Apple Launches iTunes Plus and iTunes U

CUPERTINO, Calif., May 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple(R) today
launched iTunes(R) Plus — DRM-free music tracks featuring high quality 256
kbps AAC encoding for audio quality virtually indistinguishable from the
original recordings — for just $1.29 per song. iTunes Plus is launching with
EMI’s digital catalog of outstanding recordings, including singles and albums
from Coldplay, The Rolling Stones, Norah Jones, Frank Sinatra, Joss Stone,
Pink Floyd, John Coltrane and more than a dozen of Paul McCartney’s classic
albums available on iTunes for the first time.

iTunes will continue to offer its entire catalog, currently over five
million songs, in the same versions as today — 128 kbps AAC encoding with DRM
— at the same price of 99 cents per song, alongside the higher quality iTunes
Plus versions when available. In addition, iTunes customers can now easily
upgrade their library of previously purchased EMI content to iTunes Plus
tracks for just 30 cents a song and $3.00 for most albums.

“Our customers are very excited about the freedom and amazing sound
quality of iTunes Plus,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We expect more than
half of the songs on iTunes will be offered in iTunes Plus versions by the end
of this year.”

“This is a tremendous milestone for digital music,” said Eric Nicoli, CEO
of EMI Group. “Consumers are going to love listening to higher quality iTunes
Plus tracks from their favorite EMI artists with no usage restrictions.”

With the release of iTunes Plus, customers can now download tracks from
their favorite EMI artists without limitations on the type of music player or
number of computers that purchased songs can be played on. iTunes is also
offering customers a simple, one-click option to easily upgrade their library
of previously purchased EMI content to the iTunes Plus versions. EMI music
videos are now also available in iTunes Plus versions with no change in price.
iTunes Plus songs purchased from the iTunes Store will play on all iPods,
Mac(R) or Windows computers, widescreen TVs with Apple TV(TM) and soon
iPhones, as well as many other digital music players.

The iTunes Store features the world’s largest catalog with over five
million songs, 350 television shows and over 500 movies. The iTunes Store has
sold over 2.5 billion songs, 50 million TV shows and over two million movies,
making it the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store.

With Apple’s legendary ease of use, pioneering features such as integrated
podcasting support, iMix playlist sharing, seamless integration with iPod(R)
and the ability to turn previously purchased songs into completed albums at a
reduced price, the iTunes Store is the best way for PC and Mac users to
legally discover, purchase and download music and video online.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple
II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh.
Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-
winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional
applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with
its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and will
enter the mobile phone market this year with its revolutionary iPhone.

CUPERTINO, Calif., May 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple(R) today
announced the launch of iTunes(R) U, a dedicated area within the iTunes Store
(www.itunes.com) featuring free content such as course lectures, language
lessons, lab demonstrations, sports highlights and campus tours provided by
top US colleges and universities including Stanford University, UC Berkeley,
Duke University and MIT.

“iTunes U makes it easy for anyone to access amazing educational material
from many of the country’s most respected colleges and universities,” said
Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes. “Education is a lifelong pursuit
and we’re pleased to give everyone the ability to download lectures, speeches
and other academic content for free.”

“From its earliest days, Stanford has sought to serve the public by
sharing the knowledge generated by our faculty and students,” said Stanford
Provost John Etchemendy. “Our partnership with Apple and iTunes U provides a
creative and innovative way to engage millions of people with our teaching,
learning and research and share the experience of intellectual exploration and
discovery that defines our university.”

Created in collaboration with colleges and universities, iTunes U makes it
easier than ever to extend learning, explore interests, learn more about a
school and stay connected with an alma mater. Content from iTunes can be
loaded onto an iPod(R) with just one click and experienced on-the-go, anytime,
making learning from a lecture just as simple as enjoying music.

The iTunes Store features the world’s largest catalog, adding new
education content to over five million songs, 350 television shows and over
500 movies. The iTunes Store has sold over 2.5 billion songs, 50 million TV
shows and over two million movies, making it the world’s most popular online
music, TV and movie store.

With Apple’s legendary ease of use, pioneering features such as integrated
podcasting support, iMix playlist sharing, seamless integration with iPod and
the ability to turn previously purchased songs into completed albums at a
reduced price, the iTunes Store is the best way for PC and Mac(R) users to
legally discover, purchase and download music and video online.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple
II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh.
Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-
winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional
applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with
its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and will
enter the mobile phone market this year with its revolutionary iPhone.