Net retailer Buy.com plans to launch its own music store on next week's Tuesday, aimed at Windows users with pretty similiar pricing structure as Apple's hugely successful iTunes (which is not available for Windows users yet) has, i.e. user pays $0.99 per song download and no subscription fees, etc.
Buy.com tries to emulate Apple's success, although its business will be based on a website-based store front rather than a stand-alone application, like Apple's iTunes is. Even the service name of Buy.com's music store sounds somehow familiar -- iMusic. And obviously to stir the soup a bit more, there is a well-established site called iMusic.com already, owned by the ArtistDirect Network.
It is not known yet what format Buy.com will eventually use, but odds are in favour of WMA added with Microsoft's DRM stuff. It is interesting to see whether Buy.com's tracks can be burned on audio CDs or converted to unrestricted MP3s.
Source: SiliconValley.com
Written by: Petteri Pyyny @ 16 Jul 2003 16:41
Buy.com to launch its own music service
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A_Klingon
When it comes to new music-downloading services, that is always my first question: What music format will the files be in? When describing their upcoming services-to-be, I find these companies to be exceptionally secretive about this. I can't stand 'non-standard proprietary' music formats. Within the 'established' formats, WMA is the least attractive, and, riddled with DRM, I will have nothing to do with them.
My second concern, and one which the services also seem to be very secretive about, is which artists, and how many artists will be offered.
Thirdly, I'm not fond of music 'subscription', services that charge a monthly fee whether you download anything or not. I'm happy to see (above) that Buy.com has not chosen to go that route.
P2P is having a very good effect all around !!! ("If you can't beat 'em <they can't>, then join 'em!") :-)
-- Mike --17.7.2003 02:47 #1
