Get Better Gear!

Premier Sponsors

TechRestore

Other World Computing

Top 5 Free Apps

Release Date: August 05, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: May 22, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: August 29, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: March 27, 2009
Release Date: August 07, 2009

iTunes New Music Releases

Release Date: September 29, 2009
Genre: Rock
Release Date: September 20, 2009
Release Date: September 15, 2009
Release Date: August 25, 2009
Genre: Rock
Release Date: August 25, 2009

Top 5 Paid Apps

Release Date: April 22, 2009
StickWars $0.99
Release Date: March 31, 2009
Genre: Games
Bloons $0.99
Release Date: April 05, 2009
Genre: Games

Discover New Music

  • Kind of Blue

    • 10 out of 10
    • Miles Davis
    • The jazz album to end all jazz albums. Miles Davis and John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderly and the list goes on. The who's who of who's who in jazz have assembled for this monumental record. Get this
  • Aretha Sings the Blues

    • 6 out of 10
    • Aretha Franklin
    • While she didn't always have the best taste in song selection, Aretha Franklin is a must-study for anyone with interest in the human voice. She has the kind of powerful, recklessly passionate deliv

  • Stadium Arcadium

    • 8 out of 10
    • Red Hot Chili Peppers
    • What? Only four stars, you stingy bastard? I'm asking myself the same question, so let me explain myself to myself... If I compare the new

  • Cocked & Loaded

    • 8 out of 10
    • Revolting Cocks
    • It's hard to believe it's been more than a decade since Ministry founder and front man Al Jourgensen's side project Revolting Cocks released any new material. 2006 brings us Cocked and Loaded

  • So Jealous

    • 8 out of 10
    • Tegan and Sara
    • So Jealous is the third album from these sisters, and easily the one to single out for an introduction to their music. Some people may not get on board with their vocal styles, which are slightly

Reader Specials

Visit Deals On The Web for the best deals on all consumer electronics, iPods, and more!

News

Apple Looking For More of Japan’s Music Market

Apple's iPod line up may hold the top sales spots in Japan's MP3 player market, but the majority of the country's music downloads go to cell phones. According to Reuters, Apple is aggressively working to change that.

The biggest problem facing Apple in Japan is that consumers are more comfortable purchasing songs with their phone than online. "I've never bought songs from iTunes," said Misaki Masai, 20, a university student in Tokyo. "I don't like paying online."

One way the company is working around that issue is by selling pre-paid iTunes Music Store (iTMS) cards in convenience stores.

iTMS purchases are also substantially cheaper than their cell phone counterparts. Songs purchased via cell phone cost about 300 yen (about US$2.56), and iTMS songs cost about 150 yen (about $1.28). Along with lower costs, Apple also offers higher quality recordings.

Apple has also been hosting in-store concerts where it gives away free iTMS downloads.

The company's efforts seem to be paying off. More consumers are starting to use the iTMS, and now other companies are launching their own online music services.

But there is still a long road ahead for Apple. Before the iTMS sees the same music market dominance in Japan that it experiences in other parts of the world, Apple has to overcome the country's cell phone love affair.

Post Your Comments

  Remember Me  Forgot your password?

Not a member? Register now. You can post comments without logging in, but they'll show up as a "guest" post.

Commenting is not available in this section entry.