Features and restrictions ITunes Store

1 features , restrictions

1.1 pricing model

1.1.1 history
1.1.2 current model

1.1.2.1 music
1.1.2.2 tv shows
1.1.2.3 movies
1.1.2.4 apps




1.2 itunes store ios
1.3 customer support
1.4 charitable donations
1.5 music

1.5.1 album songs
1.5.2 partial albums
1.5.3 work songs
1.5.4 lp format
1.5.5 store sections

features , restrictions
pricing model
history

following introduction of itunes store, individual songs sold same price, though apple introduced multiple prices in 2007. music in store in advanced audio coding (aac) format, mpeg-4-specified successor mp3. originally, songs available drm , encoded @ 128 kbit/s. @ january 2009 macworld expo, apple announced itunes music made available without drm, , encoded @ higher-quality rate of 256 kbit/s. previously, model, known itunes plus , had been available music emi , independent labels. users can sample songs listening previews, ninety seconds in length, or thirty seconds short tracks.

in addition, itunes store offers apps, applications used various purposes (games, productivity, news, etc.) compatible ipod touch, iphone, , ipad, although apps iphone or ipad only. apps cost money (called paid apps ) , free (called free apps ). developers can decide prices want charge apps, pre-set list of pricing tiers, free several hundred dollars. when downloads app, 70 percent of purchase goes developer(s), , 30 percent goes apple.

at macworld 2008 keynote, steve jobs, apple s ceo @ time, announced itunes movie rentals. movies available rent in itunes store on same day released on dvd, though itunes store offers rental movies still in theaters. movie rentals viewable 24 hours (in us) or 48 hours (in other countries) after users begin viewing them. itunes store offers 1 low-priced movie rental week: in united states, rental costs 99 cents. movie rentals not yet available in countries available in united states, mexico, united kingdom, canada, australia , new zealand.

there weekly promotion in 1 3 songs available download free logged-in users. free downloads available on tuesdays, , remain free until following tuesday, when store gets refreshed new content. artists choose have select songs available no charge. not available @ itunes stores. itunes television programs have begun same technique encourage brand loyalty; although stay longer. in fact, itunes store has free tv episodes page free episodes organized length, either featurettes (shorter 15 minutes) or full length episodes (longer 15 minutes). free content can vary preview of show bonus content pilot episodes , entire seasons of tv shows (examples of free seasons include hbo s weight of nation , abc s pan-am). networks, such abc , nbc, have own pages of free season premieres .

while itunes store has offered many 3 free songs each week (the single of week, discovery download, , canción de la semana) in recent years, store has instead replaced 3 aforementioned categories unified single of week banner, week s single being new , coming artist. in 2015, apple discontinued single of week program.

current model
music

a song costs 99¢; however, songs high popularity, price raised $1.29. default, songs more 10 minutes considered album ; distributors have power make song album only. special offers, song prices can dropped 69¢ or free.
by default, music albums cost $9.99 or price of songs combined if less $9.99. however, music album s distributor can set higher price album (as long amount of dollars , 99 cents), happens on popular music albums. special offers, prices of music albums can dropped $5.99, $6.99, or $7.99.
on june 30, 2015 apple launched apple music subscription service, available in 110 countries. new subscribers offered three-month free trial ongoing subscriptions priced $9.99/month in , £9.99 in uk.

tv shows

by default, hd television episodes cost $2.99, while standard definition television episodes cost $1.99. however, distributors can make television episode season only.
a television season costs either amount of dollars (determined number of episodes , definition) , 99 cents number in 1 s place being 4, 7, or 9, or price of episodes combined.

movies

unpopular movies cost $7.99 buy in standard definition , $13.99 or $14.99 buy in hd. popular movies or new releases cost $13.99 or $14.99 buy in standard definition , $17.99 or $19.99 buy in hd.
unpopular movies cost $2.99 rent in standard definition , $3.99 rent in hd. popular movies cost $3.99 rent in standard definition , $4.99 rent in hd. recent releases, price increased $1.
movies available in 4k , hdr (either hdr10 or dolby vision hdr10 profile) cost same price hd, , automatically upgraded hd 4k , hdr @ no additional cost. movies can played in 4k , hdr on apple tv 4k hooked compatible display, , can played in hdr on iphone 8, iphone 8 plus, iphone x, 10.5 ipad pro, , 2nd gen 12.9 ipad pro running ios 11 or later.

apps

the price determined developer. price can either free or cost amount of dollars , 99 cents.

itunes store ios

itunes store allows users purchase , download items directly portable apple devices, such iphone, ipad, apple tv , ipod touch. apple offers 3 apps, each of provides access types of content.

the app store app sells apps ios, , provides updates these apps.
the itunes store app sells music , videos.
the ibooks app sells ebooks.

other, free content available itunes store can accessed 2 other ios apps:

the podcasts apps lets users download, subscribe , sync podcasts.
the itunes u app gives access itunes u educational material.

originally, mobile users had connected wi-fi network in order enter store, hence original name: itunes wi-fi music store. however, @ macworld 2009, apple issued software update automatically allowed 3g , edge users access store s full functionality files smaller 10 megabytes (mb). ios 3.0 update added ability download movies, tv shows, audiobooks, itunes u, , ringtones on mobile devices, in addition available songs , podcasts. on february 18, 2010, apple increased 10 mb 3g download limit 20 mb. in march 2012, apple increased 3g download limit 50 mb, and, in late 2013, apple increased limit 100 mb when released final version of ios 7 new iphones.

customer support

in united states, apple provides technical support itunes store via email, there no phone number issues itunes purchases. customer service inquiries handled online, via report problem link in itunes.

charitable donations

in response major natural disasters, apple provides facility donations made through itunes store. unlike other itunes purchases, donations made charitable organisations through system not subject 30% handling fee apple charges. itunes donation pages set following 2010 haiti earthquake, 2011 japanese earthquake , ensuing tsunami, , 2012 s hurricane sandy. in of these cases, donations redirected red cross.

music

the store began operations after apple signed deals 5 major record labels: emi, universal, warner, sony music entertainment, , bmg. songs more 2,000 independent labels added later, first being orchard on june 24, 2003.

as of 2017, itunes store offers more 43 million songs, including exclusive tracks numerous artists. not artists available on itunes, many holdouts, such led zeppelin , radiohead, have allowed music sold on itunes store in recent years. new songs added itunes catalog on daily basis, , itunes store updated each tuesday.

downloaded songs come song information (name, artist, album) filled out, though itunes provides free service gracenote songs not purchased store, although must imported itunes. songs have entry in itunes store come album artwork (artwork embedded in metadata). artwork can obtained songs not purchased store free if user has itunes store account. purchased songs not come lyrics, nor itunes provide service acquiring missing lyrics. however, several third-party applications exist locate , automatically add lyrics user s music.

album songs

some songs available store album , meaning song can acquired through purchase of entire album, whereas songs can downloaded separately album belong to.

songs above 10 minutes in length default album songs. however, not universally true; example, living in heart of beast henry cow 16 minutes , 18 seconds, yet available individual purchase of december 24, 2013.

soundtracks have many album tracks.

sometimes, 10-minute restriction works in artist s favor. examples of include prince s lovesexy , deluxe version of phoenix s bankrupt!, both have album single track instead of being separate, (in prince s case, track album, while in phoenix s case, collection of demos , outtakes) forcing buyer buy album itself.

movie soundtracks include songs owned many different labels, making licensing more complex. example, forrest gump: soundtrack includes songs peacock records, argo records & capitol records, among many others. greatest hits red hot chili peppers has 1 song, higher ground , not available download on per song basis, whilst circus (britney spears 2008 album) has 2 songs available album download only, rock me in , phonography.

partial albums

some albums area available store partial album , meaning albums cannot entirely purchased, 1 or more of tracks can purchased on physical cd version of them aren t included, e.g. possible due licensing issues.

work songs

some tracks listed work , means can obtained purchasing entire piece of work (within album); tracks cannot bought singles. works pieces of classical music: symphonies, string quartets, etc., in multiple movements.

lp format

in september 2009, apple introduced itunes lp format (known pre-launch code name cocktail ) features visual, interactive content alongside album tracks , lyrics.

store sections

when entering music store, there multiple sections 1 can visit. music divided genres (alternative, classical, jazz, soundtrack, etc.), , there number of links other sections of store under quick links header. these include recommended you, complete album, itunes lp, thematic sections, such itunes festival sections.

on november 1, 2006, apple created category latino , hispanic content, itunes latino . telemundo , mun2 made of popular programs available purchase, becoming first hispanic television content in store. offers music, music videos, audiobooks, podcasts , television shows in spanish in single concentrated area. brief descriptions given content in spanish several subcategories. gibraltarian flamenco metal band breed 77, released exclusive album called un encuentro coincide launch of itunes latino . features 11 songs, previous albums, sung in spanish.