Is being tied to apples ecosystem for content a potential liability?

RavenSword

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So, I think I pretty much decided that I'm going back to ios when I'm able to. I just like the solid news and the ecosystem more I think.

However, I'm beginning to wonder if being tied to that ecosystem and going further and further down the rabbit hole with buying our TV shows, movies, and content through iTunes, could potentially bite us in the *** one day if we ever wanted to use something not made by Apple?

I'll use the example of movies and TV shows. Honestly, I'm not sure if I'll continue to buy any video content through iTunes because of its DRM to only apple hardware. In contrast, if I buy my movies and TV shows through amazon's digital download, I atheist have the piece if mind that most everything has a amazon video app. The only thing that can play my iTunes video content are apple devices, and who knows if we're going to use apple stuff forever.

Does anyone else worry about investing deeper into apples closed ecosystem for fear of what might happen in the future?
 

mayconvert

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I'm not too concerned about it. even if I gave up my mac and went PC, itunes is ready for me there.
Even if I gave up on iPhone and went android (which I did for a month with the LG OGP and S4) Kies sync'd my itunes perfectly, as well as pics using a Mac.
I can alway just keep an apple tv laying around even if I had no other apple product in the house.
My brother is into buying Blue ray discs. He likes physical copies. I prefer digital, so I kick in a few bucks and he buys the BR with the digital copy and we are both happy. :)
Even when I upgrade to a new 4K TV in the future, it will be compatible with a PC (if not mac also) and again, iTunes is there for me.
No worries for me.

PS. some blog somewhere put apples cash horde in perspective for me. It said that apple could spend a million $ per day for the next like 30 years and wouldn't run out of money. Apple isn't going anywhere anytime soon. I will be so old by then I won't be able to remember my passwords to anything anyways.
 

anon(4698833)

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The "liability" is nullified by software that can convert the file types into generally playable files and also by hardware that can be purchased which can play the files DL'ed by iTunes natively (IE: Western Digital Live TV +). You are certainly limiting yourself by purchasing media content within iTunes, but I would hope a person considers this before going in...I personally never buy video media through iTunes, I'll either download it in format that is more generally usable or I will be the hard disc (DVD, Blu-Ray, etc). When it comes to music though, 100% of the time I play music in my life, I'm using a product that functions with iTunes (iPhone, iPod, iPad, Macbook, etc)...so music is a little different, and even in that case, conversion is still possible, so it eliminates the idea of being "stuck", since there is a way out.

In the end, you're never 100% stuck...so to answer the thread's posed question, no, being tied to Apple's ecosystem is not a liability when it comes to content. It all depends on what steps you're willing to take to have access in a more broad sense. I'm a lover of convenience...I don't want to spend an hour converting a movie from iTunes into a normal file when i can just download it in other places in a more standard format and IF I need it in iTunes for whatever reason, I can then put it there (which never happens, but the option is there).
 
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Just_Me_D

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...(snipped0...

In the end, you're never 100% stuck...so to answer the thread's posed question, no, being tied to Apple's ecosystem is not a liability when it comes to content. It all depends on what steps you're willing to take to have access in a more broad sense. I'm a lover of convenience...I don't want to spend an hour converting a movie from iTunes into a normal file when i can just download it in other places in a more standard format and IF I need it in iTunes for whatever reason, I can then put it there (which never happens, but the option is there).

​'nuf said...:)
 

Fausty82

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The "liability" is nullified by software that can convert the file types into generally playable files and also by hardware that can be purchased which can play the files DL'ed by iTunes natively (IE: Western Digital Live TV +). You are certainly limiting yourself by purchasing media content within iTunes, but I would hope a person considers this before going in...I personally never buy video media through iTunes, I'll either download it in format that is more generally usable or I will be the hard disc (DVD, Blu-Ray, etc). When it comes to music though, 100% of the time I play music in my life, I'm using a product that functions with iTunes (iPhone, iPod, iPad, Macbook, etc)...so music is a little different, and even in that case, conversion is still possible, so it eliminates the idea of being "stuck", since there is a way out.

In the end, you're never 100% stuck...so to answer the thread's posed question, no, being tied to Apple's ecosystem is not a liability when it comes to content. It all depends on what steps you're willing to take to have access in a more broad sense. I'm a lover of convenience...I don't want to spend an hour converting a movie from iTunes into a normal file when i can just download it in other places in a more standard format and IF I need it in iTunes for whatever reason, I can then put it there (which never happens, but the option is there).

There are ways of converting Apple's DRM-laced video to non-DRM versions. It is a federal offense to do so (DMCA violation), but it CAN be done. With that said, though, it’s easier to just purchase it from a different source that is NOT DRMed and convert it for playback on Apple devices.
 

sting7k

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So, I think I pretty much decided that I'm going back to ios when I'm able to. I just like the solid news and the ecosystem more I think.

However, I'm beginning to wonder if being tied to that ecosystem and going further and further down the rabbit hole with buying our TV shows, movies, and content through iTunes, could potentially bite us in the *** one day if we ever wanted to use something not made by Apple?

I'll use the example of movies and TV shows. Honestly, I'm not sure if I'll continue to buy any video content through iTunes because of its DRM to only apple hardware. In contrast, if I buy my movies and TV shows through amazon's digital download, I atheist have the piece if mind that most everything has a amazon video app. The only thing that can play my iTunes video content are apple devices, and who knows if we're going to use apple stuff forever.

Does anyone else worry about investing deeper into apples closed ecosystem for fear of what might happen in the future?

This is exactly the reason I do not buy anything other than music from iTunes (and if I do it's only because it wasn't cheaper on AmazonMP3). Just because you use iOS doesn't mean you have to be tied to Apple's ecosystem. There are plenty of other media options out there and you can continue to use iOS.

If you want flexible video options you should stick with streaming, buying discs, or getting video from some where else without DRM and converting it. Personally I don't enjoy watching video on a tiny screen so this isn't that big of a deal for me. But I too share your concerns.
 

Daniel Ratcliffe

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You know, this is a similar issue as to with being tied to Microsoft's ecosystem for content. I unfortunately have made that error (no videos or books though, I use YouTube to watch videos as the stuff I prefer to watch won't be available anywhere else except maybe Vimeo, and I use Amazon for my books), and yes, it limits me. The Music Pass for example, has me locked into Windows Phone. Even if I wanted to switch to another OS, I couldn't because I've locked myself in with Xbox Music (the music pass downloads are DRM'd in a format that means that only a WP/Xbox/Zune/Win8 PC can play them). Indeed, the same problem slapped me in the face when I was offered a straight trade of my faulty Lumia 920 for a fully working HTC One. I had to decline because of my service choices. Similarly, had I been tied into Apple's ecosystem I would have had the same fate, only this time because of iPhone not WP.
 

John24815

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The "liability" is nullified by software that can convert the file types into generally playable files and also by hardware that can be purchased which can play the files DL'ed by iTunes natively (IE: Western Digital Live TV +). You are certainly limiting yourself by purchasing media content within iTunes, but I would hope a person considers this before going in...I personally never buy video media through iTunes, I'll either download it in format that is more generally usable or I will be the hard disc (DVD, Blu-Ray, etc). When it comes to music though, 100% of the time I play music in my life, I'm using a product that functions with iTunes (iPhone, iPod, iPad, Macbook, etc)...so music is a little different, and even in that case, conversion is still possible, so it eliminates the idea of being "stuck", since there is a way out.

In the end, you're never 100% stuck...so to answer the thread's posed question, no, being tied to Apple's ecosystem is not a liability when it comes to content. It all depends on what steps you're willing to take to have access in a more broad sense. I'm a lover of convenience...I don't want to spend an hour converting a movie from iTunes into a normal file when i can just download it in other places in a more standard format and IF I need it in iTunes for whatever reason, I can then put it there (which never happens, but the option is there).


Excellent point.. could not agree more
 

jclisenby

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Doesn't matter to me. I'm more than happy with what Apple offers and ill be here for years to come.


Tappin and Talkin from my iPhone 5
 

BreakingKayfabe

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I don't find it a liability because of reasons already given here. I just
like the convenience of purchasing video content through iTunes and
not having to worry about converting it on my computer and loading it
on my non-Apple device, let alone the DRM-free software. Apple hooked
me with the convenience. I buy the season pass to 'The Walking Dead',
'Breaking Bad', 'Mad Men', etc. and I can just download it on any of my
Apple devices or just stream it on my Apple TV without ever having to
mix in a computer and do all this converting. THAT is where these guys
got me.
 

impaler

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Sometimes that concerns me. I know when I used to experiment with Android devices, I was immediately locked out from some content. But I'm so firmly entrenched at this point, that I've grown comfortable in being all Apple products at home. I also quit buying TV shows, as with Netflix, Hulu+ and other streaming services, I can see the shows without owning them forever. I want to own some movies, but not many. I realized how dumb it was to buy TV shows - at least for my viewing habits. I generally don't watch a TV series more than once - and if I want to catch up, I can stream it or even rent it from a Blockbuster or something (yes, we still have a few around town).
 

RavenSword

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I just hope that I'm always satisfied with apple devices. I hope apple doesn't lose it one day and we don't like the products anymore.
 

morecolin

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Hi guys,
I'm at the moment with the same dilemma: should I get into the Apple ecosystem.
I don't worry too much about the TV stuff but what about:
  • contacts
  • calendars
  • iPhoto library (tags, albums, people, etc)
  • folders and files with colors or tags (I think there were some OS X versions where something change about it ?)
Would love to hear your feedback :)
 

qbnkelt

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Mar 17, 2012
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So, I think I pretty much decided that I'm going back to ios when I'm able to. I just like the solid news and the ecosystem more I think.

However, I'm beginning to wonder if being tied to that ecosystem and going further and further down the rabbit hole with buying our TV shows, movies, and content through iTunes, could potentially bite us in the *** one day if we ever wanted to use something not made by Apple?

I'll use the example of movies and TV shows. Honestly, I'm not sure if I'll continue to buy any video content through iTunes because of its DRM to only apple hardware. In contrast, if I buy my movies and TV shows through amazon's digital download, I atheist have the piece if mind that most everything has a amazon video app. The only thing that can play my iTunes video content are apple devices, and who knows if we're going to use apple stuff forever.

Does anyone else worry about investing deeper into apples closed ecosystem for fear of what might happen in the future?

No.

And if Apple totally missed the mark with their products that I use, I would go elsewhere. But history tells me that their OS and ecosystem works best for me out of the five platforms I've used.

So....I'm not concerned at all.
 

qbnkelt

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Mar 17, 2012
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I don't find it a liability because of reasons already given here. I just
like the convenience of purchasing video content through iTunes and
not having to worry about converting it on my computer and loading it
on my non-Apple device, let alone the DRM-free software. Apple hooked
me with the convenience. I buy the season pass to 'The Walking Dead',
'Breaking Bad', 'Mad Men', etc. and I can just download it on any of my
Apple devices or just stream it on my Apple TV without ever having to
mix in a computer and do all this converting. THAT is where these guys
got me.

I'm more concerned about life after The Walking Dead than I am about potential problems with Apple's products and ecosystem,
 

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