I'm always amazed by Apple's ability to release high-end versions of products that already exist and then market them as revolutionary. This month, the big news was the iPad, which is neither the first tablet computer, nor all that different from the iPhone except for its size. Nonetheless, Apple addicts have hailed it as a groundbreaking technological innovation. With the release of the iPad, the music industry is taking steps in order to take advantage of this new platform.
In a March survey conducted by the marketing research company comScore on intended iPad usage, 38 percent of the 2,176 Internet users questioned chose listening to music as one of the top two activities for which they would use the iPad. Overall, listening to music came in third, after browsing the Internet and e-mail.
Some companies Apple included are seeking to revive traditional music experiences with the iPad. With the September 2009 introduction of the iTunes LP format, Apple made the first move towards bringing the physical experience of music albums including liner notes and album art, which listeners often miss out on when only purchasing digital singles online to the digital world. According to some, the iPad's debut represents a chance for the iTunes LP format to take hold something Apple failed to do with only smaller consoles.
"It's going to be interesting to see if [the iTunes LP] can bring that space to life," Sony Music vice president of global account management Sean Rosenberg told Reuters. "Now that they have a device that's better suited for the experience, there is a renewed focus on it. It's been a big part of conversation for major artist releases. It's definitely on the agenda now."
Aside from Apple's own measures, third-party businesses are looking to profit from the release of the iPad.
Ustream, which streams live music online and also can sync with mobile devices, enabled iPad owners to stream Bon Jovi's recent sold-out show in Dallas, Texas, making it the first live concert available on the iPad. Through the services provided by Ustream and the portability of the iPad, users will have access to live performances wherever they go.
"Mobile products like the iPhone and iPad solve a fundamental challenge for live events, which is being able to reach everyone when the show starts," Ustream founder John Ham told Wired.com. "Some people aren't in front of their computers or TVs when a live event starts, and mobile products allow Ustream to syndicate the content to the device that is with them all the time."
Music labels are also working on reshaping how listeners relate to music. With the larger screen, impressive graphics and multi-touch capabilities of the iPad, the new device is also becoming a new gaming platform, bringing the already converging fields of music and games even closer together.
"The iPad is going to broadly redefine home entertainment," Jeff Smith, CEO of Smule, the company responsible for the popular iPhone app "I Am T-Pain," told Reuters. "What we're seeing is the impact of two trends gaming and social. So the opportunity as it relates to music is to have a shift in thinking in how you interact with music. What Guitar Hero' started will accelerate with the iPad."
Linkin Park's new iPhone game "8-Bit Rebellion" has been in the works for the past year. The action game, which was largely designed by Linkin Park and features its music as the game's soundtrack, allows players to fight enemies alongside members of the alt-rock band. An iPad version of the game is also in the works. Record labels anticipate that apps like "8-Bit Rebellion" and other paid apps tailored to specific artists and their fan bases will be great opportunities for labels to make their way into the app market.
While I don't think the iPad has broken any barriers yet, it has finally awoken the music industry, alerting it to a new world of users eager to engage in music in new and creative ways.
