October 31, 2005: Lower than three weeks after launching video downloads with iTunes 6, Apple reveals that it has already offered greater than 1 million music movies.
Apple’s dive into the net digital video market — with 2,000 music movies, Pixar quick movies and a choice of hit TV exhibits for $1.99 — seems just like the logical subsequent step after promoting particular person songs on iTunes. Passing the 1 million obtain benchmark so shortly suggests the plan is a roaring success.
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iTunes video: A logical step
As with a lot of what Apple has performed through the years, the transfer to begin promoting TV exhibits and different video content material got here on the excellent time. YouTube was nonetheless in its infancy (therefore folks really paid cash for music movies). Nevertheless, elevated high-speed web penetration lastly made video streaming potential for unusual customers.
I obtained my first broadband connection round this time. Beforehand, something greater than downloading a brief video clip proved completely unfeasible. Getting broadband was like being blasted into the long run.
Apple’s lengthy embrace of video
Apple has a protracted historical past of letting customers watch movies on their machines. Way back to the Nineteen Eighties, Apple experimented with demos, like Steve Perlman’s QuickScan, that allowed video playback to run on a Mac. In 1991, Mac customers grew to become in a position to make use of QuickTime, which served because the standardized video software for pc customers for a very long time.
By 2005, Apple was working towards a future by which it could produce cellular units capable of help video. This was essential if downloading music movies and different materials was going to stay as much as its potential — simply because the iPod had been key to iTunes music downloads.
iPod Basic with video
In October 2005, Apple launched the fifth-gen iPod Basic, with a larger-than-ever display. This launched video playback to the music participant for the primary time. In accordance with the biography Changing into Steve Jobs, the Apple chief pitched new Disney CEO Bob Iger on the concept of opening up his exhibits to digital distribution by displaying him the brand new video iPod.
“Would you take into account placing your TV exhibits on this?” Jobs requested. Iger answered within the affirmative with out lacking a beat.
Finally, Apple secured offers to promote downloads of hit sneakers like Determined Housewives, Misplaced and Gray’s Anatomy. The music video choices merged this new deal with video with Apple’s current offers with document labels. Movies by artists like Michael Jackson, Fatboy Slim and Kanye West helped push iTunes previous the 1 million downloads mark.
All about context
Right this moment, when high YouTubers and Tiktokers rating tens of millions of views inside days, and music movies hit the “Billion View Membership” quicker than ever, the concept that Apple would put out a press launch to crow about notching 1 million music video downloads appears astonishingly quaint. Nevertheless, on the time it was massive information. This early success additionally laid the inspiration for Apple increasing into an entire new space of enterprise.
Right here within the 2020s, Apple goes past merely distributing video. With Apple TV+, the corporate is now producing its personal TV exhibits and flicks. The streaming service encompasses a plethora of exhibits commissioned by Cupertino, all for $4.99 a month. Whether or not Apple TV+ finally turns into a Netflix beater or not, it began for Apple again in 2005.
Do you keep in mind the primary music video or TV present you downloaded utilizing iTunes? Depart your feedback beneath.
