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Microsoft admit copying iTunes

16 September 2004 14:22 by James "Dela" Delahunty | 9 comments

Today, Microsoft has admitted that they copied Apple's iTunes music store. Microsoft has released a beta of their online music store. They told the New York Times that "Apple set the bar very high. We told our developers: 'Look at how Apple does it'. The Microsoft music store couldn't look more like Apple's iTunes music store if you ran it through a copying machine." The prices are the exact same as the iTunes music store, which is 99c a song and $10 an album. Users can copy to five computers and burn up to seven copies of the same playlist aswell as downloading to unlimited amounts of pocket players.

So it comes down to the question, since everything is the same, which company will come out on top? Apple has already had great success with iTunes having sold over 100 million tracks. They also account for about 70% of all music downloads currently. Microsoft sells albums by Radiohead, AC/DC, Metallica and the Red Hot Chili Peppers but unfortunately and very unfairly, you cannot buy individual tracks from the albums, you have to buy the entire album. The iTunes music store does not sell anything from these bands for that reason.

Source:
Macworld UK

Permalink to this article

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Discuss this article!
Toiletman (Senior Member) 17 September 2004 12:48
Microsoft is going to lose. A lot of people HATE MS (or M$), and hell, if iTunes is so damn successful, what's the point of having the same service? [ + quote]
bobiroc (Member) 17 September 2004 14:23
Say what you hafta say about Microsoft, but if it wasn't for them, Apple computers would have most likely gone bankrupt a long time ago. MS invested lots of $$$ to keep them alive. Of course it benefited MS because they got software deals out of it. As far as the same service goes, maybe somebody may prefer the use of the MS software over iTunes or vise versa. Car companies do it. The chevy cavalier and pontiac sunfire are essentially the same car, yet both of them sell. [ + quote]
askyew (Member) 17 September 2004 20:28
Wow Billy ripping off Steve jobs!! say it aint so [ + quote]
Ghostdog (Senior Member) 18 September 2004 2:30
Quote: Microsoft is going to lose. A lot of people HATE MS (or M$) Do you really think a small number of people in the geek minority are going to signifcantly impact a very public service like this? Personally I think the race will be decided by other factors. Apple already have a nice headstart, for example. [ + quote]
Toiletman (Senior Member) 18 September 2004 9:17
Quote: Apple already have a nice headstart, for example. That's what I already said =P Check: "if iTunes is so damn successful," Quote: Do you really think a small number of people in the geek minority are going to signifcantly impact a very public service like this? Personally, I don't hate Microsoft at all, and if you see my other posts about MS, I am actually Pro-Microsoft. But that small number of peopel in the geek minority isn't exactly as small as it might seem... and you know how saying "OMG M$ sux" to friends can effect business... Everyone is entitled to their own true opinion. Either respect that or don't. [ + quote]
Ghostdog (Senior Member) 18 September 2004 10:25
Yeah, I guess you could be right. I just think that most people see Microsoft as an ordinary, although big and deserving of criticism, company. Personally I�m kind of neutral on the subject. I think a centralization of power like that has both good and bad sides, but MS does get a lot of crap all the time. Some of it they deserve, some of they don�t. And sorry if my previous post seemed a bit harsh, I just think that "I hate M$!" crap gets thrown around a bit too often. [ + quote]
Toiletman (Senior Member) 19 September 2004 10:46
Don't worry, I'm used to harsh =D. And I totally agree with you, that M$ Shit really is getting thrown around too much. Everytime someone mentions Microsoft in a most, you can expect flames, bullshit, and any other anti hating comments. I guess there's not that many open minded forumers left =D Everyone is entitled to their own true opinion. Either respect that or don't. [ + quote]
esoterix (Inactive) 19 September 2004 15:13
Geez, does Microsoft ALWAYS have to steal from Apple and Macintosh? [ + quote]
rah (Newbie) 20 September 2004 1:26
There is starts again. [ + quote]