Is Apple planning a major strategy shift in how it sells music?
According to a story in the Financial Times, the hardware/software/entertainment company is considering two new plans for selling music via its iTunes music store.
Under one plan, buyers of iPods and iPhones could pay a one-time fee at time of purchase for unlimited access to music at iTunes. Nokia is experimenting with a similar unlimited-access plan with Universal Music for its music-playing phones.
Under another scenario, according to unnamed sources cited by the Financial Times, Apple could offer a subscription music plan to iPhone buyers. The payment could be handled through the monthly phone bill.
Apple would not comment for this story, providing the usual, “We don’t comment on rumors and speculation” response via e-mail.
But the company long has been rumored to be considering a subscription music plan. That would be similar to what services like eMusic, Rhapsody and Yahoo offer.
But, according to the Financial Times, there could be a major difference in Apple’s subscription plan: a provision for customers to keep up to 50 tracks per year.
That would be a departure from the traditional plan, in which subscribers don’t keep any tracks once they stop paying the fee.
It is unclear, however, if customers could burn copies onto a CD of those 50 tracks. You can’t do that with current subscription music plans.
My take? I like subscription music plans. It’s a great way to discover new music if the cost is reasonable, about $6 or $7 a month. Plus, if there’s something you really like, you can buy it. Or listen to what you like over and over again until you get bored.
But I want it for the iPod, too, not just for iPhone owners. Such a music plan paired with the market-leading music player would keep Apple at the top of the heap, no question.
The only issue is what would it cost?
If it happens, of course.
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