The largest music download sites are taking the fight to Apple iTunes with a new secret weapon to stop the iPod music service - literally - in its tracks.
The Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) has designed a new logo that emphasises the fact that MP3 files can be played on any digital player. Apple's iTunes-friendly AAC format plays only on the iPod and iPhone. Apple players also play other digital music formats, such as MP3.
The BBC reports that the UK trade body behind the initiative claims it will help consumers identify legal sites. (Are they implying that Apple's iTunes music store is somehow illegal, or that pirate and criminal P2P trading sites never share MP3s?)
HMV, Woolworths, 7digital, Digitalstores, Tescodigital, Tunetribe, and Play.com have all signed up to the scheme - as has the British record industry's trade association, the BPI.
ERA has lobbied record companies for months to adopt the MP3 standard, arguing that proprietory digital rights management (DRM) systems such as AAC have been a brake on legal download sales.
"The beauty of an MP3 file is that once you have bought it, you don't need to be a computer genius or a lawyer to make it work and you are not locked in to a relationship with a single retailer or hardware manufacturer," said 7digital's Ben Drury.
BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor said: "This logo will not only help give consumers confidence that the music files they are buying will play on a wide range of devices, but will also help them know that they are legal and that artists are getting paid."
The only trouble is that the logo is dull, colourless and generally a bit crap.
(Not that Apple's rather dated iTunes logo is much better, with its 1990s CD and chunky emerald green musical note...)
And as Apple's iPod and iPhone are also MP3 compatible, I can't quite see the point. The iTunes Music Store doesn't sell MP3 files, but iTunes is MP3 compatible. Everything is MP3 compatible, that's the beauty of the standard.
Comments
Alex said: AAC is a ratified standard and has been since 1997 - well before iTunes and the iTunes Store It was developed by among other Nokia Apple simply saw that it was a better quality format than MP3 If AAC had been called MP4 everyone would have understood that it was the logical successor to MP3 However the music industry would probably have done everything in its power to stop widespread adoptionAn increasing number of mobiles and players from Sony and others now support AAC Seems to me like a campaign thats banking on peoples ignorance instead of highlighting the merits of the services offered by those in the ERA
Alex said: AAC is a ratified standard and has been since 1997 - well before iTunes and the iTunes Store It was developed by among other Nokia Apple simply saw that it was a better quality format than MP3 If AAC had been called MP4 everyone would have understood that it was the logical successor to MP3 However the music industry would probably have done everything in its power to stop widespread adoptionAn increasing number of mobiles and players from Sony and others now support AAC Seems to me like a campaign thats banking on peoples ignorance instead of highlighting the merits of the services offered by those in the ERA
ZS said: Aaaahh I thought the world had learned that AAC is standards-based format just like MP3 only newer and more sophisticated Do not confuse people by saying that AAC is Apples DRM IT IS NOT What you are referring to every time you say AAC is FairPlay DRM AAC is also supported by a wide range of media players not just iPods
ZS said: Aaaahh I thought the world had learned that AAC is standards-based format just like MP3 only newer and more sophisticated Do not confuse people by saying that AAC is Apples DRM IT IS NOT What you are referring to every time you say AAC is FairPlay DRM AAC is also supported by a wide range of media players not just iPods
theDarkness said: I dont see the point everything is mp3 compatible nowadays just about every legal site sells unprotected mp3s and the average customer really couldnt care less where the money goes as long as they get their mp3s they paid for Popular artists get enough money as it is despite the record labels getting a large percentage of earnings from sales Buying off a website offering you mp3s without the above logo if the site looks genuine enough i dont think the majority are going to care as long as the files actually work As for buying music from less established artists most will buy from the artists official site so there is no question as to whether what they get is official or not Its obvious the way the industry will go to prevent the majority illegal downloads in the future You may laugh now but entire mp3 albums with no protection all for around a pound will happen one day Lol
theDarkness said: I dont see the point everything is mp3 compatible nowadays just about every legal site sells unprotected mp3s and the average customer really couldnt care less where the money goes as long as they get their mp3s they paid for Popular artists get enough money as it is despite the record labels getting a large percentage of earnings from sales Buying off a website offering you mp3s without the above logo if the site looks genuine enough i dont think the majority are going to care as long as the files actually work As for buying music from less established artists most will buy from the artists official site so there is no question as to whether what they get is official or not Its obvious the way the industry will go to prevent the majority illegal downloads in the future You may laugh now but entire mp3 albums with no protection all for around a pound will happen one day Lol
DJ said: Paying for music is akin to paying for WindowsThank goodness Google are showing the way that the music business has to go Yes make the advertisers pay for everythingStill I dont know anyone who actually pays for music these days
DJ said: Paying for music is akin to paying for WindowsThank goodness Google are showing the way that the music business has to go Yes make the advertisers pay for everythingStill I dont know anyone who actually pays for music these days
Dave Casgoy said: How exactly is an MP3 file legal If I download an MP3 file from Limewire does the artist get a royalty I think not
Dave Casgoy said: How exactly is an MP3 file legal If I download an MP3 file from Limewire does the artist get a royalty I think not