Comes With More of the Same?
I’m glad that Olly decided to put his thoughts with regards to Comes With Music down on [virtual] paper. In my eyes, this is a service that could have so much potential if done properly but from what we’re seeing and reading, it’s just more of the same. We had this conversation quite some time ago and Olly had some great ideas with regards to how Nokia might create a music offering worth exploring.
Every web browser is capable of streaming music / downloading files and every S60 device is capable of doing the same. Why not put purchased music in a “digital locker” that I can access from anywhere? Not physically of course, merely designate tracks I purchase in a database and make them accessible to me. Allow me to make online playlists and recommend artists / tracks to me based not only on my purchase history but also my play history. Allow me to stream my purchases whenever I want, wherever I want. Allow me to download my purchases whenever I want, wherever I want. The technology is here now.
Instead, Nokia seems to be assembling what will become ‘just another music store’ with the addition of free downloads for a year. While “free downloads for a year” sounds attractive on the surface, I can already listen to free music from a million different places - legally even. Muxtape, Last.fm, Pandora, Songza, SkreemR, iMEEM, SeeqPod and so on and so forth. Some people might get lured in by free unlimited downloads for a year though, despite the fact that I won’t. Once they’re in however, what is going to keep them there? Nokia cannot and should not try to compete with iTunes. If that’s the game plan Nokia may as well throw in the towel right now. Nokia needs to build a new and exciting ALTERNATIVE to iTunes; a product that introduces new and exciting technology in a well-built and attractive web app accessible from any computer or handset in the world.
Nokia is trying to be an “Internet Company” but lack of innovation is going to be a huge roadblock. Share on Ovi? Why not Flickr or any one of a thousand other services? Files on Ovi? Been there, done that. Nokia’s position is perfect on one level - become an Internet Company and use the hundreds of millions of handsets you sell to hock your wares. The truth of the matter however, is that this very fact will make or break Nokia. Use your great position to pitch products that are “more of the same” and you’re doomed. Innovate, and the world is your oyster.
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central point of Olly's (which fostered my) argument is that Nokia's
music offering is seemingly intended to be a focal point of its
product line. Tons of time and tons of money are going into this
offering. If we step back for a moment, it seems insane that a product
of this size would be assembled and launched without any sort of real
innovation...
Yes, there is some business innovation in terms of getting major
labels on board with a year of unlimited downloads - but where is the
technology to compliment this feat? Why would I continue to use the
product once my free download period has come to an end? Why would I
even start downloading free music when I know that it will be
unavailable to me a year later when I ditch it due to lack of a new,
appealing and useful feature set?
Therein lies the problem.
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Yea innovation brings about attraction and hype but what if the new concepts nokia implement in the music store actually inturn cause a down fall and as you said that alot of money is being pushed into this project maybe nokia just wanna get into the game first and become known to the people so their going with what people are used too, which is something like itunes i'd say thats a pretty safe move and once they are settled than they could start to add the new innovated features, nokia to me seem like they would take a blow to themselfs to try and provide more to the uers...i mean the N78 is more expensive than the N82? surely both the phones are effecting each others sales and look at symbian, nokia did take a plung when they decided to make smartphones and now look how far they have brought symbian...i'd say really far and i think their gonna take the whole thing over too
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the people so their going with what people are used too, which is
something like itunes i'd say thats a pretty safe move and once they
are settled than they could start to add the new innovated
features..."
Unfortunately this concept is impossible. Firstly, first impressions
mean everything. If people are welcomed to the service and greeted by
the same old music store, that will be their impression. Those who
leave are unlikely to be wooed back in the future when there are so
many other solid options out there. Second, the technology and work
behind creating something like this is massive. There's is no way that
they could introduce something and then completely revamp its core.
This is one of those "only time will tell" situations but like we
said, nothing that we've seen to this point is evidence of any kind of
differentiating technology that might make this service a threat.
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