Apple uses it to sell iPods. Vodafone uses it to sell broadband airtime. Starbucks uses it to encourage customers to linger longer, and consider a second Frappuccino.
Digital music finally took off in 2005, according to data published ahead of this week’s Midem music trade show in Cannes, while lawsuits kept illegal file-sharing in check.
But for record companies, the growth of legitimate downloads and the partial victory against piracy have come at a price. Many in the industry are concerned that the scramble for digital sales has done lasting damage to profitability.
