May 30th, 2007
Day 1 of iTunes Plus has its minuses
As Bob Lefsetz rants, the iTunes Plus launch today has not been without its hiccups. He’s particularly ticked off that users must go through a laborious “change preferences” process once they’ve drunk the iTunes Plus Kool-Aid, should they wish at any time to purchase the non-Plus version of a song or album:
When I go to buy a car, they don’t say if I want to LOOK at the one loaded up with options I can no longer look at the base model. Unless I remember that there are multiple levels and I go into the manager’s office and sign a waiver. And then I can’t look at the EXPENSIVE version unless I go back into the office!
And since you can only see one or the other, how many people are gonna no longer know that a cheap version is available?
For my part, my library of 3,600 items (many of which are admittedly podcasts or video media) had only 102 songs capable of upgrade, for $26.00 and change. Money well spent as far as I’m concerned, but it’s been over an hour and I’m still waiting for the promised email instructions on how to complete the process. I also get an error each time I try to read the iTunes Plus FAQs.
Denise Howell is an appellate, intellectual property and technology lawyer who enjoys broad industry recognition for her expertise on the intersection of emerging technologies and law. See her full profile and disclosure of her industry affiliations.
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