Apple’s supposed 10″, interactive touch screen iPod/tablet computer may have been the stuff of techy dreams just a year ago but now it seems that: not only is it real but it’s also shouldering the hopes of a struggling music industry as well with a project called “cocktail.”
This weekends Financial Times comfirmed the age old rumors that there is indeed an Apple tablet slated for release this fall alongside the traditional 4Q iPod releases. More suprisingly then the fast approaching release date was the reported partnership between Apple and the Big 4 music labels (Sony BMG, EMI, Warner Music and Universal Music Group).
Project “cocktail” is an iTunes update aimed to help bolster digital album sales by including interactive album booklets with all full album purchases. These booklets are to include lyric sheets, album notes, photos and other artist/album related goodies as well as allow users to play music without having to first access iTunes software.
“It’s all about re-creating the heyday of the album when you would sit around with your friends looking at the artwork, while you listened to the music”
– Financial Times.
It’s also about adding incentive towards complete album purchases as opposed to sifting through albums for select tracks. Last year over 1 billion singles were purchased through iTunes as opposed to the 65 million in full album sales.
Project “cocktail” was hinted as being a selling point for the Apple tablet. But even without it, iTunes users will have access to all “cocktail” features via an update expected this September, though it won’t look as good as it would if it was on a sexy 10″ iPod tablet.
[all photos are artist’s renditions]
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