Universal Doesn't Renew with iTunes

[admin]

Universal Music Group notified Apple last week that it will NOT be renewing its terms within an annual contract for the iTunes music store. The New York Times reported on this information, citing "anonymous" executives who didn't mind giving up the info, but wanted to make sure they didn't lose their jobs in the process.

Discuss "Universal Doesn't Renew with iTunes" here. Read the article.

 

[j_garcia]

So what exactly is Universal trying to achieve? Higher prices? A better deal from Apple that the consumer doesn't see?

 

[westcott]

The Universal execs are wrong more often than the weatherman and get paid a lot more.

If half of my decisions made on a daily basis were wrong, I would not have a job.

It seems Universal is shooting for not having a business!!!!

 

[avaserfi]

So what exactly is Universal trying to achieve? Higher prices? A better deal from Apple that the consumer doesn't see?

They probably don't care as long as they are getting more money. They might also threaten to sign a deal with a different download service but that seems a little short sighted on their part since iTunes is the third largest in music sales currently.

 

[Audioholics]

People... people... you are assuming they are even thinking at all.

 

[birdonthebeach]

Clint is right. To assume that big label heads have a brain is your first mistake in all of this...

Let me 'splain. No, too much. Lemme sum up: Apple wants control, Universal wants more $$$.....

 

[avaserfi]

Clint is right. To assume that big label heads have a brain is your first mistake in all of this...

Let me 'splain. No, too much. Lemme sum up: Apple wants control, Universal wants more $$$.....

Sounds about right, but if Universal is thinking it might be something along the lines of: "Hey, we don't need a contract to sell our music on iTunes and this way if something bigger and better comes out we don't have to break a contract." Then again that is a big if.

 

[j_garcia]

They are thinking alright, only they are thinking about how to best line their pockets not about producing anything of any vaule for the consumer.

 

[mike c]

when I read the title, i thought it was gonna end like "Universal doesn't renew with HD-DVD"

 

[avliner]

when I read the title, i thought it was gonna end like "Universal doesn't renew with HD-DVD"

So as I; really funny though

 

[jinjuku]

Universals stance strikes me as one of: If we can't 'Win', then no one 'Wins', what ever 'win' means for Universal.

Apple wins business wise if Universal capitulates, Apple wins consumer perception wise if they hold the $0.99 of a dollar line and Universal walks away.

Either way, Apple looks to the average consumer like they are on their side. Which as a consumer electronics company, they pretty much are (as far as a large corporation can be).

I don't see Apple giving Universal a bigger slice of the $0.99 of a dollar pie. I do see Apple pulling in more Indie outfits to fill a potential gap (unless they have them all represented, I dunno, I refuse to purchase music online, I buy CD's).

I would laugh if this signaled the steady decline of dinosaurs like Universal.