Hilary Rosen, the former chief of the Recording Industry Association of America, has hit out at Apple's unwillingness to make the iPod compatible with music stores other than its own iTunes platform. As the boss of the RIAA when internet music piracy became the big issue for the music business, Rosen welcomes the numerous legitimate download services which have launched in the last two years, recognising the opportunities they offer for music companies and music fans alike. However, she says, Apple's current business model in the music space is "anti-consumerî and "user unfriendlyî.
Writing on a new blog-website called the Huffington Post, Rosen says: "I know Steve Jobs is a god. Look, I bowed at his feet when the iPod and iTunes was created because HE GOT THE BALL ROLLING. He is as laconically casually cool as Bono and makes really good cartoon movies too. But keeping the iTunes system a proprietary technology to prevent anyone from using multiple music systems is the most anti-consumer and user unfriendly thing any god can do. Is this the same Jobs that railed for years about the Microsoft monopoly? Is taking a page out of their playbook the only way to have a successful business? If he isn't careful Bill Gates might just Betamax him while the crowds cheer him on. Come on Steve - open it up. Why am I complaining about this? Why isn't everyone?î
She's right you know. And you can read the full article at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/2005/ 05/steve-jobs-let-.html