This morning, subscription music service Rhapsody is putting public pressure on Apple to approve its new music streaming app by making its case directly to the press. Unlike other streaming music apps already on the iPhone from Pandora, Slacker, AOL Radio, imeem, and Sirius XM, Rhapsody’s would allow users to individually select and listen to any one of the 8 million songs in its catalog on-demand or create their own streaming playlists, as opposed to listening to a more radio-like, random assortment. It is in the same boat as Spotify, which is also awaiting approval for its music-streaming iPhone app.
In the wake of the Google Voice app rejection/indefinite review and the resulting FCC investigation, Rhapsody is betting that Apple won’t reject its App, even if it does compete directly with iTunes. Rhapsody VP Neil Smith tells the NYT that “not approving things for the app store is giving people a reason to say, ‘I’m not going to buy an iPhone.’”
Smith gives Rhapsody a little too much credit. It is a great product, don’t get me wrong. But paying $15 a month for unlimited access to Rhapsody’s Web jukebox appeals to a very limited niche audience. (The iPhone app, while nominally free, only works for Rhapsody subscribers under that $15 plan). Rhapsody America, which is a joint venture between Rhapsody’s parent Real Networks and MTV Networks, only had 750,000 paying subscribers at the end of June, and that was down 50,000 from the March quarter. In early August, Rhapsody laid off 12 people, or 9 percent of its workforce. Now it really seems to betting on this mobile thing, so getting on the iPhone is pretty important.
But this isn’t going to be like the Sirius XM app, which took off and is currently the No. 3 music app in the iTunes store (after Shazam and Pandora Radio), despite also requiring a pre-existing, paid subscription. Sirius XM Radio has 18.4 million subscribers. Making an iPhone app just for them makes a lot of sense. In contrast, making an iPhone app for Rhapsody’s 750,000 existing subscribers is not going to make much difference.
Unless you are already a Rhapsody subscriber, you are not going to download the app. It won’t work. And there are plenty of free music, streaming alternatives (Pandora, Slacker, imeem, AOL Radio, etc). Rhapsody is certainly more fully featured, but is the difference really worth $15 a month? Most people on the Web have decided that it is not. There is no reason to believe that a mobile version without download backups will be any different. And since it depends on a network connection, you are out of luck if that goes down or you are out of range.
So it is really not that much of a threat to iTunes or the iPod functionality of the iPhone. And actually, as Pandora Radio has proven, streaming music on the iPhone can help drive music download sales. Of course, Rhapsody has its own MP3 download music store, which Apple doesn’t like one bit.
But, like I said, nobody is going to use this app anyway. So Apple can approve it and use it as an example that it is pro-competition the next time the FCC comes calling, while not really risking much of anything at all.
Please make up your mind. Either Rhapsody is a great product or it sucks and isn’t worth an iPhone app. Which is it?
It’s a great product that nobody wants to pay for because there are free alternatives that are good enough.
Pandora and iMeem are radically different from Rhapsody. That’s like predicting Netflix will be unecessary because Hulu offers a free assortment of movies. Pandora isn’t that useful to me when I really want to hear a certain old Bob Dylan album or a good single by a new band. If the service is reliable, it might even be worth my $15/mo…
then subscribe and go nuts.
why tell us about it?
Whether or not I’m interested in subscribing was an aside, jackass.
If I really have to re-summarize a three sentence comment for you – the author equated services that let you listen to random songs to a service that lets you listen to whatever specific song you choose. I disagreed with that analysis. Expressions of support or disagreement are pretty standard fare for comment sections…
E.J. wins.
You obviously have limited experience with the free services on the market. Take Slacker for instance: do a search for that new single or for $4/m you can create a custom play list so you will have that old Dylan album. My experience with Rhapsody over the last year has not been that great. Some newer songs are not on there list some older songs you would think should be are not. Like the author of the article said, “product nobody wants to pay for”. You will be a minority.
Yes, like creating music playlists on YouTube and listening on your Touch or iPhone. Seems the same thing to me, minus the $15 monthly fee.
Mobile YouTube videos on iPhone are in mono, not stereo. Even ignoring the channel difference, the quality is not up to par… especially the version it plays when you are on the cellphone network (as opposed to WiFi).
the low subscriber rate for rhapsody likely does not say as much about the quality of the service as it does about the market dominance of the ipod/iphone.
rhapsody essentially relies on owners of non-apple-branded hardware. if they are able to get an iphone app approved, it will actually be a coup for them as it will finally allow their service to be compatible with apple hardware.
For many people, there’s no free service that streams at an acceptable quality. If Rhapsody can stream at higher quality count me in.
Not everyone is tone deaf.
For antitrust reasons Apple going to have to approve this app.
I feel giving a public pressure won’t make Apple to approve Rhapsody’s app. But waiting eagerly to see Apple’s decision. If the App is not worthy to an iPhone app and if Apple approves, then there is going to be question “ Will Apple approve all the apps submitted?” to avoid public presures.
I won’t buy an Iphone because it does not have rhapsody. I am a huge fan of Rhapsody. The day they release an app for the Iphone is the same day I buy the Iphone. I really hope they approve it. Rhapsody to music is like Tivo to TV. It enhances the experience by enabling you to choose and listen to music in new ways. This dollar/song this is so annoying. I listen to at least 100 new songs per month on Rhapsody. 15 bucks seems cheap to me. I am a huge fan of Pandora and Slacker as well but I like to chose what I listen to and am willing to pay for it.
I think the Apple developer agreement specifically prohibits apps from using external payment mechanisms (e.g. using a $15/month subscription system tied to RealNetworks instead of using the standard App Store payment system).
The agreement says that some exceptions may be made to this rule, but that these exceptions would need prior approval. (From Erick’s report, it looks like Rhapsody isn’t planning on using the App store payment system and they haven’t got approval for using an external payment system)
I’m pretty sure this isn’t the case. There are plenty of App’s that are extensions to existing subscription/pay systems. Take a look at Remember The Milk, DirectTV, or even something as simple as a Banking app, which could technically apply.
I don’t have a copy handy, but if memory serves me right, the agreement does stipulate this.
Have you read the agreement ?
As I mentioned, the agreement says that Apple will make exceptions, but that “prior approval” is required. The examples you mention are the “exceptions”, but Apple can choose to apply the default rule to any app.
I feel like if iTunes had a subscription model for music, the attitude surrounding it would be a hell of a lot more positive….
The Sirius/XM app only works if you already subscribe to the online stream which you pay directly to Sirius, correct?
Spotify and Rhapsody don’t compete with iTunes for two reasons.
First of all, their pricing model falls more in line with Microsoft’s Zune Pass, which Apple should be happy to compete with.
Second of all, it CAN’T compete with iTunes/iPod because you won’t be able to play it in the background while you do other things.
Personally, I’m reticent to use streaming apps on the iPhone because of the battery drain. I have a hard enough time making it through the day on a charge as it is.
So, how about Spotify…?
How about Sirius XM? They use external payment mechanism too, as far as I know.
as a rhapsody user for the past 5 years i’m super excited and can’t wait for this app to be approved. being able to pick your own songs IS the same as owning them as far as i’m concerned and totally worth the $15. plus pandora doesn’t work where i live (in nepal) so all in all exciting news for me.
You will be out of luck with Rhapsody too. It will only be approved in the US – not in Nepal.
If I subscribe for Rhapsody in US – is it possible to bring my Iphone and use Rhapsody with wifi networks in Europe. If so I must say that Rhapsody, which is super, and Iphone is the perfect combination!
Hi! I have an US account on Rhapsody, but it doesnt play the music in Europe. Is it a restriction, or just some bug? Because on PC I can hear the music
The agreement does not prohibit external payment completely, just within the app. Basically, Apple doesn’t want you to take payment within the app itself unless you use their payment system. There are 100s of apps that require external subscriptions for the app to work. So, no issue there.
I do agree with Erick that Rhapsody isn’t all that compelling. Perhaps they are counting on people downloading the app and then subscribing to their service after they find out they have to pay. Of course, without some sort of free trial, that will never work. But, I think they do offer a free trial, so we will see.
Now, a truly compelling service would be Napster. At $5 per month, it is a great value and provides access to nearly the same music catalog as Rhapsody.
The problem with all of this is that the iTunes store is a massive revenue stream for Apple and I don’t think they will want competition on that front. We will see…
I can do the exact same thing with the native Youtube app – for free.
yeah…and such great sound quality too
Rhapsody sucks for everyone except Rhapsody. No one would use this except people Rhapsody has given free subscriptions to.
rhapsody : itunes :: hbo : pay-per-view
the idea of “owning” your music is outdated. i much prefer the right to listen to whatever music i want, whenever i want. if this app is approved, then i can listen wherever i want.
really, rhapsody is a giant jukebox in the cloud, and i happily pay my subscription fee. the way i look at it, i’m just paying a provider to host my massive music collection.
Yes, it’s so simple with Rhapsody to listen to it on any of my Apple TV’s, or my car stereo, or my kids boombox, or my garage stereo, or my….
Oh wait.
The idea of ’subscribing’ to music is silly and will never go mainstream. Keep wishing, though, you college hipster.
Yeah, saying you can’t play something on an Apple TV is a reason to diss a product. The only thing more of a failure than Rhapsody is Apple TV.
Still, though, your point sucks. Look on your radio. It’s a port called “AUX.” See if you can find it.
Well actually the nice little radio sitting by my couch has an aux port and I plug my Rhapsody compatible MP3 player into it just fine (as well as into my car, my boom box in the back yard etc).
You tell ‘em grandpa! I remember when you told me no one would ever watch television on a computer, and boy were you right about that one!
Completely agree that ‘owning’ tracks is outmoded. Maybe if you only discover one new band a month it’s cheaper to buy individual tracks, but if you’re still discovering new bands, going to shows where you don’t know the band well, or just exploring new music, Rhapsody (or subscription in general) is the way to go. Just the stuff I put on my MP3 player this month would have cost more on iTunes than a whole year of Rhapsody.
Comparing Sirius/XM to Rhapsody is like comparing a bookstore in a mall to a large public library. They both contain books, but they serve different interests. The size of an audience for an app has no relationship to whether it’s a “dud” — there are lots of great apps that serve niche markets. Also, the author seems to like Pandora (it’s mentioned 4 times), and somehow it’s OK that Pandora requires a constant network connection, but not Rhapsody. To imply that all streaming music apps are basically the same (and therefore “free wins”) is very simplistic and misleading. Although I’m not a Rhapsody subscriber, if I were offered a short free trial, I’d try it, and I bet lots of other people would, too. We should be encouraging efforts like this, not pronouncing them DOA before they’ve even arrived.
the only reason I use rhapsody is because I can purchase songs on my Env3 phone ($1.99 per song)and also allowed to download an additional copy on my pc free of charge.
Also the only reason I use Bing is because that is the default search engine for the Verizon Vcast and I do not know how to change it…
It seems like Verizon must have contracts with rhapsody and bing and trying to push them down customer’s throats.
It’s amazing to me that you purchase ANY songs for $2, when $1 is the going rate AND you can put it on your phone or anywhere else you’d like for free.
I wrote about this very subject 15 months ago http://www.ryan...he-cloud-s.html
When Rhapsody adopts Spotify’s business model, iTunes will need to do the same. The time for music in the cloud has arrived.
Well, having your own playlist and selecting any song is exactly what French startup Deezer used to offer – until music industry lawyers made the case that if customers have a choice than it should be illegal (don’t you just love how they regulate lack-of-innovation?). That’s when all the buttons became grayed out and disabled on the Deezer app and the service became no more than a carbon copy of Pandora, Imeem, Slackr, and AOL Radio.
Now Raphsody is doing the same, but is fighting to get to users before Spotify does, or before music industry lawyers get to both of them and break the party.
Can anyone please tell me how does the App Store suppose to approve the Spotify app if it only works in Europe and is forbidden from streaming music in North America?
Any song, on-demand, unlimited. How is that not compelling?? Rhapsody does this – Pandora, Sirius XM, iTunes cannot.
Yes, streaming music is a major energy drain. But right now, i simply drag/drop rhapsody songs/albums/playlists to my Nokia and i’m flying. For people who love discoverability, nothing comes close to Rhapsody.
Bigger question is, when is Apple going to allow iphone/ipod to accept rhapsody music files?
Come on Apple, stop trying to win through embargos, and get back to innovation.
Well, it’s not exactly that Raphsody is winning by bringing organic innovation either. They have Real Networks’ money to litigate songs on demand – which were forbidden from all of their competitors.
It is against the App Store rules to have a subscription-based app where the subscription payment is outside of the App Store/iTune ecosystem, such as hmmm… Raphsody?
Where is the level playing field for all developers? Why should Raphsody get away with this?
Again, Apple is using draconian practices to promote whatever corporation is dear to their hearts and shareholders’ wallets on the account of users and other developers. This, my friend is antitrust and cartel-ism, not consumer choice.
Sirius/XM radio, DirectTV, and a plethora of other iPhone apps are simple extensions of already existing services, many of which are paid-for outside of iTunes/App Store (I use many of those myself). So obviously you got your facts mixed up about the rules or the rules are not really enforced for a very large number of applications (I personally don’t know the exact rule so I can’t comment).
TC, excellent balance between small company items and the latest news regarding Apple, Google and Twitter.
please keep the iPhone app and approval process stories coming.!
I just wonder what Apple would do if it were Microsoft or Napster selling their respective subscription music services… particularly Microsoft’s Zune service which allows you to download and keep several tracks every month as part of the subscription price (DRM-infested incompatible formats, of course).
I would love to see the day when iPhone/iPud people stop stealing music!
Rhapsody is a total bargain if you ask me, and would be a killer iPhone app. Note that the $15 monthly fee allows you to download unlimited tracks to your (non-iPod of course) MP3 player; the streaming-only service is only ten bucks a month.
IMO Rhpasody’s biggest mistake was to base their player on IE, which means no native OSX Rhapsody player.
What is interesting is that buying a song directs you not to Rhapsody’s store, but to iTunes.
And yeah, I agree with the writer that this won’t cause a ripple beyond the current (and fading) Rhapsody subscribers.
And I’ll never give Real Networks a penny, after all their crappy installation tricks thru the years.
Guys, you should give Rhapsody another chance, it allows you to stream any songs you like just like Spotify (perfect with Squeeze box) and also allows you to download any songs you like to your computer/music player. All for one fixed cost..
I love the service, especially with squeeze box. I don’t need to spend time purchase/download any music anymore, as soon as I or my friends wants to listen to some song I have it.
With this iPhone app I’ll have the same advantage in the car, at work, or when running, I can listen to any song I want without any download/purchase.
So basically it’s Spotify with the download option that you don’t really need anymore…
Erick,
Rhapsody has two pricing models, $15 a month for unlimited downloads (which work off-line) and $13 a month for unlimited streaming. Can you confirm which is required for streaming via the iPhone app?
The $13 streaming plan is directly competitive with Napster’s recently announced $5 a month unlimited on-demand streaming plan. While you’re quick to dismiss the impact of Apple’s approving the Rhapsody app, it is perhaps a precedent for needing to approve Napster’s inevitable app. Napster’s $5 a month plan also includes 5 MP3 (drm-free) downloads a month. That’s 5 less songs purchased on iTunes.
I believe the reason for the low penetration of Rhapsody’s model is the tremendous success of the iPod (and iPhone). Since the unlimited download model doesn’t work with Apple devices most iPod and iPhone users don’t even know it exists. Can you think of a better way for Rhapsody and Napster to create awareness to a huge audience where they currently have zero penetration than an app in iTunes?
That’s so true. Test on last.fm and purchase from iTunes is all that I have been doing from ages. The Rhapsody model got me all excited and now Napster. This just keeps getting better. Guess it’s not always good to be an Apple fanboy!.. http://tinyurl....rhapsodyiPhone7
This is way overpriced when compared with the great free options for the iPhone (Pandora, Slacker, Last.FM, AOL Radio, Shoutcast, etc.).
Napster is closer to the mark with their $5/mo plan with the 5 included MP3 downloads per month (enough to keep my ringtones fresh!).
I just don’t see Real making it – album listening is becoming an old school behavior. It is great streaming products and great playlist solutions like 8tracks that are winning the day.
Sorry, Real, but a total non-starter, even with comment troll support.
Please tell me how I can select the exact songs I want with Pandora, Slacker, Last.FM, AOL Radio, or Shoutcast.
Use the free service from Spotify (I am using it now in the US – can’t wait till it is fully released here) – tracks and albums streamed on demand. Did I mention FREE again?
My comment still stands: Real won’t change their pricing or business model fast enough to survive.
We’ll see what happens when Spotify is released in the US, what restrictions there are, how many ads in their free service, etc.
Since their investors include Universal Music Group, Sony BMG, EMI Music, and Warner Music Group, lets see how “free” it remains when it gets out of beta.
So, App store approval still seems to be far away for Spotify: http://www.mkse...om/tag/spotify/
Eng. lang: http://bit.ly/mkse_cms
Completely disagree. I’m a fairly new Rhapsody subscriber and I think the service is outstanding.
It is NOT a web jukebox. Their catalog is vast and you can pick and choose any artist/song/album you want to hear.
I’ve listened to so much stuff I don’t already own over the past two months it’s incredible. At $15/month I think it’s a complete steal.
It’s funny to me that people will pay $50+/month for cable and you are required to have a DVR to be able to watch shows you want when you want WITH commercials, but somehow a service that lets you play just about any music you want at the exact time you want is overpriced at $15.
Pandora, Slacker, etc. all have their place, but you don’t get exactly what you want when you want it.
I use Rhapsody and I love it. So bite me.
LALA is a better solution.
As someone who makes a (modest) living from independent music, I will say that the $15 subscription fees typically translates to better royalty rates for independent artists. Even better would be a permanent download from iTunes. Something to consider for those with disposable income.
this probably will be a dud, but for someone like myself who was debating canceling the service this might keep me subscribed for a bit longer
However, iphone has a lot of fans.
#1 paid app in music is Midomi Music Identifier. Implies that finding out “what’s that song” and doing music search is higher value / bigger market than on-demand music service. Music on demand is less interesting than radio as it’s too much work.
Iphone is not the only product, the pc of apple is growing quickly.
What if iphone contains the functions of ipod?
I would love to see Rhapsody on the iPhone!
i became a paying rhapsody subscriber when audiogalaxy was killed around 2002. i just cancelled my rhapsody service this month because i cannot stand their low quality streaming issues on the desktop, good luck with the iphone thing. more people will quit and they’ll go out of business. yaaaay!!!
Rhapsody…Schmapsody. They should just go to Microsoft and cry away. Apple should disapprove the app for competition reasons and be done with it. Streaming on the phone is a waste of battery power, and I have 7.2 days worth of 24×7 music in my phone as it is and it’s all tunes I love. So…not interested. NEXT!
You’re an idiot.
An idiot and old. Old people FTL!
I use my mix tape cassettes and a walkman, and am the epitome of retro cool!
Maybe it doesn’t make much difference, but Rhapsody is only $12.99 a month. Not $15.
Rhapsody To Go (required for iPhone use) is $14.99/mo
Rhapsody will do huge as an Iphone app, but they should offer a free service to start, kind of like pandora. Would be huge for the music industry.
I read about this app yesterday and because of it, I bought an iPhone today. It was this app that finally pushed me over the edge from wanting an iPhone to having to have an iPhone.
To say that no one will use it is quite stupid, regardless of how small of a minority we may be. Not only will some of us use it, but it just sold another iPhone for Apple.
I disagree with this article. Here’s why:
Whenever (most) new albums come out, I can listen to it in its entirety on Rhapsody. Not just “create a station” (like on Pandora) and get a stream of music that (1) I cannot control and (2) may or may not have any continuity musically.
SO, for my monthly service feel — Rhapsody on the iPhone? For me it’s a no-brainer. Now I can stream all my Rhapsody Playlists in the CAR on my way to work.
AND the kicker? When I called to cancel Rhapsody several months ago — they lowered my fees. SIGNIFICANTLY. I don’t want to say how much. Just trust me, for what I’m paying now, it’s totally worth me getting the app on my iPhone. I’m moving over from Pandora to Rhapsody once the app is available.
— Paul (San Diego, CA)
Sorry but you clearly don’t use or understand Rhapsody if you think it compares w/ Pandora, Slacker, etc.
And as far as the noise w/ Spotify, we’ve had that for years. It’s called Rhapsody, Zune, or Napster. I want to see how long “free” will last, what restrictions you’ll have, etc.
there is no free lunch.
I’ve had Rhapsody for over six years now, it’s truly made a huge different in the way I enjoy music.
Thank god! I have been driving around with a tethered laptop in my car for 2 years now so that I can listen to rhapsody. It’s about time they put out an app!
I predict the number of subscribers will double or triple once they get this out on the various moblie platforms. Its a pretty compelling product once it goes mobile without needing to sync!
I’m so pumped about this! My only question is what took so damn long! (Google rejection helped I’m sure)
I couldnt leave this post without giving my 2 cents…
I have been a faithful subscriber of rhapsody-to-go and gladly pay my 15 bucks to have access to an ever-growing arsenal of music from every genre. I am one of those people that can be listening to something downtempo such as zero 7 and them something happens at work to piss me of and want to switch to Bullet In the Head by Rage Against the Machine.
Rhapsody gives me the ability to do that, watch videos from the artists, and recommend similar artists that i may like based on my music choices, and see what artists influenced the band/group.
It is a sad joke to have to buy a song from itunes for .79 to 1.39 when you can preview music and make sure its not crap before you buy it.
I can’t wait for this app. Its gonna make my ride to/from work much more enjoyable.
The free alternatives are fun too, but just like radio, remove the capability to have total control of your music experience and that is why i pay.
The app (windows) is crisp with no adds or any other bloatware that you find in freeware and is very easy to control.
i also think owning music is overrated when you can stream reliably.
Everybody is different and some (most by the undertone of this article) rather float along with whatever is on.
Those 750,000 including like things done right and pay for them (kinda describes people’s character huh…)
that’s a terribly slanted article. rhapsody is an incredible service for people that want more choice over their music and don’t want to pirate the planets collective music library. i stopped downloading music illegally thanks to rhapsody, and i buy what I can’t find on there.
the service is far from perfect, i’ve had big headaches with their mobile devices.
as an iphone user, and a guy who makes a living with macs, I’ll have no problem trading in my iphone if they block this app.
I have had a subscription to XM and Rhapsody for several years. Pandora and XM exist in the same spectrum if you want to go to the trouble of setting up your own channels.
Rhapsody is nothing like either of them. You can search most artists and listen to any of their albums. I do not always want to listen to music in “radio mode”. Most of my favorite artists took time and effort in making their albums..Dark Side of the Moon, as one example, sounds better in context and the same can be said about a lot of other albums.
I could care less how popular Rhapsody is compared to other services. It says nothing about the app itself. It is fanatastic.
One of the reasons I chose Rhapsody several years ago was that they actually work with a lot of different devices (IO Data Linkplayer, Roku, Squeezebox, Sonos, Denon compatible receivers, etc..). The fact that it does not work with AppleTV says more about Apple and their policies than Rhapsody’s commitment to working with many different devices. I am very surprised that Apple let this one through, but I am happy they did.
Rhapsody may just be the best reason to buy a new i-phone…… unlocked. If they opened it up to T-moblie I would have bought one a long time ago. Competition is good!
Wow techcrunch how biased can you get?
Rhapsody is one of the greatest apps released to date!
Yes, $15 a month sucks but to essentially have every song ever made at your finger tips whenever you please is UNBEATABLE!
Streaming will take over both MP3 and HD Movies…why would I want to own a huge library of files when I can stream it virtually anywhere. As soon as Wifi is available nation wide this would be the only way to go!
I love Apple so I hope they and Real Networks continue to work together!
Rhapsody app is a great reason to buy and iPhone!
Now I wish AirPort Express would work with Rhapsody so I can stream to my home sound system!
O and I forgot to mention it’s comparison to XM Radio…besides the talk radio stations…Rhapsody is FAR BETTER
rhapsody is an incredible service…i’ve used it for years now and there is zero chance i will cancel my subscription. it has literally enriched my life with music….new song you heard on the radio? go to rhapsody and listen to it. friend told you about a classic? go to rhapsody. found an interesting article on a song on the net? go to rhapsody. work in front of a computer at work? go to rhapsody. need music playlists for a party? go to rhapsody. music on demand for a party? go to rhapsody. music for a friend’s house party? go to rhapsody. your favorite music for the gym? go to rhapsody. anywhere, everywhere, all of 8,000,000 songs. excellent quality, excellent streaming. whoever doesn’t like it obviously has not used it.
I think people are extremely quick to judge and look for reasons to complain to just about anything.
To say Rhapsody is Crapsody is insane. The application really changes the whole iPhone experience. Could it be improved? Absolutely. Will it? Of course.
Any who keeps in touch or works in the industry knows that there is a big focus on ‘cloud’ computing. Thanks to this subscription model, my iPhone has gone from 16GB to completely unlimited. I think its brilliant to keep my tunes in the ‘cloud’ for buffet style access. Yes, I hope they allow local access, but it’s no deal breaker if they don’t. I get good Rhapsody service even on 3G. They will be rolling out 7.2 in Charlotte, NC soon, so it’ll get even better.
Love it.
TJ said it. Rhapsody is like paying someone $15 a month to rip, tag, and store an 8 million song database that is always at your finger tips with unlimited access. That’s well worth the price I think and it has changed my life.
I can’t count the money wasted on worthless CDs exploring music before I made the Rhapsody discovery, not to mention the trouble keeping stacks of CDs organized.
Apparently, there are some people that are PO’d that some are willing to pay for such a service. Imagine that. For my listening habits, a buck a song – likely a compressed mp3 – is not competitive.
And for the record, I am NOT a troll – Just someone with a brain, a wallet, a love for music, some experience, and an opinion. Rhapsody rules!
I have rhapsody and the quality of it and being able to listen to what I want is what makes me put in my money for it… if iphone has an app for it… I just might get one… I would have to say that some people just buy the iphone for the hype when they really don’t even know what they are buying…