The Australian Music Industry has just launched a new way for consumers to buy music: USB flash drives. They're calling it "DDA" (who knows what that stands for). And here's why it's failed already:
In this day and age, consumers have already proven that there's really only one mechanism for music distribution: online. But the music industry is adamant to stick to physical media. It gives them a warm fuzzy feeling inside being able to have shopfronts peddling their wares.
"DDA" is, essentially, no different to when Sony tried to get consumers out to shops to buy a card, go back home, and enter the number on the card to download your music.
The key problem with all physical distribution channels is the effort involved. When you hear something on the radio (or Internet radio), you want it right now. You don't want to hop in your car, drive to a crowded mall, and wait in line to buy a USB flash stick.
Sticking to your guns and continuing trying to push physical junk onto consumers is a sure-fire way to drive them further towards piracy. Physical is so 1990s. Get with the times!
Comments
The convenience of having to go to the CD store with the audio quality of low bit rate DRM-encumbered WMA files!