[gorilla]

Anyone else noticed this price hike? Now I know you get dual download, but I mean, come on! Wont you get dual download on the iphone from the itunes music store?

I only buy from the three music store using my inclusive £5 allowance, and I think you can get a bundle of 5 tracks for £4.99, but that's still more expensive than itunes.

[Hands0n]

With the Apple product there is no real concept as "dual download". Basically, whatever you download into the iPhone or iTunes is replicated across to the other device.

Are 3 not being a bit silly in terms of pricing themselves out of the market.

[chaslam]

Depending on what way you look at it and what their future plans are, it can either be very smart or very stupid.

The initial price rise would seem a stupid idea, with the iphone and soon nokias "Comes With Music" it would seem stupid to price all their songs so high when people with a Nokia phone can get them for free anyway?

However, if you look into 3s intentions, could it be that they are planning an add on for unlimited music for £10 a month or similar? If so, they have obviously hiked up the price to make it seem better value.

[phil8715]

The problem with it is it's totally useless, I had loads of problems with DRM issues and couldn't download to the pc depsite it being a dual download. The album art also didn't work, on a handset that supports album art. Is it any wonder people use Limewire or other p2p sites?

£1.69 for a single track seems a bit of a ripoff when tracks from itunes only cost 79p. I think I'll use my Ipod to listen to music that I can connect to my DAB radio. Plus if you bought every track on that album it would cost more than the album itself.

[Hands0n]

Cripes! I've just noticed, that is even more than iTunes un-DRM'd music tracks ...... I have to say that I do not really think that the mobile network operators really have too much of a clue regarding selling content. They consistently ask too much for it, ignoring the notion of "stack 'em high, sell 'em cheap, and lots of 'em". They'd rather go for their more traditional (PTT) model of overprice everything, make it premium product, and sell as little as they can for as much as they can get for it.

Not a recipe for success in the 21st century.

[phil8715]

To be honest I'm not a big fan of digital downloads. If you buy an album via digital download I don't feel i've actually bought anything but the music, if I buy the cd if get a phsyical object such as the cd itself, I can play & copy anyway I want, Also the cover and the booklet with the song lyrics in them sometimes. I feel i've got something for my money. Plus if you lose, or your phone/ipod gets nicked you've lost everything.

[Ben]

Mhm. I'm a big fan of digital downloads (iTunes). It's instant gratification, it's quick and easy, and the DRM (where applied, I use + where available automatically) is very flexible and easy to manage. But then that's just Apple all over - keeping it simple! Unlimited iPhone's, unlimited CD's, and up to 5 other computers with streaming to an unlimited number.

Moreover, Time Machine guarantees that my master digital stash is well looked after.

Microsoft and other DRM, however, is a chore. I've tried all the big ones that use Microsoft DRM in the past, from OD2 through the 'new' Napster and beyond. Vodafone and Orange. The experience on all of them sucked in its entirety.

[Hands0n]

Let us not forget also how Microsoft shamelessly changed the DRM with the Zune to one that is incompatible with their previous method. At a stroke the Zune started a new DRM channel for M$ that required customers to have to re-purchase any tracks and albums that they might want to transfer to the new player.

Apple have never done anything so rotten as that. Zune sales reflect M$'s folly. I could never trust them after that stunt!

[selena]

Truly speaking, I am not fond of digital downloads. I just buy the cd which i want to use as well as the music which i love to hear the most.

[Hands0n]

But millions of people out there are making Apple very rich indeed through iTunes Store. The mobile operators, if they want to emulate Apple - and that would be only the best that they could do - need to learn from their model. The price that the mobile ops want to charge for music downloads is not attractive.

Perhaps they haven't heard of the recession.

[phil8715]

It's the same age old battle Microsoft v Apple again. To be honest Ipod wins hands down because you can't get a mobile handset that supports a 60gb memory card or has 60gb of internal memory. I use a 20gb ipod 1st generation and I love it.

[Hands0n]

phil8715 hits nail firmly and very accurately on head :D

It could have been Microsoft, but it wasn't. It could have been 3, but wasn't. It could even be/have been Nokia but it isn't and wasn't. Oh hell, it should have been Sony, but history repeated itself and it wasn't.

All of these "competitors" to Apple's iPod and iTunes have failed completely to realise the "why" it is that people have gravitated so strongly to the iPod. Coupled with iTunes it is breathtakingly simple to collect and manage music, even if - like me- - you rarely if ever download music.

As I type this I have iTunes busily importing the All Saints All Hits given away with today's Mail on Sunday. As is usual with all Apple stuff, my actual presence is completely moot after I popped the CD into the Mac Mini. It asked me one question and is now busily ripping the CD into my collection. Later I will sync up to my iPhone and iPod whilst telling iTunes whether or not to pop the new collection on the devices.

Try any of this with the competition and it will be an eyewateringly difficult experience by direct comparison.

[Ben]

Damnit, I wanted that CD :P