Friday, April 27, 2007

Apple Notifies Partners: DRM-free Music and DRM-free Music Videos Soon. Yesterday, Apple sent out short notices to their iTunes partners who provide the music content to the iTunes store. The notices let partners know that they would soon be able to offer DRM-free music and DRM-free music videos to customers through iTunes. [Digg / Technology] comment []10:29:49 PM

New scheme could boost online music services in Europe. (InfoWorld) - Providers of online music services in Europe should benefit from a new one-stop licensing system aimed at simplifying the complex process of obtaining music distribution rights across the continent. The cross-border licensing scheme, announced Friday by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, will allow companies providing online music services to obtain a license for a wide range of music in all participating regions from a single collecting society. Presently, online music providers, including mobile phone operators and Internet companies, must deal separately with collecting societies in each country or approach record companies directly -- an option they will still have under the new scheme. The music licensing business in Europe has been "a mess" because of the complexity of dealing with numerous groups to acquire online music rights in each country, said Bruce Gibson, a senior analyst at Juniper Research. "Anything that can transcend borders and make the licensing process easier and faster is going to be a stimulus to the market," Gibson said. To be successful the new scheme will require support from collecting agencies. The IFPI said it expected more than 40 collecting societies to sign up. The cross-border effort is in line with a recommendation from the European Commission that urges rights holders to streamline the licensing of online music rights, the IFPI said. By John_Blau@idg.com (John Blau). [InfoWorld: Top News] comment []5:38:43 PM

Acer passes Lenovo in Q1, next up: Dell. (InfoWorld) - Acer achieved its top goal for 2007 early in the year, passing Lenovo Group as the world's third largest PC vendor in the first quarter. For the rest of the year it plans to extend its lead over Lenovo, executives said Friday, putting it in position to challenge Dell. Moving ahead of Lenovo is more than a sales victory. It's also a vindication for Acer that its strategy of increasing sales through working with distributors and other partners in key markets is superior to Lenovo's acquisition strategy. Lenovo has not managed to grow faster than its rivals since it bought IBM's PC division. "We believe we can maintain the number-three position this year," said Gianfranco Lanci, Acer's president, at the company's first quarter investors' conference on Friday in Taipei. He expects to extend the lead over Lenovo as the year progresses. Acer's share of the global PC market rose to 6.8 percent in the first quarter, up a blistering 46.1 percent over the same three months last year, according to figures from market research company Gartner. Lenovo's share was 6.3 percent, putting it in fourth place. Dell didn't turn in a stellar performance, either. Its market share dropped to 13.9 percent from 16.4 percent in the same quarter a year ago as unit sales declined 7.8 percent, cementing it in second place overall. Acer executives also reiterated a prediction to increase PC shipments by 30 percent to 40 percent year-on-year in 2007. If the company can keep up its rapid growth, and Dell fails to rekindle its sales, Acer will move into its rearview mirror before long. "We don't have a target date to challenge number two, it's still far off," said J.T. Wang, Acer's chairman. But he also said Acer will continue to put a major focus on expanding in the U.S. market, home to Dell and Acer's other main competitor, Hewlett-Packard. U.S. users will continue to see good prices from Acer, he said, and Acer will continue to keep prices low in order to take market share in the U.S. Acer's revenue rose 20 percent year-over-year in the first quarter to NT$99.5 billion (US$3.01 billion as of March 31, the end of the three month period being reported). Net profit increased to NT$5.66 billion from NT$4.02 billion a year earlier. Executives credited strong sales of its laptop PCs in the U.S., Europe, and Asia for most of the gains, and said they are trying to increase sales of desktop PCs. Notebooks accounted for 62 percent of Acer's revenue in the first quarter, while desktops were only 17 percent.   By Dan_Nystedt@idg.com (Dan Nystedt). [InfoWorld: Top News] comment []3:49:25 PM

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