iTunes & X Factor agree deal to allow performances to be downloaded!
For the first time since X Factor first hit our TV screens in 2004 (Yes, we remember Steve Brookstein!), Apple and Syco (Simon Cowell's company) have agreed to allow iTunes users to download each artists/groups performance on the "Live Finals". Last night saw dreams ended for Nicolo, who recreated the Lady Gaga song "Just Dance", was voted off from the show with one of the lowest votes in X Factor history. The boy band F.Y.D were the second elimination of the night, they first sang "Billionaire" by Travis McCoy and were then pitted against Katie Waissel for the judges to decide which act were most deserved of their place in the competition. Katie sang "Don't Let Me Down" and F.Y.D sang "Don't Stop The Music". The judges gave Katie the nod which signalled the end of the X Factor journey for F.Y.D.
This move from X Factor and Apple has been lauded as ground breaking by experts and has paved the way for a multi-million pound a week partnership. Within the first 8 hours of the show ending, Apples server was knocked out by a combination of the sheer volume of downloads (and attempted downloads) of the contestants performances and the mad rush to download last years winner, Joe McElderrys first single since his Christmas number 2 last year.
Forums all over the internet have had glowing feedback from delighted consumers who can now listen to their favourite performances of the competition on their PC's, Laptops, iPods, and even in their cars the help from an iPhone Car Kit, like the one we reviewed recently.
This years X Factor will roll on until 15th of December after over two months of live performances and dwindling down the contestants to a final three, at which stage the public will decide the outright winner. Bookies are making Matt Cardle, Aiden Grimshaw and the boy band, One Direction, as joint favourites to battle it out on December the 15th to be this years winner.
One small downside for the contestants in all this is that the downloads through the iTunes store will not count towards the singles chart. X Factor and Apple have both released statements to suggest that the reason for not including the downloads into the charts is to "protect the integrity" of the show and the contestants. Another reason for this though is because it would simply give away who is leading the race to win. If for example Matt Cardle had this weeks number one slot in the download chart, it would show that more people are wanting to download his music - therefore assuming that more people would vote for him on the show. This would seriously undermime the shows concept and probably diminish the ability to sell a few million copies of the Christmas X Factor single.
Keep an eye out for more iPodTechnology blog news and reviews as the X Factor show leaps through the last few hurdles and onto the home straight.
This move from X Factor and Apple has been lauded as ground breaking by experts and has paved the way for a multi-million pound a week partnership. Within the first 8 hours of the show ending, Apples server was knocked out by a combination of the sheer volume of downloads (and attempted downloads) of the contestants performances and the mad rush to download last years winner, Joe McElderrys first single since his Christmas number 2 last year.
Forums all over the internet have had glowing feedback from delighted consumers who can now listen to their favourite performances of the competition on their PC's, Laptops, iPods, and even in their cars the help from an iPhone Car Kit, like the one we reviewed recently.
This years X Factor will roll on until 15th of December after over two months of live performances and dwindling down the contestants to a final three, at which stage the public will decide the outright winner. Bookies are making Matt Cardle, Aiden Grimshaw and the boy band, One Direction, as joint favourites to battle it out on December the 15th to be this years winner.
One small downside for the contestants in all this is that the downloads through the iTunes store will not count towards the singles chart. X Factor and Apple have both released statements to suggest that the reason for not including the downloads into the charts is to "protect the integrity" of the show and the contestants. Another reason for this though is because it would simply give away who is leading the race to win. If for example Matt Cardle had this weeks number one slot in the download chart, it would show that more people are wanting to download his music - therefore assuming that more people would vote for him on the show. This would seriously undermime the shows concept and probably diminish the ability to sell a few million copies of the Christmas X Factor single.
Keep an eye out for more iPodTechnology blog news and reviews as the X Factor show leaps through the last few hurdles and onto the home straight.
