In last year’s2005 : The twelvemonth in musicI take care into my crystal ball and exalt :
And , in fact , that pretty well summed up Apple ’s musical campaign in 2006 . But 2006 was about more than just the iPod ’s continued ascendency — new iPod models , iTunes update , legal issues and settlements , and allege competition from an expected quarter also featured prominently in the class ’s headline .
raw ( and better ) iPod
After uphold a fairly electrostatic parentage - up of iPod models for the well part of 2006 , Apple held an “ It ’s Showtime ” consequence on September 12 , where Steve Jobs introduced two new iPods — second - multiplication poser of the iPod nano and the Pod shuffle — and an updated fifth - genesis iPod . Nothing about the new iPods was particularly rotatory . The new2 G iPod nanoshipped in capacities of 2 , 4 , and 8 Great Britain ; featured aluminum cases in a potpourri of colors ; lark brighter screen than were found on the original nano ; and bid a novel search characteristic . The2 G iPod shuffle — which just barely cope with its promise closing - of - October ship date — offered a small and redesigned flesh gene , shipped in a individual 1 GB capacity , and ask an included dock for synchronize and charging . Apple ’s largest iPod , thefifth - propagation iPod ( Late 2006),failed to meet the desires of those who ’d dream of a true “ video iPod . ” Instead , it proffer high storage capacity at 80 GB for the top - end modeling , a brighter screen , and the same search features regain on the 2 yard nano .
The fact that the latest iPods did n’t disport tremendous screen or house death - shaft of light did nothing to inhibit demand for them . During its fourth quarter , Apple ’s iPod sales agreement grew 35 per centum from the same period the yr before — selling just under 8.8 million iPods during those three calendar month .
New ( and somewhat improved ) iTunes
During that same “ It ’s Showtime ” issue , Jobs unveilediTunes 7 , a version of the venerable music diligence that included a more unionised interface , Album and CoverFlow views for searching your music collection by album cover , accompaniment for gapless playback , and besotted iPod integration via a new iPod preference control board . Regrettably , many found the initial liberation unstable with third - company plug - ins and finicky about aright identifying and machinate album nontextual matter downloaded from the iTunes Store . Subsequent updates ( the program stands at 7.0.2 as I write this ) figure out many of these problems .
The iTunes Music Store changes its name
During the first moments of Jobs ’ presentation of iTunes 7 , the audience could n’t help oneself but be tease by the new Movies entryway that appear in iTunes ’ Source list . And for just reason . Apple dropped the other shoe and — to no one ’s surprise — announce that it would now sellfeature - duration moviesonline . To reflect its expansion into long - form video , Apple shortened the name of its online media emporium to iTunes Store .
The selection of film was — and rest — circumscribed . The iTunes Store ’s movie operation debut with just 75 pic produced by the four studio apartment own by Disney — Walt Disney Pictures , Pixar , Touchstone Pictures , and Miramax Films . have a pricing body structure that sells new releases for $ 12.99 for pre - orders and during the first week of availability , $ 14.99 for those same picture show afterwards , and $ 9.99 for older movies , the film are provided in a 640 - by-480 firmness of purpose , which became the fresh criterion for iTunes playback . Disney President and CEO Bob Iger announced in early November that the iTunes Storesold nearly 500,000of Disney ’s movies since motion-picture show became usable in mid - September .
Just prior to the “ It ’s Showtime ” issue , Amazon announce its movie download service , Unbox . It ’s safe to say that reviewswere hardly mixed — no one seemed impressed .
dwelling stereo . Reinvented ?
At an Apple special result earlier in the class , the company fix to benefit a glob of the luggable iPod speaker market by introducing its $ 349iPod Hi - Fi . sport a universal iPod dock cradle , three speakers , and the ability to run off six D batteries , Apple laud the iPod Hi - Fi as a renewal for your home stereo system . Reviews were mixed . The iPod Hi - Fi was unquestionably loud — tatty enough to well meet a room with sound — but it lacked high - destruction detail and , because the talker sit down in a single building block , its soundstage ( degree of stereoscopic picture legal separation ) was n’t very broad .
Courting Creative
Apple ’s lawyers remained gainfully hire in 2006 . In May , Creative litigate Applefor infringement on what Creative prognosticate its “ Zen Patent”—a patent that covers the user port used by the iPod . In return , Apple sue Creativeover violation on four of its patents . In August , Apple annunciate that it hadsettled its legal disputeswith Creative for a cool $ 100 million . Macworld ’s Peter Cohen describe the settlement this way : “ Apple said in a assertion that the terms of the accord pay up a licence between the company in all Apple product . What ’s more , Apple can withhold a fortune of its payment if originative is successful in licensing the patent to other companies . Apple and Creative announced that Creative has joined Apple ’s ‘ Made for iPod ’ syllabus and will release iPod accessory products later this year . ”
Let it be
The preceding year also experience what appear to be the finale to the most - recent Apple Corp - versus - Apple Computer legal hurly burly . The Beatles ’ Apple Corp believed that Apple Computer had broken a 1991 agreement in its function of the Apple logo to boost the computer troupe ’s euphony service . The judge did not agree and he told them so . In May , England ’s gamey court judge , Edward Mann , ruled in favor of Apple Computer , stating that the consumption of the logotype “ does not go beyond what is reasonable and fair . ”
And speaking of the Fab Four , aNovember account inFortunesuggested that , despite the two Apples ’ preceding differences , the Beatles and Apple Computer were close to a plenty that wouldbring the Beatles ’ catalog to the iTunes Store . Though the deal was rumour to be harbinger to co-occur with the discharge of George Martin ’s Beatles mash - up , Love , the iTunes Store remain Beatles - less in 2006 .
International law
Apple confront challenges in state other than England . In early summer , Apple faced a fight with Norway ’s Consumer Ombudsman and Market Council , who take that the iTunes Storeviolated Norwegian lawbecause of its digital rightfulness management ( DRM ) . Its complaint centered around music from the iTunes Store being inappropriate with MP3 actor other than the iPod . Apple was given a deadline to respond to Norway ’s complaints , which it largely snub . In September , the U.S. Department of Justice burthen in andasked European regulator to lie in off .
Earlier in the class , a proposed French bill would have command that music sell by the French iTunes Store be made compatible with other MP3 players . In June , French lawmakers backed off and okay awatered - down version of the billthat skirt issues of interoperability .
Microsoft ’s ineffective “ iPod killer ”
Just in clip for the vacation season , Microsoft eventually stick in its “ iPod killer,”the Zune . Professional prognosticators suggested that the $ 249 Zune — which featured a unique “ squirt ” technology for transfer music from one Zune to another wirelessly — would do little to take a chunk out of the iPod ’s popularity with holiday buyers . Thisproved to be the guinea pig , asharsh reviewsdid small to vulgarize Microsoft ’s flawed music player .
What ’s ahead
And so we end as we began :
unexampled models , enhanced capabilities , Brobdingnagian need , a picayune more than impotent squeaker ( and squirts ) from the competition . Is there any doubt that the digital medicine fit was dominated by the iPod — again ( and again ) ? ThoughMacworldwill before long release prescribed predictions for 2007 , here ’s our unofficial hint : Short of hell freezing over , look for the iPod to keep its Top Dog perspective throughout 2007 .
