14 DAY TRIAL // While the record number of iPods sold is the big story, the iPod would not be everything it is today without backing from the iTunes Store which is its own success story, in more than just music.
Apple's media virtual storefront has passed the 2.5 billion song mark, meaning that it is now selling a whooping billion songs about every six months. Furthermore, TV shows passed the 50 million shows sold mark as well and well over 1.3 million feature length movies that have been sold to date. All in all, the numbers are impressive, especially as they clearly show that Apple is about to do with TV shows what they did with music, and movies are also well on their way. While sales of digital content may not contribute to Apple's bottom line as much as iPods, they are nevertheless significant.
Moreover, with the introduction of the Apple TV, the Cupertino Company now has the hardware to do with movies what they did with music. Though the Apple TV has not been unanimously received with arms open, that may have to do with the fact that currently, there really is no adequate content for it and that there are still a few bumps that need to be smoothed out. However, with the ability to easily update the software of the device as needed, Apple can easily throw the switch and then it's Showtime.
But while Apple is strengthening their ecosystem with new software and hardware, it may very well be that it will get a major boost from an unlikely source? its competitors. In light of the new DRM free EMI content that will be available in the AAC format, if this open standard is adopted by the majority of the portable player manufacturers, the iTunes Music store could very well see a sudden, massive jump in sales.