On Jan 26, 2004, at 4:07 PM, keitai-l@appelsiini.net wrote:
> On the other had, if music downloads become cheap enough, then the
> operators may work directly with music companies and intermediaries
> like
> i-tunes may be pushed to the side.
A big 'if'.
The current business mode for Apple is to make next to nothing on a
music download, but use them to drive ipod sales. So "hardware"
subsidizes download - (you can sell razor blades at a loss if the razor
is expensive enough and compelling enough.)
Current biz-model for phones is that "downloads" (network traffic and
rental fees) subsidize the "hardware" (handset) to one extent or
another.
In the end, what will be important is who controls the download, and
that may not mean they directly control the hardware (compare and
contrast "MikeRoweSoft" and Intel).
Nick
Received on Mon Jan 26 09:45:47 2004