iTunes passes QuickTime

Apple's iTunes is quickly becoming the media player of choice for users of streaming media. Already the fast growing media player in terms of unique users, Apple's QuickTime-based jukebox software surpassed its own QuickTime player in mid-2005, and at current growth rates should pass RealPlayer by mid-2006, according to recent data from Nielsen//NetRatings and Apple. In January of 2006, the data showed about 71 million unique users for the market leading Windows Media Player, just over 28 million users for RealPlayer, 18.5 million for iTunes and nearly 13 million for QuickTime. Combined, Apple was second to Microsoft. First noted by Macworld UK, the report says tht "iTunes is used over twice as long as its nearest rival RealPlayer (111 minutes versus 46.4 minutes per person, or 2.4 times as long) and that RealPlayer is the only other player surveyed to show growth in usage over the last three years. QuickTime and Windows Media Player are losing mindshare among users." iTunes should pass RealPlayer in mid-2006 at current growth rates and will be to second with just under 30 million unique users to Microsoft's Windows Media Player, which will have about 80 million unique users, according the data.

by MacNN Staff