Apple Shutting Down Lala Music Service

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Lala, a cloud-based music service has announced it will cease operations on May 31, 2010
Back in December, Apple acquired Lala for an undisclosed sum, which led to speculation that Apple would introduce over-the-air streaming at some point for its iTunes app and iTunes Store.
 
So they buy it just to shut it down 6 months later...? Huh?

Yeah, doesn't make much sense unless their goal was simply to get rid of competition. I certainly haven't seen them implement anything Lala did into itunes so it isn't like they bought them for a feature.
 
it's getting out of hand, someone needs to let the apple know just because your market share is low, doesn't mean you're exempt from anti competitive law suits.
 
To hell with Apple. I mean, I'm sure it's great for lala's creators to get a big pay day... but it sounds to me that Apple doing what it does best: Acquire the best technology then locking it down so no one else can innovate or improve.

Everyone who buys Apple products can go to hell. You're the reason this is happening.
 
lol. I want to say something good will come out of this for iTunes users but I doubt it. I fucking hate apple.
 
Yeah, doesn't make much sense unless their goal was simply to get rid of competition. I certainly haven't seen them implement anything Lala did into itunes so it isn't like they bought them for a feature.
It's being suggested that Apple's looking to implement the technology but hasn't secured a licensing go-ahead with labels. The suggestion is that labels are attempting to hold out for more favorable licensing terms (as usual) and Apple is apparently not budging. It's possible, I guess, that shutting down Lala in advance of their own iTunes streaming launch (if it even exists) might be an aim to disincentivize the hold-out.

I never liked Lala's service, but I do like the Lala streaming widget in Google search results. Going to miss that one.
 
I don't know why they don't just use this to make their tech better and more competitive. How does buying it and shutting it down make them more competitive? Doesn't this just open the door for someone else to do it now, once again taking away from what Apple could have had? I don't see how this helps Apple in the long term at all. Maybe in the short term, but this seems similar to Circuit City firing all their highest paid workers for a short terms saving.
 
I don't know why they don't just use this to make their tech better and more competitive. How does buying it and shutting it down make them more competitive? Doesn't this just open the door for someone else to do it now, once again taking away from what Apple could have had? I don't see how this helps Apple in the long term at all. Maybe in the short term, but this seems similar to Circuit City firing all their highest paid workers for a short terms saving.

There are a few things in play here. My take:

1) Apple owns the tech for a reason: they're going to implement it in their own way. This likely means it's going to end up in iTunes, on mobile devices in some form, and maybe even mobile.me.

2) The legal nightmare: LaLa was a small company with no clout running a geo-restricted service; Apple is a big company with some clout whose team has managed to pry the DRM out of music on the iTunes store--they will likely have luck here, too, in bringing this service to the rest of the countries Apple services are available in.

3) Ripping off the bandaid/creating demand: LaLa is popular, but not so popular that people will revolt at its disappearance. The sooner Apple disappears the service, the more demand there may be when they reinstate it in their own way.
 
There are a few things in play here. My take:

1) Apple owns the tech for a reason: they're going to implement it in their own way. This likely means it's going to end up in iTunes, on mobile devices in some form, and maybe even mobile.me.

2) The legal nightmare: LaLa was a small company with no clout running a geo-restricted service; Apple is a big company with some clout whose team has managed to pry the DRM out of music on the iTunes store--they will likely have luck here, too, in bringing this service to the rest of the countries Apple services are available in.

3) Ripping off the bandaid/creating demand: LaLa is popular, but not so popular that people will revolt at its disappearance. The sooner Apple disappears the service, the more demand there may be when they reinstate it in their own way.

Wow. That's a really sensible answer. Thanks!!
 
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