CF Apple Computer

Please read the full article as it contains much more than we could adequately condense here . MacDailyNews Take: In the full article, Morris discusses the birth of Apple’s iTunes and its subsequent growth, “We were just grateful that someone was selling online. The problem is, [Steve Jobs] became a gatekeeper. We make a lot of money from him, and suddenly you’re wearing golden handcuffs.

We would hate to give up that income.” It’s clear why Zune continues to be pushed upon an unreceptive market: the labels are desperate for a way out before it’s too late (device makers are desperate, too: Universal got Microsoft to pay a ridiculous $1 per Zune royalty, regardless of whether any Universal content is ever played on the device). But, contrary to Forrester Research’s Microsoft’s McQuivey, we firmly believe it already is too late. Apple won long ago.

Sheer momentum will complete whatever remains of the job. Zune is the WNBA of the digital media device world. In other words: boring mediocrity that real people couldn’t care less about propped up by vastly larger organizations with agendas unrelated to the product itself. Ginned-up “interest,” even with very well-heeled backers, cannot sustain failure forever. The labels are desperate because they face a serious threat.

Established acts (Radiohead and Prince, to name just two) have already let their contracts with the music labels lapse and simply gone straight to the consumer. Why pay royalties to the likes of Doug Morris when you can keep the bulk of the profits that your work and talent generates? More musicians will follow, many likely via Apple’s market-dominating iTunes Store, certainly in iPod-supported formats, if they wish to reach the largest possible audience.