By Matthew Dziak / Sports Editor
By Matthew Dziak / Sports Editor
iPods, iPhones, iTunes, masterfully distributed by Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple, are now involved in a class action lawsuit.
Apple products have shaped a culture consumed by convenient handheld technology.
To students, these devices are the best thing since sliced bread, but are there any alternatives to get music cheaper than what iTunes charges?
Most songs are only a dollar, which seems reasonable, but when an iPod can hold ten thousand songs, is Apple expecting us to pay thousands dollars for their music? The answer is yes.
This is capitalism; this is what has come from the freedom to create a business.
A monopoly like Apple can create a conglomerate that will have more influence over youth then those who have a meaningful message for young people. Music is one of the most influential tools ever created.
It can start the party, help subside the pain of a breakup, or be the only tool to decipher that overbearing textbook.
Most students have an iPod, iPhone or start homework off with a playlist from iTunes.
Jobs will face questioning from attorneys whose clients feel that Apple is creating an unjust monopoly on the music downloading industry. This is leaving the consumers, mostly students, at a disadvantage and the inability to find affordable yet convenient music files.
The is a legitimate case made against Apple Inc. because their 70 percent control over the market is not ideal for consumers or other entrepreneurs.
Many are willing to pay for the simplicity and sophistication of the Apple products, but not for the iTunes downloads.
There should be more alternatives to buying music than simply iTunes, which can still be used on Apple products without the need to convert, format, reformat, and upload.
One alternative is Rhapsody, an online music library that charges a nominal monthly fee for their service.
However, Rhapsody files need a program to convert them into iTunes format.
But Rhapsody has yet to narrow this gap and many consumers are not willing to pay the monthly fee and still have to hassle with converting files.
Apple’s innovation has created devices that as students, we cannot function without.
Texting in class, listening to music while walking to the next one, and talking on the phone have become the most important thing to many students.
Many shut themselves off from the general public and create a bubble to live within.
These devices were created to allow students to network, enjoy communicating with others, and uniting.
Instead they leave many students divided, consumed with their thoughts of boredom, loneliness, regret, or the simple pursuit of happiness.
In these trying times, the consumers, specifically budget conscious students, need every chance to save money.
With the potential success of the lawsuit, the music industry and their distributors are on the verge of creating the “Netflix” of music.