Apple Negotiating With Majors For New iPhone Features
According to several label executives, Apple is currently embroiled in deep negotiations with all of the major music labels to expand on the offerings currently available for the iPhone.
The dealmaking is heated and Apple apparently would love to have at least a couple of contracts signed before the company’s Worldwide Developer Conference in June when the next gen iPhone will reportedly make its debut.
The New York Times, who picked up on this developing story, cited anonymous label executives who confirmed that Apple is looking to expand its inventory of available ringtones, begin offering ringback tones, and start selling tracks from the iTunes store over the cellular broadband network.
On sticking point reportedly is the labels arguing that they should be paid more for over-the-air downloads than for a standard purchase made over the internet. Why? Apple probably can’t see the reasoning either aside from the fact that other unsophisticated carriers have acquiesced to that arrangement. Although, we’re sure Apple would like to make short shrift of the negotiations, they certainly won’t bend over backwards to the major label’s demands. Even though one label executive stated to the Times: “They want a big launch in June.”
