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.

Edited November 16, 20177 yr by zenon

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.

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 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

 

 

 

 

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.

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.

2020 I think

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.

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).

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..

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.

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.

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).

As per the iTunes thread, the answer is apparently 'early 2019': https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2017/12/06...usic-downloads/

Well, seeing as they only 'loan' you a song you download lol, it's about time.

Well, seeing as they only 'loan' you a song you download lol, it's about time.

Loan? How so?

You can't pass your digital song collections on at death. They are property of Apple. They welnt to court to ensure this.

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.

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.

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