The iTunes Music Store was announce by Steve Jobs 20 - years ago today , on April 28 2003 , change the facial expression of the way we consume music forever .
The launch of the digital music store as part ofiTunes 4was design to synchronise purchases utterly with theiPodmusic player , enabling call to be bought for just 99 cents each .
Previously , most iPod user had been filling up their MP3 players by burning their CD collection onto their computer ’s toilsome drive , or by downloading songs illegally through peer - to - equal file communion sites .
The store arrive with 200,000 songs which could be purchased severally or part of an album or digest . That permutation switch the image somewhat as antecedently song that were n’t released as CD one were only available on the record album .
Apple also offer a 30 - second preview of all strain and , after the leverage , the ability to incinerate outright compact disc , use the music in iMovie and iPhoto and synchronise the call to an unlimited number of iPods .
The store was lurch as a well-chosen center ground between embracing the digital music revolution and compensating artists while attempting to make piracy less attractive to MP3 player owners .
“ The iTunes Music Store bid the revolutionary rights to burn an straight-out number of CDs for personal utilization and to put medicine on an inexhaustible number of iPods for on - the - go hearing , ” said the belated Steve Jobs , then Apple ’s chief executive officer , in apress spill . “ Consumers do n’t want to be treated like outlaw and artists do n’t want their valuable work stolen . The iTunes Music Store offers a groundbreaking solution for both . ”
Initially , Apple launched the store for Mac computer only with Windows users earn access six month subsequently in October 2023 . Apple said the files matched CD - timbre with its AAC audio formatting at 128 kb per instant , while also offering ranking tone to MP3 files of the same size .
The iTunes Music Store set up with 200,000 songs and was the precursor to the Apple Music streaming divine service ( of course viaSpotify ) which now has access code to over 100 million songs for an all - you - can consume £ 10.99 a month with lossless and spatial audio available . We ’ve come a long style … and vinyl radical is more democratic than ever .
