Real's Glaser calls Jobs "pigheaded"

Rob Glaser -- CEO of RealNetworks, the company that created the Rhapsody online subscription music service -- yesterday told a crowded hotel ballroom at the Digital Living Conference that Steve Jobs' refusal to make the iPod compatible with music services other than iTunes was an example of "pigheadedness." Glaser also said that Apple's unwillingness to cooperate with other online music vendors promotes piracy of copyrighted materials and will eventually draw the wrath of consumers, according to a report from News.com. "We think Apple Computer, and Steve personally, are making a mistake by making the software proprietary," Glaser said. "There's no reason we should penalize Apple customers for Steve's pigheadeness." Glaser has called for the music industry to pressure Jobs into opening up the iPod to other online music vendors.

Last year, Glaser asked Jobs to make the iPod compatible with other music services, to which Jobs responded by telling Apple shareholders that a deal with RealNetworks was "not worth it." In July of 2004, RealNetworks released a version of its music download service that works with Apple's iPod, without Apple's permission. Apple called the move "hacker tactics."

Glaser debuted a revamped Rhapsody digital music service at the conference in San Francisco that will allow users to search and listen to its catalog of songs from a website, rather than requiring them to download software. RealNetworks is hoping that an overhauled Rhapsody site will help set it apart from competitors, which often require users to download software before they begin listening to music--such as Apple's iTunes, according to the report.

RealNetworks is also offering visitors to stream 25 songs for free in an effort to draw attention to the new site and compete with the iTunes Music Store. RealNetworks can make revenue by selling ads to the site or attempting to lure customers to premium services that would cost money. "Google had a ubiquitous strategy before a monetary strategy and last I heard it worked out for them," Glaser said.

Filed under: industry
Other story tags: digital music/video