So who is to blame? Piracy? It certainly plays a significant part. To counteract illegal downloading, the “creation and Internet” law, more commonly known as Hadopi (High Authority for the Dissemination of Works and the Protection of Rights on the Internet), has come into effect. The goal: to punish internet users who download illegally. Today, downloading has become a norm, and internet users have the possibility of downloading legally.
Midem at the forefront of innovation
Now, the era is DIGITAL. iTunes, the iPod, and MP3 players in general have become part of the norm: Apple set the rule of pricing a downloaded track at 0.99 euros, but this is not enough to compensate for the losses of record companies caused by the reduction in CD sales. Downloading enthusiasts consider the cost per track to be too high.
On the other hand, mobile applications (downloadable apps for mobile phones) are creating buzz. iPhone or Android applications are developing fan bases and generating revenue. There are 100,000 iPhone applications compared to only 167 Android ones.
Innovation is also found in the new packages offered by Internet operators. Until now, they offered 3 services (television, high-speed Internet, and landline telephony) and have diversified even more: today, they also offer mobile telephony. This is the case, for example, with the operator Neuf, which merged with SFR (which only offered mobile phone subscriptions). Free has obtained a license to do the same thing. When there is diversification into mobile phones, there is also an increase in the number of downloading enthusiasts.
SFR, the sociocultural leader in downloading
SFR adapts to the new consumer habits of clients. When it comes to music, we’ve moved from downloading to streaming via web radios. Last year, during Midem, “SFR Music” launched its own radio (web radio) in partnership with Goom. Available on the web and on mobiles, it brought together 750,000 listeners. Today, web radios have taken a significant place. Madonna and even Pascal Obispo also have their own radios accessible on the Net.
To diversify even further, “SFR Music” has partnered with Deezer. Goal: to allow consumers unlimited access to the entire Deezer catalog, personalized playlists, and music on demand. Mobile has undergone its revolution. There is no obligation to be connected to the Internet.
What are SFR’s prospects for 2010? M’s tour will be broadcast live on the “SFR live concerts” platform, available on the web, mobiles, and SFR TV.
