As the networks switch to other web sites and Amazon starts a serious music competitor to iTunes, Apple may have started to loose market share.
Wired has an article that makes a number of cases that the networks may not be off track after all.
“… NBC is finding that it has leverage in its negotiations with Apple, giving it the freedom to explore other outlets for online video. That’s a big difference from the music industry, where iTunes wields an enormous amount of clout because it dominates online distribution so completely. …”
“… In the meantime, NBC aims to expand its video on the web with two new free-content sites that circumvent iTunes altogether. “
1) NBC Direct, initially only for Windows PCs with the files expiring ay days after the original broadcast.
2) Hulu, a joint venture streaming episodes from NBC, Fox, and others and will be feed to AOL, Comcast, MSN, MySpace and Yahoo.
Meanwhile, CBS is also looking at partnering wit several others including AOL, Joost, Sling Media, YouTube, MSNBC and Bebo.
“ABC also cut a deal earlier this month with AOL to stream its programs.
I would say that Apple needs to start making deals if AppleTV is ever going to be a viable business.
Read the full article here.
