The Apple CEO is featured in an interview at Rolling Stone concerning the whole iPod/iTunes Store business, how it’s come about, where it’s going. Jobs gets it I think, which is of course why the store has been a great success.
Our position from the beginning has been that eighty percent of the people stealing music online don’t really want to be thieves. But that is such a compelling way to get music. It’s instant gratification. You don’t have to go to the record store; the music’s already digitized, so you don’t have to rip the CD. It’s so compelling that people are willing to become thieves to do it. But to tell them that they should stop being thieves—without a legal alternative that offers those same benefits—rings hollow. We said, “We don’t see how you convince people to stop being thieves unless you can offer them a carrot—not just a stick.” And the carrot is: We’re gonna offer you a better experience… and it’s only gonna cost you a dollar a song.
Speaking of Stevo, there are rumors that he might be in line for a seat on the board of Disney who’s own CEO, Michael Eisner, is in trouble.