In Europe, it’ll be iTunes
Napster II, et al, are desperately trying to find entry points into the European online music market.
But their efforts could well be in vain because MSN and Tiscali, already firmly entrenched in the UK, may have been beaten them to it.
So says a netimperative story here.
going on:
“Portals will take an early lead, Coca-Cola will fizz, but most consumer goods firms’ [music services] will fall flat, and iTunes will bite back,” predicts Rebecca Jennings at Forrester Research, author of the new report on the European music download scene.
“Portals benefit from high audience penetration, significant marketing and cross-promotional capabilities and, in the case of ISPs, an established billing relationship, according to Jennings, who believes these factors will give them an initial lead.
“But Apple’s ease of use, seamless linking with the iPod, and enormous brand traction will see it overtake Napster and many of the smaller services in Europe in the longer term, she argues.”
And although Jennings admits that “attempts to stop illicit downloading in Europe have failed so far,” she believes the threat of a lawsuit is enough to make consumers consider legitimate downloads, says the story, adding:
“In 2004, a combination of legal action by the music industry and expansion of legitimate services will cause a watershed in the download market” and in the longer term, new devices such as the Windows Portable Media Centre will enable consumers to download and watch videos and interviews as well as music tracks.
