iTunes Store
The iTunes Store is an online digital media retailer operated by Apple Inc., launched on April 28, 2003, as the iTunes Music Store, enabling users to purchase and download individual songs, albums, music videos, audiobooks, podcasts, movies, and television shows through the iTunes software application.[1][2] Initially centered on music sales at a uniform price of 99 cents per track, it provided a legal paid-download alternative to unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing, which had proliferated following the rise of services like Napster.[1][3] The platform quickly achieved commercial success, becoming the second-largest music retailer in the United States by 2008 and the world's largest by 2010, with cumulative sales exceeding billions of tracks and generating over a billion dollars in annual revenue at its peak.[4][5] Its integration with Apple's iPod hardware and later iPhone devices facilitated seamless content synchronization, driving widespread adoption of portable digital media consumption.[2] Expansion beyond music occurred in 2006 with the addition of movies and TV shows, further solidifying its role in digital entertainment distribution.[6] Despite its innovations, the iTunes Store faced controversies, including the implementation of Apple's proprietary FairPlay digital rights management (DRM) system, which restricted playback to authorized devices and drew criticism for limiting user flexibility until its removal from new music purchases in 2009.[7][8] Variable pricing tiers introduced alongside DRM-free tracks also sparked debates over consumer costs and industry negotiations.[7] Additionally, antitrust scrutiny arose from allegations of tying iTunes content to iPod hardware, leading to legal challenges in the United States and Europe.[9] By the mid-2010s, the shift toward streaming services diminished its dominance in paid downloads, though it remains operational for legacy purchases and regional markets.[6][10]