Sure, newly revealed products the iPhone 6 and Apple Watch had devotees cheering, but it wasn’t until the very end of the presentation, with the members of U2 positioned as mascots, when CEO Tim Cook reinforced the company’s place as the world’s top music retailer and budding streaming superpower. What does it mean when an industry once coddled is now but one tiny tool in a formidable arsenal?
1|Where’s the Beats?
No new headphones and no mention of digital music that didn’t involve U2. Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine’s integration of Beats Electronics into Apple apparently is still a work in progress.
2|RIP: The Paid Download
Did U2 pull a Beyoncé? Not quite. While Bey’s surprise iTunes-only release in December, available for sale only as a complete set, seemed to revalue the album as an art form, critics contend U2’s stunt did the opposite.
3|Cash Is King
Apple looks for even faster access to your wallet with Apple Pay, a mobile payment system built into the new iPhone. Boasting improved security, it stands to spur sales of hardware and facilitate purchases at concerts.
4|Cue: The Workout Playlist
Apple’s emphasis on fitness apps available on the Apple Watch bodes well for the soundtrack to your next spin class or treadmill turn (and could be a play to replace the deep-sixed iPod).
5|Album as Loss Leader
Who cares about sales when you can gross $736 million on tour? Apple can help U2 reach potential ticket buyers, but that doesn’t much help Universal Music Group or the recorded-music business.