Apple Computer on Monday said its iTunes online service has sold a million videos in under 20 days, sending shares up almost 5 percent.
iTunes, the most popular online music store, began selling about 2,000 music videos and episodes of ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” and “Lost” for $1.99 (1.12 pounds) on October 12.
The debut coincided with the launch of a new generation of Apple’s iPod digital music player that can play video on its 2.5-inch color screen.
This is just for the folks whose crystal ball said iTunes is going to disappear by Xmas.
Topping the list of big sellers were music videos by Michael Jackson, Fatboy Slim and Kanye West, as well as episodes of ABC shows.
“Selling one million videos in less than 20 days strongly suggests there is a market for legal downloads,” Steve Jobs, Apple CEO, said in a statement. “Our next challenge is to broaden our content offerings.”
I haven’t downloaded anything, yet — and I don’t own any kind of iPod. But, I think I may get “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World” with Neil Young and Pearl Jam.
There is no doubt that the RIAA is gunning against iTunes. But it’s great that Apple can grow so quickly into video.
And it sure dates me too. I remember when music videos were synonymous with commercials. Now kids PAY for them?! Hilarious!
Well I certainly don’t get this, anymore than I get ringtones or cameras on phones. Who can possibly see this stuff anyway? And why do we need TV’s within pocket’s reach? Isn’t regular commercial bombardment in the living room enough for everybody? Ah well, if it really is this viable, it suggests there is life in the economy somewhere, eh?
What iTunes will be gone by xmas…. Who said that????
It would be ironic if you checked back and found out it was JCD who said it on a TWIT moment.
Was it John?
The “disappearing iTunes” source I love best is a competitor [of course] who is probably up to .0001% market share. They have a “revolutionary business model. They have a website focused on their hatred of iTunes’ success. They serve up serious analysis on “what will all those foolish people do when Apple goes out of business?”
I’m not going to give them a plug.
I don’t recall John ever saying anything like that on TWIT; but, with his humorous sense of irony, you really never know what he might say on the spur of the moment. Context is everything!
I had a sony tv in the eightys that had a 2.5 screen. Once the novilty wore off. The screen whould make you crosseyed.
I’ve been thinking about this. If Apple can convince sheep to BUY commercials and shows they can record wand watch for FREE, they’re underutilizing their brand. May I offer Jobs a few suggestions for market growth: iUsedtoiletpaer. iDogshit. iUsedunderwear. iMud. And to solve the world’s nuclear waste disposal problem: iWaste!
I get the point of the iPod video – People can watch things while on the bus to work, for example.
My wife would pay the $2.29 (Canadian) to watch Desperate Housewives and Lost without commercials.
What I am curious about is how are the sales of music videos going? I myself probably wouldn’t drop coin on one..
Escalation, as Commissioner Gordon puts it, will be the primary concern. In the following years, the videos will be available as VCD size downloads challenging DVD shops as MP3s changed the way music was distributed. I do not see why TV stations should complain- when they could always superimpose an advertising marquee and have an international audience of downloaders in addition to their local viewers. Heck, why not bypass the TV station and let WB team up with Pepsi and Nike and offer free downloads to their latest series – including marquees and superimposed logos. It’s just a matter of time before the marketing guys figure out how to cash in.
My 2 cents:
TV is NOT free, I pay $35 CDN per month to watch commercil TV.
A TiVo costs something or I can rent one from the cable supplier.
Then I have to remember to programme the thing.
Then I need to Burn it to DVD so I can watch it at the ski cabin/cottage (or do I have to haul the TiVo box around?
But with iTunes … presumably TV shows will be as easy to access as Podcasts … open iTunes and it updates your show lists … click BUY SHOW and it downloads.
I can watch it on the subway.
Kids can watch it in the car.
Wife can watch it on theTV at home.
Girlfrie … uh, my dad can watch it at the cabin.
Of course I need to buy a new iPod and pay for the shows … but it is the convenience of it that makes it so great. That is the thing that Jobs “gets” … he always has. 95 percent of the people want a few really convenient, really cool features.
Even regular TV is not that easy … you have to wait for the right time on the right day and then pray that the network didn’t pre-empt the show, or switch from a new episode to a re-run.
Best of all … one day will be able to cancel my $35/month cable. Now that would be sweet.