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Apple may have stiff competition coming up

Several reports are suggesting that Apple's online iTunes music store may receive some heavy competition from an unlikely source -- Wal-Mart. The giant retail chain is starting to look for employees that focus on online media such as music and movies, and are familiar with competitive pricing structures. Although many have expected competitors such as Google and Amazon to release something major, Wal-Mart could become a serious threat to Apple's market share.

Earlier this month, Apple introduced an updated version of its highly successful online store to include movies. Movies from Miramax, Pixar, Touchstone and Walt Disney Studios are the first to show up on the store. Apple indicated that it is working with several other major studios to sign up with its iTunes store and the company may bring movie purchases to international customers in 2007.

Although Wal-Mart has not dismissed reports about the possibility of offering digital downloads, it has not confirmed them either. Reports however, claim that Wal-Mart said "our customers want to watch movies and they want to be able to make the choice when and how they want to view them." In all likelihood, Wal-Mart could become a big player in the online movies market if its success in the retail chain is any indication. Interestingly, Wal-Mart was left out, when several movie studios decided to offer exclusivity to iTunes for several movie releases. Suffice to say, Wal-Mart was not happy about this.

During Apple's showing of its iTunes store success, it indicated that it was the 5th of the US' top 5 music stores, online or not. Stores like Wal-Mart, Target and Amazon were in the lead, but Apple indicated that by 2007, it would take over the 4th spot held by Amazon. Wal-Mart remains at the number one spot.

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wally world
By Lazarus Dark on 9/18/2006 5:51:07 PM , Rating: 4
I can't wait to use this on the computer I got from walmart to view on the hdtv I got from walmart on the couch I got from walmart in my housing unit in the walmart dome, now I don't even have to walk outside to purchase my walmart-studios movies.




RE: wally world
By formulav8 on 9/18/2006 7:04:58 PM , Rating: 2
Wow, talk about a run-on sentence. I think I got what you meant though.


Sitck to what they are good at
By viperpa on 9/18/2006 6:13:25 PM , Rating: 2
Wal Mart already has a music download service. As for movies, they already tried a rental movie service like Netflix and it didn't work. Wal Mart ended up selling there service to Netflix.

Wal Mart should just stick with what they are good at and that is sell goods in mass quantity.





RE: Sitck to what they are good at
By hondaman on 9/18/2006 6:46:33 PM , Rating: 2
I disagree. I think its cool that an "old school" brick and mortar chain is at least trying to push its product portfolio, and add competition to other services.

More competition = lower prices.


Own it
By OrSin on 9/18/2006 3:49:05 PM , Rating: 1
What would be nice is if you downloads with witht eh DRM and can't view it anywhere but on that one computer. You would also get a vouvher to go pick it up in the store.

That means you van get it now and own a real copy. If the price difference was only $1-3 it would be hit. Since the damn downloads cost so much any way this might be good solution.




RE: Own it
By kamel5547 on 9/18/2006 4:03:56 PM , Rating: 2
I doubt it would make much of a difference (the voucher scheme), downloading a movie takes longer than going to the store, purchasing it, and going home. In fact in a majority of cases you could even watch the movie before your download is complete. The places where downloads would be a good idea (i.e. very rural areas far away from any store) don't have internet conenctions worth trying to download a movie on. As far as the DRM scheme the studios will give that up when hell freezes over.

In genereal I see the whole downloadable movie idea as a waste at this price structure/DRM scheme. If I'm willing to wait for the download then I'd jsut as soon Netflix it... If not I'll drive the 5 minutes to the store and be done with it.


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