“You could hardly call it a resounding success. Echo, the would-be digital music consortium of U.S. music retailers, appears ready to bite the dust before selling a single bit. Industry observers expect an official announcement about Echo’s future in the coming weeks,” Scott Banerjee and Ken Schlager report for Billboard.
“In the meantime, Echo’s key backers — Best Buy, Borders Group, Hastings Entertainment, Tower Records, Trans World Entertainment and Virgin Entertainment — are moving ahead with their own plans at their own pace for the digital space,” Banerjee and Schlager report.
“But Echo was probably doomed from the start… What the partners could not foresee was the entry of a potent music retail competitor just three months after they announced Echo’s formation,” Banerjee and Schlager report. “Apple Computer’s iTunes Music Store forever changed the online music landscape, setting a new standard for consumer friendliness and brand identity.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Another One Bites the Dust.
They just didn’t understand the market they were trying to go after.
Another one bites the dust.
Seems like CocaineMusic thinks they invented the buy a tune idea… at least that’s what I read into the following..
“Coca Cola spokesman Rafael McDonnell said: ‘Research showed us that downloading music was going be a huge change in the way that consumers access music and we were ahead of the curve with the introduction of Mycokemusic.com,'” BBC News reports.
What the hell is that all about? Ahead of the curve my ass.
Abandon all hope ye who thinketh to beat iTMS lest thy fukceth thy future.
There is only ONE WAY. The Carly Fiorina way.
Any other way is a pursuit of fools’ gold — sink only money you are prepared to lose; preferably that of other fools.
The Coke folks are sorely deluded into thinking that since they were “first” into the European market, then they should by right have and keep the largest share of that market, and not expect to give it up very easily, even after another and <better> alternative enters.
Sorry, folks, now that iTMS is present and expanding, I’m firmly believing it will push all the others quickly out of the way with the total package. Can’t wait to hear the announcement from SJ at WWDC in a few weeks of how the iTMS-E3 are each doing at that point.
And as for “Echo” – what a poor choice of a name to begin with – I’d much rather hear the real thing, than listen to an “echo” of something – gives me the impression that I’d be listening to something second hand and faded and of much poorer quality than the original. In short, blechhhh. Won’t be surprised if this whole effort is an echo of itself soon, and fading quickly.
I still think that at some point Apple has to license out Fairplay to sew up their domination of this market. I hope they go for the long haul and not the short bucks eventually.
what is this ad for NEC doing on th right?
I think Apple should offer a subscription service too as well as just downloads.
This is a good idea because it covers all potential markets.
Also on the UK music store – how come we haven’t got the allowence feature yet as used in the US music store???
Since the UK store opened on tuesday I have spent a fortune! There is so much good stuff on there!!!
Shame they havent good any albums by ‘Thunder’ – one of the best rock bands from the UK since Led Zepplin!
Solar:
You do have “allowance”, except it’s called “Monthly Gift” for reasons passing understancing.
BuriedCaesar is right – folks thought iTunes was sucessful because it was the first to market. iTunes really wasn’t first – the labels had a lame attempt with subscriptions. To think they first into UK will be dominant over the best solution is very short sided on their part.
If Apple offered subscriptions then SJ couldn’t say “People don’t want to rent their music” anymore. I think he likes saying that.
Speaking of Carly, when does HP start selling their branded iPods?
Dunno … the link was hard enough to find. Maybe M$ put the screws [unbearable pressure] on her. Kaarlee … ve are a bit dissapoinkted in yuuu?
lol!!! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
HP created a press release on this topic stating that HP branded iPods will be available sometime this summer.