Full FeedSony thinking about iPod-ready subscription music
Sony label chief Rolf Schmidt-Holtz was recently interviewed and mentioned the possibility of Sony creating a new music subscription program. The way Sony is looking at this is very interesting, and could very easily compete with Apple’s iTunes Store if they gained support from major labels and could make the system easy to use.
“We have many ideas. For example, a subscription offering in the digital music distribution, in which we currently operate. In the simplest, and perhaps the most attractive alternative would be a kind of music flat rate for all MP3 players, including the iPod, for a monthly contribution is available from the entire music world.“
[Google Translated]
A major problem with subscriptions is that once you stop paying, your music is gone. Sony has even thought about this and may give you 40-50 songs each year to keep, just for being subscribed. When asked about pricing, the Sony label rep explained it would be in the range of 6 to 8 Euros ($9-12) a month, roughly the price of a CD here in the states.
If Sony can pull this off it would definitely cause an upset to Apple, possibly pushing Apple to create a subscription system of their own, already being rumored.
Do you like to buy your music, or would you rather use a subscription based service?
Read [Faz.net] (Translation) Via [Electronista]
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I want to own my music. I will never pay into a subscription service. That’s like paying for radio. No thanks.
on March 25, 2008 at 09:52 AM - LINKKrye,
I agree, I’m an avid purchaser of CDs. I like how easy it is to purchase music online, but I can’t get over the fact that, for the same price, I can go purchase the physical album and have a much better quality version.
on March 25, 2008 at 09:54 AM - LINKI’m confused on both of the above comments. Do people realize that for the price of 1 CD they can have access to millions and millions of streaming songs at an unlimited level? And its not like radio. Even with satellite, you can’t cherry pick your playlists like you can with services like Rhapsody. Even Pandora can’t do what the sub services can do. And in regards to owning the music, while you pay to have access to millions of the songs, if you really feel the desire to own the music - you can always buy it as a download from these services. In regards to it working on an iPod…give me a break. Yes, iPod is a nice MP3 player, but there are so many good ones out there now - its nothing more than a fashion statement to own one. Try a sub service and the millions of songs, buy a few downloads from them and tell me you are not getting eveything you wanted and more than you did from a $15 CD or a la carte downloads on iTunes. Subscription services offer so much but unless you actually try them out, most people just don’t seem to understand the major upside. That’s understandable since society has been buying music since the business started - so the thought of renting it is new and scary. But after you get on a roller coaster as a kid and you’re terrified, you can’t wait to get back in line and rie it again and again! My point…try it and you’ll be hooked (not everyone - but way more than the current # of subs these services currently have!)
on April 7, 2008 at 01:18 PM - LINK