2008 Woodie Awards
iTunes: Time to upgrade
Sara Rannells/Online Reporter
Issue date: 11/16/07 Section: Arts and Entertainment
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A few weeks ago, I heard a new song I liked and wanted to download it for my iPod. When I started up iTunes I was greeted by a message informing me a new version of the iTunes software was available. I didn't feel like downloading anything, so I ignored it.
I went to the iTunes store and searched for my song. It came up for the usual $0.99 and I clicked buy. However, a message popped up that informed me that I had to download the newest version of iTunes in order to purchase my song. I really wanted it, so I decided to download the new version.
After about 10 minutes, the new version was all ready to go and I went back to the iTunes store to find my song again. It came up just as before, except now the song was $1.29.
I decided to download it, but afterwards looked into what the price increase was all about.
I found out that iTunes had just started something called "iTunes plus," a new version of iTunes with a better sound quality.
According to the iTunes site, iTunes Plus "refers to songs and music videos available in [their] highest-quality 256 kbps ACC encoding (twice the current bit rate of 128 kbps), and without digital rights management."
The site says that the songs, videos and music for the iTunes Plus versions cost the same as most other iTunes songs (I'm still not sure why mine cost $1.29, then).
The site also says that users can "upgrade" previously purchased songs to the new iTunes Plus version for a fee. This fee is 30 cents for songs, 60 cents for videos and 30 percent of the original album price.
In order to purchase songs or videos in the iTunes plus format, you have to download the latest version of the iTunes software.
Users will be unable to purchase the older versions of the songs once they become available in the new iTunes
Plus version. So eventually the new software upgrade will have to be downloaded by each user.
I asked some Eastern students how they would feel about buying iTunes songs, videos and albums at a higher price.
I went to the iTunes store and searched for my song. It came up for the usual $0.99 and I clicked buy. However, a message popped up that informed me that I had to download the newest version of iTunes in order to purchase my song. I really wanted it, so I decided to download the new version.
After about 10 minutes, the new version was all ready to go and I went back to the iTunes store to find my song again. It came up just as before, except now the song was $1.29.
I decided to download it, but afterwards looked into what the price increase was all about.
I found out that iTunes had just started something called "iTunes plus," a new version of iTunes with a better sound quality.
According to the iTunes site, iTunes Plus "refers to songs and music videos available in [their] highest-quality 256 kbps ACC encoding (twice the current bit rate of 128 kbps), and without digital rights management."
The site says that the songs, videos and music for the iTunes Plus versions cost the same as most other iTunes songs (I'm still not sure why mine cost $1.29, then).
The site also says that users can "upgrade" previously purchased songs to the new iTunes Plus version for a fee. This fee is 30 cents for songs, 60 cents for videos and 30 percent of the original album price.
In order to purchase songs or videos in the iTunes plus format, you have to download the latest version of the iTunes software.
Users will be unable to purchase the older versions of the songs once they become available in the new iTunes
Plus version. So eventually the new software upgrade will have to be downloaded by each user.
I asked some Eastern students how they would feel about buying iTunes songs, videos and albums at a higher price.
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