A reader linked us to an Apple Discussion thread where a number of users have listed problems with playing purchases from the iTS through iTunes 7 on their Motorola SLVR and ROKR iTunes phones. It seems these users can play regular music they ripped from CDs, as well as purchases made through iTunes 6 - just not songs bought through the new iTunes 7. The thread hasn't reached biblical lengths just yet, but there are enough comments on the thread that I felt it warranted a post at TUAW.One commenter posted a link to this Apple Support doc which offers instructions for when this same problems happens to an iPod, and some of the procedures can easily be adopted for an iTunes phone (such as restoring/erasing the phone and deauthorizing, then reauthorizing iTunes). However, some users have already commented that the doc's solutions aren't fixing the issue either.
Are any readers experiencing the same hiccup? If you have any thoughts on what's going on, please share your thoughts in the comments and, if you're up to the task, drop the frustrated peeps over in Apple's Discussion thread a line too. I'm sure they'll appreciate it.
Thanks Anthony
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-19-2006 @ 11:43AM
Jon said...
It's probably something to do with the fact that album art is now included in the files. The iPods had a firmware update to (presumably) accomodate for this, but the phones didn't.
Reply
9-19-2006 @ 11:58AM
Douglas F Shearer said...
Please please please get rid of the mosquito ad!
Reply
9-19-2006 @ 12:47PM
Matt Green said...
It's very likely due to a change in the FairPlay DRM. iTunes 7 altered it slightly (for the new movies, and to try to break existing projects to strip the DRM from audio files). They should be able to make an update to correct this, but I get the feeling that Apple regards the iTunes phones as a learning exercise (at best).
Reply
9-19-2006 @ 1:15PM
Matt said...
Jon, the album art is not embedded into the music files, they are stored externally. So when you move music onto your iPod, it will not carry the album art over.
Reply
9-19-2006 @ 1:19PM
Jon said...
Not any more, Matt:
"Scot Hacker has noticed that album art is handled a bit differently in iTunes 7. All your old album art is actually part of the music file, so you can move the music file and the art will come along for the ride."
http://www.tuaw.com/2006/09/14/itunes-7-cover-art-tidbits/
Reply
9-19-2006 @ 1:25PM
Anthony Kapp said...
That was me! Do I get a star or anything? Apple better fix the problem soon. I'm not buying anymore music from the iTunes store until it's fixed.
Reply
9-19-2006 @ 1:49PM
Matt said...
oops, my bad, it does.
DOH.
Reply
9-19-2006 @ 2:49PM
TVoIP said...
Thats one of several reasons that I have the international version of the SLVR .... just a java MP3 player and a no false song limit
Reply
9-19-2006 @ 8:57PM
Ale Vanlager said...
I just noticed this today, glad I'm not the only one! I tried reloading all the music again to no avail, the new songs won't play. I hope they come up with a solution pronto.
Reply
9-20-2006 @ 8:51AM
Pirate Yarrr! said...
I find it ironic that the do-gooders buying their music off itunes get burnt, whist the pirates, and the not-so-pirates with their legally ripped (in most countries) mp3s from purchased audio CDs can smile.
DRM: just like a deranged dog with rabies, it bites the hand that feeds.
Reply
9-20-2006 @ 8:56AM
Michael Langfur said...
I had a similar problem with my new purchase of songs from Dylan's new album Modern Times on my 60GB Photo iPod. I created a Dylan playlist in iTunes. Upon updating, the songs played correctly instead of racing through all the cuts from the album.
Reply
9-20-2006 @ 9:39AM
Pete said...
"hiccup" ... me... :(
Reply
9-20-2006 @ 11:22AM
Jolita said...
Yep, same here. My slvr just skips through the newly-bought songs. I'm just glad it's not my phone's problem after all.
Reply
9-27-2006 @ 12:12AM
George said...
Just wanted to say I'm having the same problem with my ROKR E1 phone. I hope we get a resolution quickly... I love using my phone for music, especially when I'm traveling!
Reply
9-27-2006 @ 2:34PM
Anthony Kapp said...
It looks like Apple has very quietly updated iTunes to 7.0.1
Reply
9-28-2006 @ 11:10PM
Kickice said...
I hate (rotten) Apple to start with but I figured what the hell I'll get a SLVR and give this whole bying music online thing a shot. I learned my lesson. I am never going to give them another dime. Two weeks is the max I am willing to wait for a software fix and that time is up.
Reply
9-29-2006 @ 12:45PM
Ken Carpenter said...
There is a work around for this but it is a pain. Just burn your iTunes purchased songs to a disc and then import them as mp3 files. Then replace the AAC versions on the phone with the mp3 versions. Just did this and it works fine.
Reply
9-30-2006 @ 1:58AM
Brendon said...
My SLVR suffers from this issue. All the album art loaded fine but song purchased from the new iTunes7 just get skipped over. This is pisses me off because it seems that the only ones that suffer in this DRM war are those that accually follow the rules. Frostwire, Limewire, and other P2P networks are just a few clicks away. To the Record Companies that pushed this DRM war KMA!!!!
Reply
12-12-2006 @ 11:45AM
Karen said...
Thank you so much Ken C.!!! I only had three songs that I could not get to go on my phone, all my other purchases worked just fine. So, I just burned them like you said and then imported them, and I am listening to them on my phone right now!!!! I've been frustrated with this for over a month...who knew it could be so easy!!! Thanks again.
Reply