Yes Apple were lucky (or clever enough) to get in their first, hats off to them. Though I’ve read over the years that the record companies have wanted to go back on the original deal they had with apple and have wanted to push up the price of downloads

Given the number of CDs I’ve got (let alone vinyl) I’ve got enough music as it is to handle.

My first MP3 player was a Tesco Technika brand. Only £10, and let me dip my toe in the water.

Next was a 1Gb Walkman NW-E013F.

Now I have a 4Gb iPod Nano, courtesy of my girlfriend.

Whilst I still use the Walkman (mainly for it’s built-in radio), all the more recent digitisations have gone on the iPod.

It may have inferior specs per pound, but the whole package is stylish. Plus I can tell people what MP3 player I’ve got without having to read the label on the back of it for the model number.

I’m glad that Apple have decided to can DRM, as that has been one of the issues putting me off downloading music.

With a CD, I can bung it into virtually any device and play it, subject to conversion. With DRM, I’m stuck with one website or manufacturer. Which is barmy.

I can’t help thinking that Apple’s change of heart is more to do with fending off pending anti-competitive legal proceedings than genuine concern for users.
But it’s a start.

And let’s be honest – whilst a number of record companies and manufacturers were sticking their heads in the sand, Apple were probably the one company that made the download market viable.

That said I think there are a number of reasons why Apple and the iPod brand will survive:

+ to a lot of people an mp3 player IS an iPod…
+The brand and status of the product is suitably fashionable to make it the defacto mp3 player… an iPod is a fashion item, people will spend that bit more to have one. Zen Creative Labs just doesn’t sound hip
+ They still stand head and shoulders above the competition in terms of UI and build quality… iPods feels “designed” most other gadgets and mp3 players feel like they have been “manufactured.

I also think your wrong to think that people buy iPod’s for iTunes… true maybe some tech savvy people realise you can’t have iTunes without an iPod but I get the feeling people want an iPod first and foremost.

That said no doubt this will make a differance and their will be people who will hunt out a bargain… personally I would suggest they are getting an inferior product.