It’s time for the iLife Store

Apple has expanded our idea of iPod as music player with the release of the Photo iPod. Oh I get it now. Where they pitched the iMac all along as a digital hub, the iPod is now an extension of that hub. Rest assured, eventually there will be movie capability. So now it is time to expand our idea of the iTunes Music Store as more than music store. It is time to migrate the iTunes Music Store into a more robust iLife Store. More products. More exclusive content. All with the ease of buying and the instant gratification on your desktop.

Music, music, and more music. Yes. I get it. The ITMS offers me full albums, individual songs, and exclusive content. All of these product offerings are seamless, and the purchasing process is well�seamless. In addition the celebrity playlists, iMixes, and music videos incent me to buy more music. But have you noticed the movie trailers in the ITMS? A plug for Quicktime or perhaps a hint of the future? How would you like to download movies (legally) from your computer? How would you like to purchase movie tickets through the store? All possible with the existing infrastructure in place.

The one click purchasing of songs from the iTunes Music Store is buying made simple. It’s a blessing for people who buy a lot of music and don’t like to look for the credit card every time. It is also a curse for people who are trying to save for a house, or pay off debt. But with registration of your info, Apple can not only track your purchases, but they can track your buying habits. Apple will be able to sell you anything from books in PDF format to software to printable coupons for brick and mortar stores.

Now you can use PayPal at the ITMS. You can already track your eBay auctions in Sherlock, why not merge the two? Search auctions from the ITMS, bid on it or Buy It Now! Maybe the public can sell their own products through the store. Apple can collect a servicing fee for each transaction. Storeowners can market their products using the existing ITMS templates. This is a huge opportunity for Apple, who have demonstrated their support for the independent artist, to back that up with visual artists. Now photographers, painters, sculptors, and other handmade artisans can sell their wares using the hyping power of Apple and utilizing the architecture of the ITMS.

In the spirit of iTunes’ exclusive content, retailers can offer exclusive deals and coupons. Booking a hotel room, rental car, or plane ticket, could gain you free upgrades or amenities. Galleries, museums, and movie theaters can offer advanced screenings.

Apple has the opportunity to learn more about your complete online buying habits with very little effort, They can also customize the hierarchy of products and the advertising of those products. We as consumers get a one stop shopping mall on our desktops. We get the continued ease of use and corralling of all our content on our computers. Finally, we get the satisfaction of supporting Apple again.