EMI DRM free tracks on iTunes: Pricing, and upgrading

The news is all over this story like a rash,

Where is everyone getting this 224kbps specification ??? I listened to the audio and Steve-O plainly states the higher quality music will be offered at 256kbps. I find little credibility with writers who cant get their facts straight.

Why do people (and journalists in particular) keep banging on about The Beatles? Don't get me wrong I love their music (esp. Sgt. Pepper - Genius)but if you need it that badly on your iPod then import the CD that you probably already own!! I just don't get it or is it just me?

So:

1) Some people are pissed that it's *only* 256 kbps AAC rather than lossless.
2) Other people are pissed that they'll have to bother with 256 kbps as they won't really hear the difference between 128 kbps but they will double the storage space required.

To group 1: do you really think anything more than .1% of the world has the audio equipment to be able to notice the difference between 256 kbps AAC and lossless for your average rock/pop/rap song? These things are still primarily listened to on iPods and computer speakers. Hell, even on a respectable home stereo system most would be hard pressed to tell the difference.
Also, having "your whole music library" on your iPod (or even computer) becomes near impossible when Lossless. Storage capacity isn't quite there yet. 256 AAC is the perfect high quality solution at this point in time.

To group 2: I can see the point about just wanting no DRM but still being able to choose your bitrate. Remember that you can always reconvert to the 256 kbps to whatever lower bitrate you are happy with.

So really, there's no point buying anything from iTunes at the moment - might as well wait until the other labels follow suit...

If you want to stock up now on iTunes credits, Best Buy is having a buy 3, get 1 free $15 iTunes card sale ($60 of credit for $45):
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?type=category&id=pcmcat116600050004

I think this will confuse the average consumer. I thought the whole point of iTunes was to offer the same price for everything?

"Apple did this so they can now use it as fodder in the EU"

The fatuous twerps at the EU can go and boil their heads. This isn't about them. It's about EMI finally allowing Apple to offer more attractive product, as Jobs had *already* wanted and had argued for all along. (There are *ancient* comments from him explaining why DRM won't work around on the web.) I'll expect to see the same or similar deals from other outlets EMI uses, too. This is not primarily about Apple.

"Just goes to show that it is impossible to please everybody! Amazing."

Quite. It's interesting that the un-DRMing is linked to a bitrate change. As I read it, EMI is still windy about whole thing. They floated the idea of DRM-free music not so long ago, but talks broke down because they wanted download stores to indemnify them against the possible cost in lost sales. My guess would be that a higher cost on the non-DRM content is simply another way of doing that, but since EMI can't simply ask Apple (and whomever else they work with) to ask for more money per track and expect customers to pay it, the increased bitrate is, as it were, thrown in.

I'm not sure the customer is getting a lot of advantage. There probably won't be a significant audible difference from 128kbps files, but the files will take up more room on a portable player. But I'm not going to badmouth EMI over the deal. I understand that they have their concerns.

Anyway, if their product doesn't suit me I'll simply not buy it.

also, from what i have heard on the news this morning, it's interesting to note that the beatles catalog (and, i assume, solo work by lennon, mccartney, and harrison), while part of the EMI catalog, are NOTpart of this deal. they are still working out that part, apparently.

Just goes to show that it is impossible to please everybody! Amazing.

If you want lossless - buy a cd and rip it yourself. I think 256kbps AAC is a good compromise and the extra amount for a DRM free track in better quality is worth it.