvald Karlsen

    I would never buy anything from Apple. Sure, their computers are descent, but the Ipod.. You pay a lot of money for a product that is shite. The sound is crappy, and don’t even get me started on Itunes. When I want to put music on my Iaudio (which beats the shit out of Ipod, when it comes to the sound + I can play Flac) I just plug it in my usb and it comes up as an extra harddrive. I don’t have to put my music in the Itunes library to be able to transfer it. Right now I’m paying appr $13 to use Spotify. With Lala, if I would like to hear a song more than one time, I would have to pay a one time fee for each and every track I want to listen to more than one time. There’s no way in hell that I’m going to do that. That takes away the whole idea of streaming for me. If I like the album I buy it on cd or vinyl, but I still would like to be able to listen to it online without having to pay more than the monthly fee. Besides, considering how unimportant the sound quality is for Apple, I’m sure they probably would stream at 128kbps, instead of, like Spotify, at 320 kbps.

  • Lybrium

    Seriously guys? as metalhead’s, do we not have a duty to be better than this? c’mon, The old apple vs pc argument?, give it up. Next it will be pepsi vs coke.

    And this LALA shit, well it’s shit. Here’s why: It won’t be FREE, The quality will be LOW (mp3.96-128) And, most importantly, you will need an Internet connection. Sure, thats great for dude’s who never leave the city, I go traveling/hiking with an ipod. Oh and I quickly want to take a shit on you kids that are saying ipods have “crappy sound” because they can’t play flac, look up these formats: AIFF, Apple Lossless.
    Do your research before you say something stupid.

    Fuck lala, just make the next ipod with a Quarter Inch output, instead of a dinky 3.5mm.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Magne-Gunvald-Karlsen/616928992 Magne Gunvald Karlsen

      My aversion has nothing to do with the old pc vs mac argument. I was on the lookout for a good mp3 player. I’ve listened to some of my favourite music on an iPod and it really sounds terrible. Of course I used the same source when I compared them. There was no heavy bass on the iPod. The reason that I bought the iAudio is because I can use bigger earphones on it, instead of being limited to in ear plugs,

    • gibberish

      Coke>Pepsi.
      I just hafta throw that one out there…

  • SSSSSSSSSSSSS

    rofl’d at the forward thinking of music streaming models that have been around for years. nice one.

  • Art Weingartner

    Last.fm on the computer and xbox and Im sure theres an app for the iPhone…..um, and its free.

  • metalguy

    im confused does this mean no more itunes store downloads or is it a stream before buy thing?

  • Taleim

    If i’m restricted to using an average apple product like the iphone (i mean in terms of sound quality), then fail. Also, I agree with the comment above about internet access – in New Zealand we do indeed have plans which would allow this, but it’s so expenisve to have a decent data cap, plus whatever the itunes subscription costs. Plus we all know apple won’t do flac, so i’m not really interested. Cowon ftw!

  • Kye

    I’m against this simply on the principle that no part of me believes Apple would stream music of a bitrate worth listening to. Given that the majority of people pay for songs off iTunes in a lesser quality than the ones they would find on a physical disc, I realize I’m in the minority here, but some of us do care about the quality of our music, and while I’m all for advancements in the way we receive that music, it shouldn’t come at a cost that affects the sound coming from my speakers.

  • Trainwreck

    Just wondering…do any of these streaming sites actually use VBR encoded mp3′s or are we still stuck using CBR? (128,192,256,320)

  • scramblor

    All the major labels already hate how much control Apple has in their industry. If they really want to make the streaming scene happen they will probably createt at their own joint-venture similar to what Hulu did for TV.

  • Andy

    “the ability to stream any song, at any time, from anywhere (aka “the cloud”) — is that much closer to becoming reality”

    For us in certain countries it is realit, it’s called Spotify and it’s pretty amazing.

  • Nick

    My car plays CD’s. Until it can access the internet anywhere, any time, with 100% certainty, I will continue putting CD’s in it.

  • Death2Apple

    It makes me happy to know that I’m not the only metal head out there with a white hot hate for Apple, and their pretentious attitudes, overpriced machines, and shitty mp3 players.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Magne-Gunvald-Karlsen/616928992 Magne Gunvald Karlsen

    The main thing I have about Apple has actually nothing to do with technical stuff. 3 years ago I was going to buy a couple of Koss Porta Pro headphones and checked the prices on the net. At the cheapest store it cost $35. Apple Store sold the same headphones for $105. I rest my case. These are swedish prices, but I don’t think that Apple is at the cheap end of the scale in the US or any other country.