DS Forums

 
 

ITUNES - does it need to be such a rip off!?


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 10-08-2010, 20:32
Jaymitch1
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 6,189

so now nearly all tracks are 99p. sorry but whats that all about??
they were 79p, should'nt they be going down in price not up?
considering nearly everywhere else is offering tracks for around 80p or less, how can itunes justify these prices? they dont even offer a service where you can re-download a track if you accidently delete it from your hard drive, plus the last straw for me was listening to a couple of tracks i downloaded onto my mp3, and the sound quality is bloody awful compared to when i rip from cd-mp3. even some of the dodgy 'illegal' downloads i have got sound better than itunes downloads!
luckily i have just discovered HMV digital, much fairer prices.
Jaymitch1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 10-08-2010, 20:41
xfactorfan27
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,216
So just don't download from there. Simples I personally use a wide range depending on which is cheapest-I generally find Amazon/TescoDigital/7digital/Tunetribe offer the best value. Amazon in particular for singles (many hits are 40p) or new albums and Tunetribe for albums (most are £4.99)
xfactorfan27 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 20:45
Carmen Queasy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Middesbrough (via Manchester)
Posts: 37,343
I'd never download from iTunes unless I was desperate (like a track I was desperate for and couldn't get it anywhere else). First of all, I don't particularly like the m4a format. I don't like the restrictions you get when buying music from there, unless you pay more to remove such restrictions.

The reason they charge so much is because they can. Every man and their dog has an iPod/iPhone and even those who don't will use iTunes as a music player (OK, maybe I'm exaggerating but a lot of people will use iPods/iPhones and iTunes).

Further to that, Apple being rich means they can get exclusive content, such as bonus tracks, which aren't available anywhere else. This irks me because I'll never find a CD version of some bonus tracks, for example.
Carmen Queasy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 20:48
Lily_2008
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: North London
Posts: 2,271
They charge so much just because they can. People use itunes for convenience, most people have an iPod and so songs you download from there go straight on to your itunes song list rather than you having to transfer them.
Lily_2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 20:58
ags_rule
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 7,408
They charge so much just because they can. People use itunes for convenience, most people have an iPod and so songs you download from there go straight on to your itunes song list rather than you having to transfer them.
Amazon MP3 does the same. People are just lazy and don't want to break with the iTunes fad.
ags_rule is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 21:01
Carmen Queasy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Middesbrough (via Manchester)
Posts: 37,343
Although Amazon MP3 can automatically import things into iTunes, it's not part of iTunes. People like the convenience of opening one program, clicking a few buttons and then done.

I wish more people would use alternatives to iTunes because it definitely has the monopoly at the moment. People could save money and get better quality if they looked elsewhere. Then again, most people wouldn't tell the difference between a 96kbps MP3 and an actual CD.
Carmen Queasy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 21:15
MTUK1
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: London, United Kingdom
Posts: 19,783
I use www.tunechecker.com all the time to get the best prices on MP3s.
MTUK1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 21:23
kutox
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Watford
Posts: 15,815
IFurther to that, Apple being rich means they can get exclusive content, such as bonus tracks, which aren't available anywhere else. This irks me because I'll never find a CD version of some bonus tracks, for example.
And then they wonder why so many people choose to illegally download music these days. I usually listen to bonus tracks on youtube, and if I like them I'll download them for free somewhere
kutox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 21:27
sparkidee
Guest
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,250
I hardly buy from itunes there good for funky house and some other dance music, i find Beatport to be the best and use it all the time. If however i cant find a rare tune I google it and usually end up downloading it for free as there isnt any other option
sparkidee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 21:31
kryskrys
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 3,224
If people are stupid/lazy enough to pay 99p for a song they could get for 40p on Amazon/HMV etc then I think fair play to iTunes. They're only going to reduce their prices if they start losing customers to rival sites.

I only ever buy from iTunes if I can't find the song anywhere else.
kryskrys is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 21:32
Carmen Queasy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Middesbrough (via Manchester)
Posts: 37,343
And then they wonder why so many people choose to illegally download music these days. I usually listen to bonus tracks on youtube, and if I like them I'll download them for free somewhere
Apparently the people who are buying music legally are those who bought it legally in the first place or new customers.

People who download illegally are still doing it.

Bringing in legal downloads has opened up a new market but it hasn't deterred the majority from getting things for free.

MTUK1, thanks for that! I rarely buy music but when I do - usually download only releases from my favourite acts - I'll want it as cheap as possible! I didn't actually know some of these companies offered downloads! Sky, for example.
Carmen Queasy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 21:35
Bedlem
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Down with man-flu.
Posts: 2,336
I only use 7Digital, TuneTribe, Amazon & Play for digital downloads (primarily the first two) as they offer HQ mp3, without restrictions and they're cheaper.

When I was new to digital music I didn't have a clue where to look so went with itunes because it was the most popular but haven't touched the sh*t since I started shopping elsewhere and realised what an annoyance itunes was. If I'm feeling like I'm needing a treat, I'll splash out on a few WAV tracks from Juno, but that's not often at all. I don't even know if they're still chargin £1.79 per WAV track.
Bedlem is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 21:39
Unigal07
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Up North.
Posts: 21,867
I gave up on iTunes ages ago. I get mine off Amazon now - a lot of singles are currentlyy 40p
Unigal07 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 22:19
timperry26
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: London
Posts: 1,694
I agree itunes get a cut out of each mp3 sold on their site. Thats why steve jones is one rich mot******
timperry26 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 22:23
Carmen Queasy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Middesbrough (via Manchester)
Posts: 37,343
I agree itunes get a cut out of each mp3 sold on their site. Thats why steve jones is one rich mot******
Steve Jobs, not Steve Jones from Channel 4
Carmen Queasy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 22:49
BrokenArrow
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 20,806
99p sounds too cheap actually.
BrokenArrow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 22:51
TomDaOne
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Lurking.
Posts: 10,622
So just don't download from there. Simples I personally use a wide range depending on which is cheapest-I generally find Amazon/TescoDigital/7digital/Tunetribe offer the best value. Amazon in particular for singles (many hits are 40p) or new albums and Tunetribe for albums (most are £4.99)
Not heard of Tunetribe before. Will check that out.
TomDaOne is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 22:57
MTUK1
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: London, United Kingdom
Posts: 19,783
99p sounds too cheap actually.
Obviously, you have far too much money!
MTUK1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 22:58
Unigal07
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Up North.
Posts: 21,867
Obviously, you have far too much money!
Agreed!
Unigal07 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 22:59
Soundburst
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 12,850
99p is a very fair price.

All new releases on iTunes are free of DRM and at high quality.

In the olden days (which Carmen is referring to) these types were 99p and referred to as iTunes+ available on top of drm lower quality music at 79p. People moaned and moaned about drm free music and that comes at a price. Record companies increase prices and this is reflected in the price of songs on iTunes.

99p is a great price. The iTunes service is amazing. Nicely laid out tracks...suggestions for related artists...all inside the program where I keep all my music anyway which syncs to my iPhone automatically when I connect my phone.

Those moaning about 99p are being ludicrous IMO.
Soundburst is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 23:01
Bedlem
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Down with man-flu.
Posts: 2,336
Not heard of Tunetribe before. Will check that out.
It's excellent for indie (the original term) music. Found many brilliant tracks from independant artists on TuneTribe. 7Digital do a similar thing to promote unsigned artists too. I do remember before Leona entered the X-Factor, she used to have half a dozen or so tracks on TuneTribe (and Juno). And Garageband, come to think of it.
Bedlem is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 23:02
MTUK1
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: London, United Kingdom
Posts: 19,783
99p is a very fair price.

All new releases on iTunes are free of DRM and at high quality.

In the olden days (which Carmen is referring to) these types were 99p and referred to as iTunes+.

99p is a great price. The iTunes service is amazing. Nicely laid out tracks...suggestions for related artists...all inside the program where I keep all my music anyway which syncs to my iPhone automatically when I connect my phone.

Those moaning about 99p are being ludicrous IMO.
Another person who has too much money.
All the alternatives mentioned provide just as good a service and just as good quality download as iTunes at up to 60% less. You carry on paying over the odds. I'll use tunechecker.com to get them cheap.

In addition pretty much any tracks downloaded from the stores mentioned can be imported into iTunes easily and are also DRM free.
MTUK1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 23:32
SILLY SUE
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Funhouse next to House of Fun!
Posts: 5,385
What I have noticed with iTunes is that sometimes you can get a digital booklet included in the price. For example sometimes I've seen an album on Amazon for £4.99; and then the same album plus digital booklet for £5.99 on iTunes. For an extra quid, I've often gone for the version on iTunes with a digital booklet.

Amazon is brilliant when they do albums for £3.

Whether it's 40p or 99p for a song - I don't think you can grumble too much. The songs at 40p on Amazon seem to be current chart hits though so if you wanted something from the 80's for example, they seem to be around 89p.

I've mainly downloaded stuff from Amazon and iTunes (also used Play.com for the odd song) - it just depends on price and extras (bonus tracks, digital booklet) as to which I go for.

I've heard of 7Digital before but have never purchased anything from them. May give them a go in the future. The very first place I bought downloads from was Napster.
SILLY SUE is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2010, 23:47
xfactorfan27
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,216
Not heard of Tunetribe before. Will check that out.
Yea it's really good for getting chart albums cheap (one example I bought all 46 songs on Now76 for £4.99!!), but as someone also said it's good for rarer stuff too!
xfactorfan27 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2010, 02:42
Makson
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 17,413
1.29 for a new tune from iTunes here
Makson is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 15:48.