Apple buying Tidal?

Oh crap.

I am not going to log into the article but the headline is ominous.

To Apple: I know you can't help it but please don't **** with a good thing.
 
CKDC said:
Oh crap.

I am not going to log into the article but the headline is ominous.

To Apple: I know you can't help it but please don't **** with a good thing.
Click to expand...

Unlikely Tidal could survive much longer on its own, losing money every day.

Apple did a great job with Beats; it's a much better service as Apple Music, IMO. Big question is whether Apple will keep the open API to Tidal, which allows apps like BubbleUPnP to stream from it.
 
chicks said:
Unlikely Tidal could survive much longer on its own, losing money every day.

Apple did a great job with Beats; it's a much better service as Apple Music, IMO. Big question is whether Apple will keep the open API to Tidal, which allows apps like BubbleUPnP to stream from it.
Click to expand...
I don't think they will last, either. It makes me wonder what Apple would do with it? Their current service has just been redesigned and I would guess that if they wanted to offer lossless, they could do that already. I could see them wanting exclusives like Beyoncé and Prince, though.

Ideally, they would add all of Tidal's great features like lossless, web interface, and the open API that would also give access to RoonAudio, but I have my doubts that Apple would want to use many of Tidal's features. This would probably be more about getting exclusive artists than anything else. For most consumers, having almost all of their favorite artists on one service rather than having them spread out among several services, would be a very important feature.

Of course, this could be more about Jay Z calling Apple for a bail out, but we don't really know at this point.
 
Couldn't read the WSJ article as I'm not a subscriber...but the gist is all over the web.

Despite what Tidal sources deny about any negotiations and pending sale, I think it's pretty clear some higher ups are leaking (launching test balloons) these stories. Back in Feb. it was Samsung. Then in May, TMZ caught Jay-Z exiting Apple's NY office. Tidal is burning through gobs of cash and at some point will need a big VC boost or outright buyout.

Tidal would plug some glaring weak spots in Apple Music. Crossfade/Gapless playback, Auto-Play radio, did AM ever get remote control?......

Hell, as long as Apple has their checkbook out...they should buy Roon. Then toss iTunes media player in the rubbish bin and burn it. :lurk:

Lookie how nice, clean and informative AM could be....:D

index.php

Tidal via Roon
 
uofmtiger said:
Sorry, when I linked it, it wasn't behind a pay wall. This link might help:

http://www.macrumors.com/2016/06/30/apple-tidal-acquisition-talks/

I am not sure Roon is on their radar, but nothing would make me happier than if Apple implemented Roon's features into their service.
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Yeah...wasn't hard to find several that picked it up. ;)

It should be on their radar. Per my last rant (LOL) it's astonishing what a shitty job all these on-demand services do when it comes to meta data. Apple is by far in the best position to throw resources at that problem and really stand out from the competition.
 
Interesting developments but makes you wonder what Apple is up to? Tidal is not really much competition for Apple Music ... trying to keep any competition from gaining a foothold in CD quality streaming space (are they even concerned with that space?) ... keep others from buying it? ... :dunno:
 
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It seems to me that there IS money to be made in streaming audio. It is the next big thing in an "ownerless" society. (Maybe not in hi-fi streaming though.)

Apple wants to be a universal entertainment company. They make money selling equipment but see recurring purchases/payments as beneficial to long term profit.

They have cash to buy whatever they want.

Tidal needs money.

So, to me, it seems inevitable that Apple will buy Tidal.

What they do with it is my cause for concern.
 
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+48V said:
It should be on their radar. Per my last rant (LOL) it's astonishing what a shitty job all these on-demand services do when it comes to meta data. Apple is by far in the best position to throw resources at that problem and really stand out from the competition.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but the desires of a bunch of old farts on an audio forum probably aren't even on their radar, lol. As Tiger says, probably more about getting exclusive content deals with hot artists, including @connect content (the social media part of AM). Wouldn't hold my breath waiting for Roon-like metadata.
 
chicks said:
Yeah, but the desires of a bunch of old farts on an audio forum probably aren't even on their radar, lol. As Tiger says, probably more about getting exclusive content deals with hot artists, including @connect content (the social media part of AM). Wouldn't hold my breath waiting for Roon-like metadata.
Click to expand...
Maybe so. Ignoring the crotchety fist waving demographic is one thing. But for a company that touts music being "in their DNA", ignoring such an elemental core component well...deserves a monster eyeroll.

Hungry music nerds are plentiful and span several generations. While the 18-24 crowd may not appear as concerned about this short coming as old farts, I'll betcha a jug of my finest corn squeezins' that if/when a service offers a better, more robust database, their body count will boom. It would be just as if not more productive and lucrative as a scattering of exclusive content.

In other words, among major players...
  • Every one of them has 30M+ titles
  • Every one of their Desktop/Mobile UIs are basically clones of one another. They err more on the side of clutter and promoted content rather than innovative Wow factor.
  • Practically every one of them have a "Siri/Cortana/Google Assist/Echo" component
  • Everyone's provenance of content is a cluster-**** :mad: (sadly that's a log-tail fix)

Overall, none of them right now have a standout product to lure & compete for users. Being that meta data is a relatively straightforward fix (the data already exists and is nothing but simple grunt work) that would vastly improve their product and yet they all seem complacent. That is as silly as it is shameful.

As for inheriting licensing deals with purchase, I don't believe that's how it works generally. Typically those deals must be renegotiated. Not saying it won't or can't happen. It's a leg up yes. But it's not as "automatic" as most assume.
 
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More bad news for Tidal:

http://gizmodo.com/tidal-lost-a-ton-of-money-in-2015-1786582309

According to the article, they lost 28 million last year and they have numerous unpaid bills:

"Also today, the Swedish newspaper Dagens Næringsliv reported that the three companies that make up Tidal have 107 outstanding bills. As Business Insider notes, more than 100 of those unpaid bills have been incurred since Jay-Z bought the service. These bills are for everything from rent to music festivals to taxi companies and hotels.

Not paying your bills just looks bad, especially when Tidal’s entire MO is that artists deserve to get paid. Taxi companies deserve to get paid too, Tidal."

You have to wonder if their price will fall low enough to make it a no-brainer for Apple or another large company to buy them?
 
No need to worry ... the lights are still on. I'm staying on board till the band stops playing. I road MOG & RDIO all the way down ... time to rosin up the bow.

tumblr_mmhnznAcC51s42sq4o1_500.gif
 
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