Survey: many iTunes users desire multiple platforms

Would you pay to listen to your own music library from different devices?

Many U.S. iTunes users surveyed would even be willing to pay a subscription fee to listen to their own music libraries from multiple devices and platforms.

The NPD Group, a market research company based in Port Washington, sought reaction to the concept of a music service offering free and unlimited streaming of content from the consumer’s own iTunes music library, and several paid options for music subscriptions offering combinations of music streaming, downloads and Web access to the library.

NPD says that of the estimated 50 million iTunes users nationwide, as many as 8 million would be willing to pay either a monthly fee of $10 or more, either for streaming music or access to their music libraries on multiple devices.

Not surprisingly, a larger amount would be interested if the service were free — as many as 15 million.

Russ Crupnick, vice president and senior entertainment analyst for NPD,  “If the consumers who indicated strong interest in a paid subscription actually adopted one of those services at $10 per month, the market opportunity is close to $1 billion in the first year, which is roughly two-thirds the revenue garnered by the current pay-per-download model.”

--------------------
Read more of Inside Long Island Business