What iCloud could really mean

So Apple has had one of it’s worst kept secrets unveiled about iCloud and iTunes Match. For those not in the know, Apple is essentially doing a Dropbox-like service of 5GB free data, and if you want for $25/yr have the ability to sync your iTunes library (legit and otherwise) to the iCloud and have access to your music at 256kbps sample rates (for many this is an upgrade in bitrate). All this for a $150M advance to the record labels. Some ask why would the record deals settle for what seems to be a pittance, but they don’t realize that there are millions of customers out there who have “pirated” music that they would never have the resources to go after. So the RIAA will get a nice lump sum payment from Apple, which is far easier than micro-litigation of all these people, and they will still go after those that do “heavy volume pirating”.

Little do they know that Apple is really coming out much father ahead in this than the record companies. Apple is taking the life-cycle concept of consumer information into the next step. I would expect that in the next 1-2 years that Apple will ink a deal with the MPAA to do the same with movies and TV shows.

and then…

That is when Apple will own the content side of consumer data. Devices like Apple TV, your car multimedia environment, your iPhone, your iPad will have access to seemingly unlimited content, all connected by simple and cohesive Apple UI.