Real vs Apple
RealNetworks have upped the stakes in the growing war between itself and Apple.
The launch of the Freedom of Music Choice website (complete with a logo featuring the iPod as a padlock) pulls no punches, and directly attacks Apple’s refusal to open up it’s FairPlay DRM used on the iPod.
It’s not enough to denounce crime and lock up criminals, say the social scientists. We must consider the root causes of crime. Which brings us to Apple Computer Inc., which is encouraging people to steal digital music files, and undermining its own success to boot.
This vitriol follows the trading of blows last week over Real’s Harmony technology — a crude hack which allows songs purchased from the Real Music Store to be played on an iPod. Apple’s response was predictably angry and swift :
We strongly caution Real and their customers that when we update our iPod software from time to time it is highly likely that Real’s Harmony technology will cease to work with current and future iPods.
It seems obvious to me that Real have lost considerable market share since the success of iTunes Music Store and the iPod, and are playing their last card — portraying itself as the ‘voice of the public’ and ‘champion of free choice’.
You could understand this if were actually true — but it’s 100% PR bullshit, and only serves to make them look increasingly desperate. The fact is Apple make far superior software and offer a far superior experience to Real. That is why people are choosing Apple over Real, no other reason.
More reading :
- CNN : Apple — RealNetworks hacked iPod
- vnunet : Real slams Apple’s iPod ‘hacker’ attempt
- Macworld : Real declares war, calls it freedom
- Macworld : RealNetworks versus Apple. War report
Posted 4 years, 1 month ago on 18th August 2004.
Comments
You guys' recent redesign is one of the finest I’ve seen in a long time – excellent work. I notice today the differently styled header bar and must say that I think the blue looks a lot better, for what it’s worth.
I’ve been enjoying your mac blog for over two years now. Keep up the good work.
Russell Beattie has some slightly more positive things to say about Real:
http://www.russellbeattie.com/notebook/1007975.html
There’s a battle of petitions too.
Real set up this petition to gather some support –
Hey Apple, Don’t Break My iPod!
http://www.petitiononline.com/r4apple/petition.html
Though it wasn’t long before a rival petition was setup –
Don’t break my Petition, iTMS Users!
http://www.petitiononline.com/notreal/petition.html
Currently the rival petition is outnumbering the Real one 2503 votes to 1108...
Daring Fireball has a piece about this too. People seem to be being pretty (rightly) dismissive of Real’s arguments inside the Mac community. But it seems like the rest of the media is missing the point, intentionally or otherwise. I wonder what the uninitiated public response is? I saw a piece on Wired the other day that similarly missed the point.
http://daringfireball.net/2004/08/2004_wont_be_like_1984
Alex · 4 years, 1 month ago