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| How long does iTunes have left? |
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 16th November 2017, 07:18 PM
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#1
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 BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 9 May 2009
Posts: 3,615 User: 8,809 
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Someone asked on the weekly thread if iTunes would close in 2018 so I thought it's future deserves a thread of its own. Sales still generate over one million units a week but 25% down year on year so I think iTunes will finish in the early 2020s.
This post has been edited by zenon: 16th November 2017, 07:37 PM |
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16th November 2017, 07:33 PM
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#2
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BuzzJack Enthusiast
Joined: 14 May 2016
Posts: 1,175 User: 23,274
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Early 2020's sounds about right. iPhones have to stop selling as much soon as well, not the best phone by a long way but a great marketing machine which wony last forever.
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16th November 2017, 08:08 PM
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#3
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 🔥🚀🔥
Joined: 30 August 2010
Posts: 74,570 User: 11,746
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I reckon there will be an iTunes and Apple Music merger in a few years, you'll still be able to download tracks but the main focus from Apple will be on getting streaming subscribers and thus download sales will significantly fall. Then by mid 2020s they'll stop music downloads altogether as by that time there will only be a few people left who haven't made the switch.
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16th November 2017, 09:01 PM
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#4
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BuzzJack Legend
Joined: 13 November 2015
Posts: 33,251 User: 22,665
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I kinda think it's gonna close soon, the minute it's not profitable anymore
Boh I'm not sure how much $$$ they make with the #1 song selling 2K a day and the #100 song selling less than 50 a day, I'm amazed they still publish a top 1500, pretty sure tracks from #800 to #1500 are all tied with 3 sales  they probably would have closed if apple music had been more successful but they cannot seem to be able to beat Spotify |
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16th November 2017, 09:05 PM
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#5
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 you never forget your first time...
Pronouns: he/him
Joined: 19 April 2011 Posts: 121,692 User: 13,530 
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I can't see it closing any time soon, I think people are forgetting how big an impact it still has on the chart. It's dwindled from a few years ago of course, but songs like Havana and Too Good At Goodbyes recently only made #1 thanks to sales (they both peaked at #2 on Spotify). So I think there's plenty of life in it still. I think Dan's idea of a merger is quite likely really, although I'm not sure how workable it is when Apple Music is for subscribers only.
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16th November 2017, 09:10 PM
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#6
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 18 May 2007
Posts: 3,628 User: 3,429
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QUOTE(danVember @ Nov 16 2017, 09:08 PM)  I reckon there will be an iTunes and Apple Music merger in a few years, you'll still be able to download tracks but the main focus from Apple will be on getting streaming subscribers and thus download sales will significantly fall. Then by mid 2020s they'll stop music downloads altogether as by that time there will only be a few people left who haven't made the switch. I think they will merge it too, but I don't think download sales will fall to nothing, and if the music industry has any sense it will not allow it to happen. There are plenty of people who will never pay £10 a month because they don't need or want to. There's research that backs this up. If you've already got a library of MP3s and you only really want the odd Adele album, Now compilation or the #1 summer hit, you don't need a subscription. |
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16th November 2017, 09:25 PM
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#7
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 3 March 2014
Posts: 2,567 User: 20,665
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2020 I think
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16th November 2017, 09:50 PM
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#8
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 The owls are not what they seem
Pronouns: He/him
Joined: 11 July 2009 Posts: 37,125 User: 9,232
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It's certainly showing signs of decay, but at the same time, it's hard to imagine the concept of downloading and ultimately OWNING MUSIC, in which iTunes now has the lion's share of the market, ever becoming obsolete enough for it to go completely.
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16th November 2017, 10:03 PM
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#9
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 is my brain across your walls?
Joined: 14 February 2009
Posts: 115,075 User: 8,300
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Is there much of a financial motive for them to stop? I'm not sure how much it costs for them to keep the service running. I can definitely see it being merged with Apple Music but I don't think it will be completely shut down any time in the near future (unless it is losing them a ton of money).
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17th November 2017, 01:32 PM
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#10
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 18 May 2007
Posts: 3,628 User: 3,429
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Also have to remember that it's not just about making money out of the downloads themselves, but if it motivates a certain percentage of customers to stick with iPhones..
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7th December 2017, 01:32 PM
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#11
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 18 May 2007
Posts: 3,628 User: 3,429
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Apple rumoured to be removing downloads from iTunes end of next year
 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2017/12/06...usic-downloads/ Why don't they get that some people will NEVER pay £10 a month because they don't need unlimited access to millions of songs? I am still reluctant to make the switch to streaming because I'm so worried about songs disappearing in the future. And if they weren't ever released on CD, it's not like I'll be able to pick up a copy on Discogs. It will be lost forever. |
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7th December 2017, 01:38 PM
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#12
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BuzzJack Legend
Joined: 11 October 2013
Posts: 31,028 User: 19,931
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It doesn't really make sense to do that. Ed Sheeran for example sold a enough downloads this week to see there's still an interest. And also, I'd say digital sales for albums are still somewhat stable, too.
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7th December 2017, 01:41 PM
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#13
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#38BBE0 otherwise known as 'sky blue'
Joined: 27 October 2008
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I see this as an opportunity for smaller digital music retailers to muscle in on this market which will remain lucrative for many years to come (as you've stated there Ben).
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7th December 2017, 01:49 PM
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#14
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#38BBE0 otherwise known as 'sky blue'
Joined: 27 October 2008
Posts: 16,170 User: 7,561
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As per the iTunes thread, the answer is apparently 'early 2019': https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2017/12/06...usic-downloads/
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7th December 2017, 01:50 PM
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#15
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Buffy/Charmed
Joined: 18 April 2013
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Well, seeing as they only 'loan' you a song you download lol, it's about time.
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7th December 2017, 02:15 PM
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#16
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BuzzJack Platinum Member
Joined: 10 March 2006
Posts: 19,190 User: 151
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QUOTE(ChRiMbO LeG PiPe @ Dec 7 2017, 01:50 PM) Well, seeing as they only 'loan' you a song you download lol, it's about time. Loan? How so? |
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7th December 2017, 02:18 PM
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#17
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Buffy/Charmed
Joined: 18 April 2013
Posts: 44,078 User: 18,639
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You can't pass your digital song collections on at death. They are property of Apple. They welnt to court to ensure this.
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7th December 2017, 04:17 PM
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#18
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BuzzJack Platinum Member
Joined: 16 November 2009
Posts: 7,600 User: 9,988
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It is interesting to see certain posters in this thread bolding onto downloads like some held on to cd singles. Streaming is the present and future why not just embrace it. You are posting om a forum probably on your phone, you embraced interent and smart phones why not the next way to listen to music.
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7th December 2017, 04:25 PM
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#19
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BuzzJack Platinum Member
Joined: 21 November 2009
Posts: 8,554 User: 10,030
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QUOTE(sammy01 @ Dec 7 2017, 04:17 PM) It is interesting to see certain posters in this thread bolding onto downloads like some held on to cd singles. Streaming is the present and future why not just embrace it. You are posting om a forum probably on your phone, you embraced interent and smart phones why not the next way to listen to music. I'd rather be able to buy a song/album and support an artist that way. Streaming is notorious for the pittance it pays to those involved in the song - in particular the artist. You'd have to stream an album a thousand times through in order to generate the same revenue as just buying it. So it doesn't make a huge amount of sense to end downloading altogether - particularly for those acts who are independent or on indie labels and such. |
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7th December 2017, 04:35 PM
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#20
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BuzzJack Legend
Joined: 13 November 2015
Posts: 33,251 User: 22,665
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I actually think they should close right now, the more they wait, the more established Spotify is gonna be
the should do something radical, that you can only stream your itunes purchases thru apple music and not spotify, sure they can come up with some shenanigan, and then close itunes otherwise, the more they ewait, the more popular and unbeatable spotify becomes |
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