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ROUND (^1) ROUND 2
QUICKSTART^
THE BEGINNING OF THE MAGAZINE, WHERE ARTICLES ARE SMALL
Amazon MP3 vs. iTunes Store
AMAZON MP
http://www.amazon.com
SELECTION
Both iTunes and Amazon MP3 boast a library of more than 6 million
songs, including titles from the Big Four—Sony BMG, Universal, EMI, and
Warner. Independent and mainstream artists are abundantly available on
each music service, although iTunes appears to have an edge in the more
obscure offerings. For instance, we searched both sites for a handful of
lesser-known selections—e.g., some trance and international tracks—
and were able to fi nd more of what we were after on iTunes. In some in-
stances, Amazon had singles available for digital download, but the album
was available only in CD format. Nevertheless, international artists and
garage bands are hit-or-miss on both services. But for folks with incred-
ibly niche music tastes, iTunes will likely better cater to your needs.
WINNER: ITUNES
FLEXIBILITY
To thwart the illegal distribution of purchased music, Apple implements
a proprietary DRM on its tracks, using a tech it calls FairPlay on the vast
majority of music it sells. As a result, this music is restricted to Apple’s
own portable devices. EMI’s decision in 2007 to offer its catalog only
sans DRM forced Apple to alter its policy somewhat; now EMI’s music,
as well as that of several indie labels, is available in an open format,
designated as iTunes Plus, but this collection constitutes just a small
percentage of iTunes’s total offerings.
All music sold on Amazon MP3 uses a standard DRM-free MP3 fi le
format, enabling no-hassle transfers between devices an unlimited
number of times.
WINNER: AMAZON MP
S
ince its inception in 2001, Apple’s iTunes Store has been
the undisputed leader in the downloadable music market,
largely due to the service’s close integration with the iPod. But
its dominance hasn’t kept other companies from joining the
fray. Indeed, with digital music sales rapidly overtaking sales
of compact discs, bold companies have stepped up to challenge
the iTunes throne, with varying degrees of success. Most notable
of the competitors is Amazon’s downloadable music store,
Amazon MP3, which distinguishes itself by offering an entirely
DRM-free music catalog, and more recently, with the announce-
ment that it would be preinstalled on the first Android-based
phone, HTC’s G1. To find out whether Amazon MP3 has a fight-
ing chance against the iTunes stronghold, we’re putting both
music stores to the test, where matters of audio quality, song
selection, and customer support will determine who deserves
the crown. – F L O R E N C E I O N