akgunkel's Journal: iPod is Apple's golden ticket.

With Real pleading with Apple for a partnership, the wisdom of Apple's plans with the iPod and iTMS once again is in the spotlight.

I believe Steve has a plan. As I said in an earlier entry, Apple can own the digital music market.

Right now Apple is the only one with a real plan to make money in this market. They're making it now and they will continue to do so. Everyone else is going to starve. Once that happens Apple can license iTMS to the largest player manufacturers and own the market for good.

There is a future where the public sees iTMS as the only real way of buying music on line. If your player doesn't come with iTMS, it's crap. In this future the various iPod models collectively have 40-50% marketshare and there are a couple of iTMS licensed players.

Is this set in stone? No. But it's a good shot. And Apple would be foolish not to try for it. In the long term this will help Apple sell more macs.