The inner workings of pay-per-download
October 28, 2005 3:52 PM Subscribe
Questions about pay-per-download music. Google generates much noise on the subject as I'm primarily interested in the technology of the delivery.
The iTunes model:
Is there a central server (the iTunes Shop) where music suppliers ("affiliates" ) upload their material, or are buyers redirected from the Shop to the affiliate's server?
Does Apple have a separate agreement with each affiliate or does it work with the RIAA as the umbrella representative of the affiliates?
How does Apple prevent copying of material? (I thought I'd get a more succinct answer here than wading through the Apple website.)
The mobile phone model:
Which companies offer a music-to-your-phone service? How do they differ?
Are there any music-to-your-phone services that are not TelCo specific - (i.e. so that anyone on any network can access the service)?
What sort of agreements exist between the service provider and the music supplier - is it the same as the Apple/affiliates relationship?
Can the music be played anywhere other than the phone it was downloaded to? (E.g. emailed to a computer.)
Is the music stored on the provider's server, or is the user redirected to the music supplier's server?
I'm not really interested in web-based providers like eMusic, thanks.
The iTunes model:
Is there a central server (the iTunes Shop) where music suppliers ("affiliates" ) upload their material, or are buyers redirected from the Shop to the affiliate's server?
Does Apple have a separate agreement with each affiliate or does it work with the RIAA as the umbrella representative of the affiliates?
How does Apple prevent copying of material? (I thought I'd get a more succinct answer here than wading through the Apple website.)
The mobile phone model:
Which companies offer a music-to-your-phone service? How do they differ?
Are there any music-to-your-phone services that are not TelCo specific - (i.e. so that anyone on any network can access the service)?
What sort of agreements exist between the service provider and the music supplier - is it the same as the Apple/affiliates relationship?
Can the music be played anywhere other than the phone it was downloaded to? (E.g. emailed to a computer.)
Is the music stored on the provider's server, or is the user redirected to the music supplier's server?
I'm not really interested in web-based providers like eMusic, thanks.
Wired had a good article this month on the iTunes phone, the ROKR: Battle for the Soul of the MP3 Phone. It covers most of the issues you list for the mobile phone.
posted by smackfu at 5:59 PM on October 28, 2005
posted by smackfu at 5:59 PM on October 28, 2005
iTunes does not use an affiliate system - all downloads are done via Apple's server farm. The record labels' involvement amounts to using iTunes Producer (more) to prepare and upload tracks to Apple.
The record labels sign separate contracts with Apple - it isn't done through the RIAA.
posted by cillit bang at 7:31 PM on October 28, 2005
The record labels sign separate contracts with Apple - it isn't done through the RIAA.
posted by cillit bang at 7:31 PM on October 28, 2005
The Japanese and Australian problem with Sony BMG demonstrates that not only does Apple negotiate a separate contract with each label, but it negotiates a separate contract with each label in each territory.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 12:00 AM on October 29, 2005
posted by AmbroseChapel at 12:00 AM on October 29, 2005
Apple does sign separate contracts with each major label in each territory but I believe the contract specifics are the same across the board. That is, no label gets a better deal than any others.
Most independent labels are licensed to Apple through aggregators such as The Orchard rather than through direct contracts with Apple.
An interesting side note, the Sony BMG merger did not include Japan. In that market, the two music companies are still separate.
posted by gfrobe at 3:06 AM on October 29, 2005
Most independent labels are licensed to Apple through aggregators such as The Orchard rather than through direct contracts with Apple.
An interesting side note, the Sony BMG merger did not include Japan. In that market, the two music companies are still separate.
posted by gfrobe at 3:06 AM on October 29, 2005
Apple does have iTMS servers in at least some universities (GaTech, Stanford) such that your purchases may download from there (even if you attend another school), presumably if you both share a fat Internet 2 connection.
posted by kimota at 10:42 AM on October 29, 2005
posted by kimota at 10:42 AM on October 29, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
Apple prevents copying via FairPlay, which is the name of their DRM implementation. The linked Wikipedia article includes a pretty good summary of how it works.
I think Apple has a separate agreement with each affiliate. For one thing, iTMS operates internationally, whereas the RIAA is, at least nominally, an America-specific organization. Furthermore, consider that the Japanese and Australian iTMS branches do not have the Sony/BMG content that other branches do. This suggests to me that the contracts are negotiated separately or at least can be.
I have no clue about the mobile phone market.
posted by jedicus at 4:17 PM on October 28, 2005