iPhone Requires iTunes Subscription?

[HardOCP News]

Is it really a surprise that Apple is requiring an iTunes account to activate the iPhone?

Apple will require customers to establish a separate account with its online media service in addition to one with AT&T Wireless Services Inc., which has signed an exclusive U.S. distribution deal for the iPhone.

 

[amdfan25]

Not that surprised. Sounds like a hidden requirement just like the Ipods. Itunes? No thanks

 

[GJSNeptune]

Sounds like a hidden requirement just like the Ipods.

Follow me to enlightenment. iTunes is not necessary for iPods.

 

[k1pp3r]

Follow me to enlightenment. iTunes is not necessary for iPods.

For the brainwashed public it is.

 

[CopyCat]

For the brainwashed public it is.

exactemundo. most people don't realize you can sync and upload music to an iPod without iTunes

 

[Ockie]

I dont see this as a surprise.

Except with the Iphone, I don't think it would be possible to load up your own songs, I could be wrong.

 

[AOM]

Honestly, it's an overpriced phone that is an avg handset/phone ....decent music player I'm sure. I won't own one but then I don't own an ipod either b/c in dash dvd/mp3 player in my car sounds great ...4.7gigs worth of music on one disc if I wish is more than I'll ever need.

I'm also not going to be listening to music on my phone, but that's just me and for music on the go, we'll I love music but if I'm joggin/working out or w/e I'm usually with a friend so I don't need music for entertainment.

It also doesn't suprise me that they require you to signup for ITUNE's, just another way for them to screw you over besides the initial price of the phone.

 

[Iratus]

See if only they had market share then we could all scream monopoly.

The iPhone is just the same as all the other Hardware Apple use.

An attractive package around something that many other manufacturers have produced for years and for far less money. European and Japanese handsets (and the very latest American ones) have all the features of the iPhone, they just lack the Flash GUI, and that's coming.

All phones live or die on the size of their subsidy and whilst (working for a mobile phone company) I'd like Apple to prove that people are prepared to pay $600 for a phone I just don't believe it will happen for anyone but the Zealots.

It's like the huge market furore regarding the HTC or Blackberry phones. They spend a fortune on Advertising, but look how many they actually sell in the worldwide market.

 

[knight3058]

And I'll bet this is one of the reasons that Verizon turned them down.

 

[LeTUOtter]

It also doesn't suprise me that they require you to signup for ITUNE's (sic), just another way for them to screw you over besides the initial price of the phone.

How the heck is it a way for them to screw you over? It just requires an account for activation. It doesn't require you to do anything else with it. There's no forced purchase, and heck, maybe Apple will give a free $20 or something for purchasing an iPhone. Win-win.

Personally, I LIKE buying my music from there, especially now that it's DRM free (not that it was a big issue before, as my music doesn't get shared). It looks good, has a selection of stuff I want to hear, is better priced than any actual physical music, and is well laid out. I intentionally avoid the foreign sites just because of the dubious legal nature of their music (from american standards, of course).

 

[RadCliffeX]

And I'll bet this is one of the reasons that Verizon turned them down.

Kinda hinders their Vcast service or what ever its called.

 

[ghostchamber]

Can someone explain to me why iTunes is so horrible? I've been using it for years, even before I got my iPod. I've never had a problem with it. It plays music, which is precisely what I want it to do.