Apple Threatens To Shut Down Itunes!!

Source: http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/...cle4859885.ece

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Apple could shut down iTunes, the world's biggest online music store, if a ruling expected tomorrow forces the company to pay more to music makers for each downloaded track.
The Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) in Washington DC will decide whether to grant the request of American music publishers to increase royalty rates on songs bought from online music stores such as iTunes.
The National Music Publishers’ Association, which represents the interests of music makers and songwriters in the US, want rates to be increased 9 cents to 15 cents, which represents a 66 per cent rise.
Apple have vehemently opposed the move. In a statement to the ruling body last year, the company threatened to shut down iTunes rather than raise the price of songs in order to afford the higher royalty rates.

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Moved by Flisker (Forum Moderator): From Technology Discussion; I believe its best suited in here.

ooer i dont buy music off there to much but i do use it for my loved ipod so i hope it doesn't :rolleyes:

so they're going to shut down itunes because they have to pay an extra 6 cents to songwriters and the such? :S

Damn if iTunes closes then I will be doomed.

It's not like they have a big red button, the actual program will still work just the store won't. I can't say this didn't amuse me though.

"OMG DEY ARE MAKIN US PAY MORE"- Steve Jobs, professional hyprocrite with buttaids

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Originally Posted by cocaine

so they're going to shut down itunes because they have to pay an extra 6 cents to songwriters and the such? :S

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i think thats per song though. so imagine how much that'll cost.

if they shut down itunes, how can we add/remove/manage songs on our iphones/ipods. they better not anyway :@

i never really liked itunes.

iTunes STORE

Not iTunes, just the store ¬_¬

Apple are just babies crying because they get less milk.

I've got a lot of music of Itunes Store, it would be a shame to see it go,
but I guess everything has to end at some point in time.

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Originally Posted by cocaine

so they're going to shut down itunes because they have to pay an extra 6 cents to songwriters and the such? :S

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it really does add up. and pandora is shutting down for this reason.

everyone uses limewire anyway?

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Originally Posted by 5,5

everyone uses limewire anyway?

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No?

I use BitTorrent.

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Originally Posted by Blinger

No?

I use BitTorrent.

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What I meant mostly was that most people just download illeglaly.

This is bad! Even I use the iTunes store sometimes to buy really obscure music which is impossible to find.

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Originally Posted by *****

Not iTunes, just the store ¬_¬

Apple are just babies crying because they get less milk.

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Not really, if they have to pay more they are gonna have to put up the prices of songs on the actual Store. So they do have a point.

Please no..
Imagine if it shut down, wouldn't be able to update your ipod :(

Maybe they could pass it on to the consumers. If there was an itunes store in singapore, I wouldn't mind paying 10 cents more for a particular song.

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Originally Posted by Fifteen

Please no..
Imagine if it shut down, wouldn't be able to update your ipod :(

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Originally Posted by dirrty

if they shut down itunes, how can we add/remove/manage songs on our iphones/ipods. they better not anyway :@

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Originally Posted by LukeyBaby,

ooer i dont buy music off there to much but i do use it for my loved ipod so i hope it doesn't :rolleyes:

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Like Tawm said, they would only be closing the iTunes Store not the program itself. You would still be able to update your ipod and such considering you have iTunes already installed... it won't just magically disappear if they close down the iTunes Store.

Pretty much what DrLacero said...

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Originally Posted by DrLacero

It's not like they have a big red button, the actual program will still work just the store won't. I can't say this didn't amuse me though.

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You have to remember though that *almost* every single company out there is out to make a profit (Apart from the Not For Profit organisations) - If they have to raise prices on iTunes Store, less people will purchase, the less people that purchase the less profit they make.

I can't see how they could close becuase they have sold millions of iPods. How do we get our songs legally?

Never used it anyway

It won't affect me as i don't use it :)

Will it still have all those podcasts?

I was hoping iTunes was going to shut down... Damn. I don't care much for the shop so whatever. Apple are being immature.

It won't close, in Apples statement they said 'if we no longer make profit the store would probualy close', The extra 6c or whatever it is won't take all there profit, just some of it.

I don't think people are getting what Apple are trying to say. I know its all about profit, but if the prices of songs went up. People won't pay. Yeah most people on this forum may not buy music at all and just download it for free, which is illegal anyway.

I've never actually used iTunes so it wont really bother me but yah.

I never buy music of itunes, but even still, there not going to shut down the whole of itunes just maybe the downloading bit. So people who just use it for their ipod dont need to worry imo.

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Originally Posted by ebay

I can't see how they could close becuase they have sold millions of iPods. How do we get our songs legally?

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Napsters legal now and I guess you can download legally from sites like Myspace, Purevolume etc.

And Pandora was a great project, it's a shame it's shutting down.

You could buy CDs :P. I rarely use the store.

It's just a threat, the chances of this happening is very small, it's to attempt to put off the producers etc.

I do use iTunes to get the odd obscure song, that's what iTunes is good for but I think it would be an excellent think for the consumer if it closed, it would virtually eliminate DRM as hardly any other music stores use DRM.

If you want a good legal place for MP3s, which in some cases is cheaper than iTunes, try 7digital

Oh, I wouldn't care if te Itunes store shut down, waste of money imo

It will not shut... I dont buy of them though

If they are only making say $0.10 a song after the cost of the servers, upkeep of itunes etc then now they would only $0.04 per song. Its probably just not worth the hassle.

I found on Engadget today that the music people (cant remember who it was) have dropped the case to get more royalties, so the iTunes store is safe :)

Pffft, doesn't effect me. I hate iTunes :P It'll be funny if Apple lose the store though, would make me laugh at least :P

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Apple generated some headlines on Tuesday when statements by iTunes vice president Eddie Cue suggested that Apple might shut down iTunes rather than pay increased royalty rates to music publishers.

Few took the threat seriously, but CNet reports that the Copyright Royalty Board decided to keep royalty rates at 9.1 cents. Music publishers had been pushing for an increase to 15 cents per track, while Apple was insisting that the price increase would not be tolerated by the market.

The 9.1 cents/track rate is now set for the next five years. An Apple spokesperson stated they were very pleased with the decision.

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Update.

Yes, because shutting down the iTunes store means the iTunes program will suddenly stop working..

I use itunes for my Ipod but i would use the store to get the odd song. Otherwoise i buy CDS or get it from freinds in emails and MSN so i suppose the closure would affect me but atleast there now no shutting

So everybody knows, Apple won the copyright law, apparently they didn't get exacly what they wanted but the courts agreed to freeze however-much-it-is that artists get paid for the next 5 years. It said Apple where happy with that outcome.

I'd find a link but I can't be bothered...