Apple to Overhaul iTunes with Lala Purchase
So exactly why did Apple spend $85 million to purchase Lala? Why, to overhaul iTunes, of course… Lala currently allows users to buy and listen to music through their web browser. An Apple version of the service would operate the same way with music being streamed to users from a central server. This is in stark contrast to Apple’s current iTunes model where songs and purchased and downloaded locally. Record company executives are said to be optimistic about the prospect but wary at given Apple more power. Via the WSJ:
The key vehicle for the move is Apple’s newly acquired music-streaming service La La Media Inc. for which Apple paid $85 million, according to people familiar with the matter. Where Apple’s iTunes requires users to download music onto a specific computer, Lala.com lets users buy and listen to music through a Web browser, meaning its customers can access purchases from anywhere, as long as they are connected to the Internet. Apple is considering adopting that same model for songs sold on iTunes, a change that would give consumers more ways to access and manage their iTunes purchases—and wouldn’t require them to download Apple’s software or their purchases. Apple’s recent acquisition of cloud storage music site Lala is being tipped as iTunes first foray into streaming and music discovery.
