Apple Changes iTunes Formula, I Still Won’t Buy My Songs

Apple is following other online-music distributors such as Amazon in removing copy protection from its digital songs. Now you won’t feel like you’re only renting a song and unable to do much with it, so your songs have a new found freedom.

I never used iTunes because I didn’t want my songs to be restricted to my iPod (and I don’t want to pay for them, shh!), but now you will be able to do whatever you want with your songs.

Prices have changed too. Apple is no longer locked to its 99 cents price point. There will now be a three-tier pricing system with prices set at 69 cents, 99 cents, and $1.29. Apple says that most songs will be 69 cents, but I’m sure that the more popular songs that receive the most downloads will be the more expensive ones.

Money money money, that’s what it’s all about. Apple will probably try and market the price changes as a benefit for the consumer, but all it really will be is Apple and the major record companies turning a larger profit off of the popular singles that get put out and spread like wildfire. The vast majority of songs that will be 69 cents will be the stuff most people will never want to buy.

People who have already purchased songs from iTunes can upgrade their songs to remove the DRM limitations for 30 cents. Kind of a dick move; they should provide this upgrade for free. Some people may have purchased hundreds or thousands of songs from the iTunes store, and now you’re telling them they’ll have to fork over that much more cash to take off the limits you are now providing your songs without?

Thanks Apple, but I’ll stick with my torrents until you can compete with those prices and freedoms.