Apple suspends HMV iPhone app for allowing customers to download music

Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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Apple has suspended HMV's iPhone app for allowing customers to download music. Breaking the carnal rule of Thou shalt only buy music from Apple :mad:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/24620271
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  • artnadaartnada Posts: 10,113
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    UK Monopoly laws should sort that out, surely?
  • Richard_TRichard_T Posts: 5,159
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    Its been a while since i used one of apples iPods, but cant you just 'sideload' apps on apple products, or even use an alternative app vendor ( such as amazon )?
  • The Lord LucanThe Lord Lucan Posts: 5,054
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    Apple doesn't prohibit buying music elsewhere. Just within the app. Mostly to stop rouge files therefore being able to say the App Store/iTunes is safe. However you can be redirected to the website to purchase/download there.

    Unlikely any monopoly issues, already been investigated at a European level and users/app makers agree to it being this way when they first use,
  • alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    Apple doesn't prohibit buying music elsewhere. Just within the app. Mostly to stop rouge files....
    It means HMV have to add over 40% to the price to get the same return. What I don't get is why they simply don't add the 40% and then also offer it via their website at 40% less.
    I assume it will simply return as a media player with no store.

    Digital sales caused HMV to go bust and it now looks like there is only limited way back that way.
  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
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    I wonder how it got through in the first place.

    How safe is the app store if they didn't notice...
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 13,367
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    alanwarwic wrote: »
    Digital sales caused HMV to go bust and it now looks like there is only limited way back that way.

    Well, I'd say HMV's misunderstanding of the market caused them to go bust. Years ago, they were in a strong position to be at the forefront of digital music sales, but they stood still and were left behind.

    Arguably it wasn't just digital music anyway. It was about CDs and DVDs being sold much more cheaply by retailers like Amazon.
  • alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    Well, I'd say HMV's misunderstanding of the market caused them to go bust. Y...

    You simply can't compete against no local location on-line for music and video. Costs are simply too high.
    Electricals and such like are mainly all sold on-line too.

    It is Armageddon on the high street.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 13,367
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    alanwarwic wrote: »
    You simply can't compete against no local location on-line for music and video. Costs are simply too high.
    Electricals and such like are mainly all sold on-line too.

    It is Armageddon on the high street.

    Oh, I know. There's no way they could compete on price with the likes of Amazon. I was just meaning that sales of their physical media were undermined by online retailers.

    I do think they missed a big opportunity to be an early adopter of digital music sales though.
  • enapaceenapace Posts: 4,303
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    alanwarwic wrote: »
    You simply can't compete against no local location on-line for music and video. Costs are simply too high.
    Electricals and such like are mainly all sold on-line too.

    It is Armageddon on the high street.

    I'm honestly surprised waterstones is still doing okay as it similar situation.
  • TheSlothTheSloth Posts: 18,707
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    Does the Amazon MP3 app not exist on iOS? I use that on Android for all my music purchases as it is straightforward, cheap and gives me MP3 files that I can transfer and use on my other devices without any fuss.
  • alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    TheSloth wrote: »
    ... I use that on Android for all my music purchases as it is straightforward, cheap and gives me MP3 files that I can transfer and use on my other devices without any fuss.
    It competed with iTunes so got deleted from the iTunes store.

    Competing is not allowed unless you pay 30% of the sale price to Apple. Doing that obviously means you can never compete.
  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
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    alanwarwic wrote: »
    It competed with iTunes so got deleted from the iTunes store.

    Competing is not allowed unless you pay 30% of the sale price to Apple. Doing that obviously means you can never compete.

    when are we going to see regulator intervention on this.
  • chenkschenks Posts: 13,231
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    flagpole wrote: »
    when are we going to see regulator intervention on this.

    why would they need to intervene?
    it's an app store restriction, not a device restriction.

    HMV can still sell their content to iphone users from outwith the app store, and users can still play that content on the device.
  • alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    chenks wrote: »
    why would they need to intervene?
    ..
    It is still restraint of trade. However, as IOS devices are not PCs, they can currently do what they like.
  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
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    chenks wrote: »
    why would they need to intervene?
    it's an app store restriction, not a device restriction.

    HMV can still sell their content to iphone users from outwith the app store, and users can still play that content on the device.

    So there is another way that hmv can release an app that allows them to sell music on iOS devices?
  • thebennyboythebennyboy Posts: 327
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    chenks wrote: »
    why would they need to intervene?
    it's an app store restriction, not a device restriction.

    HMV can still sell their content to iphone users from outwith the app store, and users can still play that content on the device.

    I think our regulator should be stepping in to stop this. Blatant disregard for competition law. It's restricting the market so you have to buy music through Apple or pay them for the privilege.
  • The Lord LucanThe Lord Lucan Posts: 5,054
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    Why do they need to.. you can buy and download digital music i.e. mp3's to the iPhone already elsewhere. http://arstechnica.com/apple/2013/01/hands-on-amazon-mp3-store-specifically-for-iphone-and-ipod-touch/
  • chenkschenks Posts: 13,231
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    flagpole wrote: »
    So there is another way that hmv can release an app that allows them to sell music on iOS devices?

    HMV can sell their content via a website, just like anyone else can.
  • chenkschenks Posts: 13,231
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    I think our regulator should be stepping in to stop this. Blatant disregard for competition law. It's restricting the market so you have to buy music through Apple or pay them for the privilege.

    but you don't "have to buy" music through apple.
    you can buy it from wherever you like and play it on an iOS device.
  • alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    chenks wrote: »
    ...
    you can buy it from wherever you like and play it on an iOS device.

    And I thought people liked it because it 'just works'.

    :cool:
    :rolleyes:
  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
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    chenks wrote: »
    HMV can sell their content via a website, just like anyone else can.

    But not through an app? So not as convenient then?

    Can you imagine if there were a similar restriction on windows?

    There is a clear case for regulatory intervention. It's so obvious it's remarkable you can't see it.
  • chenkschenks Posts: 13,231
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    flagpole wrote: »
    Can you imagine if there were a similar restriction on windows?

    you mean windows "phone" of course, because if you mean windows desktop then clearly that has no correlation to this.
    flagpole wrote: »
    There is a clear case for regulatory intervention. It's so obvious it's remarkable you can't see it.

    whether i or you think it's obvious is irrelevant.
    it's whether the regulators thinks it's obvious and clearly they don't.

    personally i see it as a non-issue. wasn't an issue when i had an iOS device, and still isn't an issue now that i don't.
  • SoundboxSoundbox Posts: 6,240
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    Can Apple users download the Amazon music app?
  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    HMV and Amazon are allowed to compete this way with Google Music on Android so why can't Apple do the same?! Personally I think Apple need to be investigated over this. Look at what happened with the eBooks.
  • kidspudkidspud Posts: 18,341
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    flagpole wrote: »
    But not through an app? So not as convenient then?

    Can you imagine if there were a similar restriction on windows?

    There is a clear case for regulatory intervention. It's so obvious it's remarkable you can't see it.

    Could you imagine hmv selling music in asda or tesco?
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