http://blogs.barrons.com/techtrader...gle-or-microsoft-could-screw-up-apple-itunes/ "Mark Cuban offers a wild idea on how Google (GOOG) or Microsoft (MSFT) could throw a monkey-wrench into the Apple (AAPL) iTunes business model. His theory: either one could write a check to the music industry that would match what Apple is paying - he figures the music industry take from iTunes is about $575 million a year based on the top labels market share of annual downloads of about 1 billion songs - and then start giving away music - maybe the first billion songs - with advertising support. An interesting idea; I wonder if people would feel more enthused about the Zune if they could get music for free?" P.S.: Read the comments in the link, they are pretty interesting...
Related positive news for Apple: http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,2072141,00.asp Analyst predicts growing marketshare for Apple.... "Apple will hold about 3 percent of the worldwide PC market in the fourth quarter of 2006, and that number could rise to 4 percent by the end of 2007, according to a Dec. 13 report by Gene Munster, an analyst at Minneapolis-based Piper Jaffray."
Google is already in secret talks with the music industry offering them a percentage of revenue instead of a flat fee. I doubt Google will get anywhere with them, they don't understand that the music industry is run by individuals whose egos are bigger than their brains. Much of the music revenue should go to the musicians themselves and not to the bloated record industry. Google should be dealing directly with musicians instead of half dead suits who confuse themselves with god. A music contest on youtube could be a good way to test the venture. If that happens, add another $100 to GOOG.
spoken like a person who hates capitilism. knows nothing about the risks labels take to front the music and break artist. A person who knows nothing about how many mid size labels lose money and yet gave the artist their shot at the big time or a return tot he big time. Knows nothing really about what percent of albums actually turn a profit.
$0.99 is a tiny amount of money to spend for a Work of Art... That you can play and enjoy 100s of times. Most working people can well afford this small sum... And will not part with the ** convenience package ** Apple has put together... Over a few lousy dollars. It's called "critical mass". But then the millions of pyjama clad, dope smoking slacker parasites... That populate all those 2.0 social networking sites like a bad smell... Might be influenced by Mr. Cuban and the World's Smallest Carrot.
Did anyone see the interview with Trump on Donny Deutsch a month or so ago? He reamed Cuban. Called him a monkey. It was hilarious.