November 24, 2004
Blog Entry

Microsoft vs. Apple: Subscription Service vs. One-off Content Buys

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Microsoft vs. Apple's as unavoidable as death and taxes. But the battle has taken an interesting twist that should be carefully monitored by anyone in the online content publishing business.

Apple's iPod is essentially defending a proprietary model selling content as one-off downloads (in this case songs for 99 cents each).

Microsoft, on the other hand, is taking the spoiler role, selling monthly subscriptions like the new Napster to Go which gives you 1000 songs for $10/mo.

I don't know about you, but if I add up the price to own those same 1000 songs on iTunes, I'm looking at, what, $1000?

I've been a big fan of Apple cut my multimedia teeth on the Mac (though I am forced to admit I went big blue ten years ago). Still, this seems to be shortsighted on Steve Jobs part.

Give us a similar subscription model, Steve, and we'll be loyal for life.

NYTimes.com has the story (log-in required)

-- Brian Blum

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