Apple who are trying to get into the music streaming business have been slammed by a New York content producer, who claims that the big smartphone and tablet Company should be launching a high res music streaming.
Several industry experts have told SmartHouse that Apple will struggle to move people away from the likes of Deezer, Spotify, Pandora or JB Hi Fi Now unless they have a compelling new reason to mover.
New York-based producer, mixer and engineer Chris Tabron has suggested Tim Cook should have set the standard by offering higher resolution audio for its music streaming service.
Speaking on a panel at the iconic Jungle City Studios in New York, Tabron, who has worked with artists like Beyonce, Mary J Blige and Common was disappointed that Apple opted to go for the 256kbps bitrate, which is below the 320kbps offered by the likes of Spotify and Deezer.
“I think that a company like Apple has missed a bit of an opportunity with the new service that’s coming, because with the iPod, iPhone and iTunes being so ubiquitous, it’s a large reason why people are so used to compressed music,” Tabron commented.
He added: “If Apple launched this service and then said, ‘Okay, it’s going to be in AAC in a lossless codec,’ the average consumer who may or may not know the difference of high definition audio might not care but they’d value it. They’ll think, ‘I’m getting high definition for the same price as Spotify.'”
Tabron believes that by taking the higher resolution route, it would help users to accept listening at less compressed file format.
“Moving down the line, we could get people used hearing audio at a higher bandwidth,” he said. “It’s not going to be a real difference on the Apple servers. I don’t think they’re thinking about hard drive space!”
Apple Music, which has been built following its acquisition of Beats, will offer a Spotify-like monthly subscription for $9.99 or $14.99 for a family membership.
Giving you streaming access to iTunes content, Apple is also offering curated playlists and a new Beats 1 radio live internet station led by former Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe.
To kick things off, the iPhone 6 maker is offering a free, three month trial, a period during which it initially said it would not pay any royalties to artists featured on the service. Since then, a group of artists including Taylor Swift complained forcing Apple to announce it would offer reduced royalty rates during that three-month period.
Out of 30 people that SmartHouse has questioned about the new Apple Music service only five said that they would trial the new service. Out of the 30, 26 were owners of Apple products.
Insiders at Sonos have said that Sonos devices will not play Appl,e Music immediatly but will play Apple content by the end of this year when the Company is looking to release a major software update.
Apple is currently talking to several Hi Fi and makers of Wireless Streaming devices to try and lock in their new service to devices. Insiders claim Apple is more interested in having a Spotify-like ubiquity than locking you into its ecosystem.
