RUMOR: iTunes Music Store changing its name to iLife?
Posted by Lab Rat
Take this one with a BAG of salt. We have received 2 anonymous e-mails saying that Apple will be changing the name of the iTunes music store in the near future, quite possibly even at the February 28th event. While both sources claim the reason for the change is Apple’s continuing diversification away from just music, one of the e-mails actually claimed to know what the store’s name would be changed to. Are you sitting down?
The iLife Store.
“But that name’s already taken!� I hear you shout.
Quite right. But the same e-mail claims the iLife bundle of products will also undergo a name change as well, to none other than “iLife Studio�.
Now, we have a long and impressive history of being jerked around by anonymous e-mails, so we do not necessarily give any credit to these reports. However, it DOES make sense that with Apple’s move into downloadable videos, and the rumored introduction of feature films, the “iTunes Music Store� starts sounding a bit odd. Even Blockbuster Video has dropped the “video� from its name now that it is more about DVDs and music.
But the question is, would Apple risk changing the name of the world’s most popular and recognizable online media download service? Probably not. Would it use an event claiming to introduce “fun new products� to announce such a major change? Almost definitely not. We’re guessing if anything they will just call the store the “iTunes Store�, and drop the “music� part, even though the “tunes� in iTunes still connotes a music-only experience. Or perhaps when loading iTunes you will be presented with the iTunes Music Store on one side, and the iTunes Video store on the other, as separate entities. Who knows. In any case, we feel a name change would not occur until Apple is ready to announce full length feature films on iTunes, and we don’t think that will be part of the February 28th announcement.
The idea of the “iLife Store� just sounds bad to us. It isn’t really a dynamic name. While we can see how the evolving iTunes Store will in fact deliver professional versions of all the types of media that iLife allows consumers to create, we doubt we will see an iLife Studio tie-in.
So while we would not be surprised to see some sort of name change, or at least a clearer division between the 2 stores, we are not holding our breath for the iLife Store. Just throwing it out there on the trillion-to-one chance it has any basis in reality.
I don’t think that “iLife Store” has a bad ring to it except that it sounds like a store that sells only Apple’s iLife software bundle. It would be like calling something the iMac Store or the iPod Store. How about Apple Media Store?
It sounds dumb to me, too. Almost as dumb as “Macbook Pro”. But not quite.
Well, Bill, there WERE rumors that Apple would port all of iLife to Windows.
Should be easier tnow that it is on Intel, although I persoanlly think that would be suicide.
Although, Apple could use some of that cash flow from the Windows world…
Maybe make the transition from a hardware only company to a hardware and software company.
Everyone is obsessed with digital photos and video these days, not just Mac users.
Lots of money to be made if they could get it working smoothly on Windows.
Just not a lot of incentive to keep buying Macs…
Just keep the acronym as the iTMS, except now for the “iTunes Media store”.
I think to non-Apple buffs, the name “iLife” doesn’t neccesarily have the established connotation of being Apple’s bundle of consumer media creation software. “iLife” obviously has the capacity for a broader meaning, and I’m sure Apple, or Jobs more specifically, has every intent of going with that capacity. Changing to the iLife Store has the potential to give it that meaning, especially considering that the change really only affects a few title banners in the store itself, and the name of it’s item in your iTunes sidebar.
Maybe I’m giving people too much credit, but if it one day says “iLife Store” instead of “Music Store”.
Honestly, iTunes Media Store seems like a no brainer change regardless. “Media Store” on the sidebar instead of “Music Store.”
EDIT~ Maybe I’m giving people too much credit, but I don’t think it’s too confusing to the average person if it one day says “iLife Store” instead of “Music Store.”