Its believed, that come this September, no less than Jobs himself, will be announcing a newer generation of iPods, complete with built-in cameras and, most likely, greater capacities.
However, what is also now emerging are reports that Apple will be announcing something else, something called "Cocktail".
Cnet news is reporting that Apple is working with all of the major labels to deliver a new and delicious 'cocktail' of features that would help, in effect, to re-create the heyday when people sat around with their friends to enjoy not only the music, but the album art that came with it - complete with notes, lyrics and other features that were not even remotely possible back in the olden days of vinyl.
According to Cnet:
"Under the purported plan, people going to Apple's iTunes store to download music would also be able to get an interactive bundle that includes material such as liner notes, lyric sheets, and photos, according to the Financial Times. The "interactive book" would let users play songs without having to return to the iTunes software, the story said.
The goal, apparently, is to spark sales of digital albums, with a nod to the music-listening habits of a bygone era. While Apple has long sold albums over iTunes, the online music store is renowned for the fervor with which customers download single tracks. Apple already makes album cover art available through the Cover Flow feature in iTunes."
Wow, that sounds good to me, really, really good in fact! I remember, like it was yesterday, when I would rush home, all excited, with my newest, latest and greatest album from the Beatles (yes, I'm really, really that old!) and do exactly that, go through the notes and album art. Ah, the good old days, when reading the covers of great albums like 'Rubber Sould', Beatles 65 (my favorite, by the way) and Sergent Pepper's was just so enjoyable and so much fun. That was an experience that, to me anyway, was easily worth the cost of the album itself, and one that, more-or-less, has become a lost art form.
Personally, if this happens, it would be another major plus for iTune's and it's users. No doubt about it, other services such as Napster, Amazon and Spotify will try to do the same, and not to mention Microsoft and it's Zune division. And why not? Why shouldn't the younger generation not get to experience the same joy that we, of the older generation, did?
Apparently, 'Cocktail' isn't the only thing that we might see soon for the iPhone/Touch, as reports of even more iTune goodies are rumored to be just around the bend as well.
These include reports that Apple may include music streaming as well. It's reported that Spotify, a highly successful and rapidly growing European music streaming service, has an app for the iPhone and iPod Touch ready to go!
Spotify has made a big impact in Europe and some think that it even has the capacity to kill off iTunes itself! Therefore, whether Apple would ever allow it is quite debatable. Since it's a major form of competition, I believe, like many others, that if music streaming ever does come to the iPhone, then it's most likely to be coming from Apple itself. After all, how hard would it be for Apple to build their own music streaming service?
So, if all goes well, in addition to a newer generation of iPods, I hope that 'Cocktail' and other new features, like music streaming, be it from Spotify or Apple itself, will also be forth coming, because these exciting new features could give newer generations of audiophiles the same opportunity to experience all of the joy that we, of the previous and older generation, got to experience, namely - getting as much fun and enjoyment from the outside of the package as what got from the inside of the package!
At least I hope thats the case?
And that's my 2 cents 4 this Monday, July 27, 2009
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