There is so much about Apple I don’t like. Sure, there is much more that I do like. The traits which make them the most successful are among the former. What I’m talking about it Apple’s super closed nature. Take iTunes for example: a very usable, entertaining closed system; but it’s also what has made it work.
To make a long post short, basically Apple understands Michael Porter’s “Five Forces of Competition” better than any powerful tech firm today with the exception of perhaps Microsoft, Oracle and maybe a couple others.
Porter’s Five Forces
- Existing competitive rivalry between suppliers
- Threat of new market entrants
- Bargaining power of buyers
- Power of suppliers
- Threat of substitute products (including technology change)
Apple has the ability to control its suppliers on a scale few others can talk about. It buys commodity goods and understands how to retain power over his suppliers. There is no company better at locking out substitute products.
Having said that: I see no reason why not, and many reasons for Apple creating an iTunes Web API. IMO It would quckly rival even the Gmaps API in terms of use. It would drive down usage of Last.FM’s API, and would make iTunes more of a standard on the web, not to mention could be used to drive iTunes usage penetration, as well as increase its value to the consumer and increase the value of Apple as a developer standard.
Imagine being able to integrate ratings, music samples, the new App store, Movies, movie trailors, and other goodies including the new App store statistics right into any web, mobile or traditional app. I’d love to know your thoughts but I certainly believe it would be fantastic for Apple to intergrate this into Xcode’s Web Deveopment tools and even iWeb. But I’d also like to hear your thoughts? Do you think Rhapsody’s API is good enough? Amazon? It would be cool to get a comment or two every once in a while!