WTF Apple? What’s up with the iTunes Store?
 
Apple’s iTunes used to be great. I was using the store regularly picking up hard to find albums at an affordable price. The $9.99 pricing scheme was acceptable, and I adopted the format without hesitation. The iTunes FairPlay DRM gave me enough leverage with my music at an affordable price, no headaches whatsoever. That is until Apple released iTunes 6.0 and broke JHymn, a tool used by users to remove the DRM from the songs (I guess iTunes 7 has been cracked). Sure, I bought less music when this occurred, but I accepted the change. But things are now worst in my opinion.
 
I recently received a $20 iTunes gift card from a loved one and was appalled by the fact that a lot of albums within iTunes (at least the Canadian version) cost more than $9.99. Some albums retail for as high as $11.99, while other LPs are available for purchase by song only (a 16 song album will end-up costing you $15.84).  Why?
 
This is not a the best step to try to curb users away from peer-to-peer networks.  Personally, I am going to start buying more of the physical albums again. If I am going to pay $11.99 (or $0.99 per song) I might as well buy the CDs and get the album art and linear notes.  Oh and I guess Bit-Torrent’s the rave with the younger crowd these days.
 
Good job Apple, you managed to alienate a dedicated customer.
Monday, November 20, 2006