????一直以來，Beats的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人艾文始終是高質(zhì)量MP3的銷量冠軍，結(jié)果是唱片公司被迫向蘋果的iTune等在線銷售商提供一流的音頻文件。在主要的音樂訂閱服務(wù)中，MOG的質(zhì)量/流比率最高。NPD集團(tuán)的分析師羅斯?魯賓稱，由于流式技術(shù)不斷提高，MOG的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)地位“不再明顯”。但是，艾文與里克?魯賓私交密切，后者是富有傳奇色彩的唱片制作人兼哥倫比亞唱片公司（Columbia Records）聯(lián)合總裁，同時也是MOG的董事。當(dāng)初拉文開展高質(zhì)量音頻文件運(yùn)動時，他要求魯賓在哥倫比亞的母公司索尼（Sony）也如法炮制。

????如果真的收購MOG，宏達(dá)電會有什么好處？收獲之一是，它可以將MOG與其安卓產(chǎn)品捆綁。去年，Rhapsody與手機(jī)運(yùn)營商Metro PCS建立了合作伙伴關(guān)系。但迄今為止收效甚微。NPD分析師魯賓稱，還有另外一種可能，就是MOG、宏達(dá)電、以及Beats三者共同開發(fā)一款“端到端”產(chǎn)品，將音樂流式下載、Beats的音頻技術(shù)、以及宏達(dá)電的硬件三者集成到一起，甚至還可用Beats的名字重命名MOG。CNET上已有傳聞，稱這幾家公司計劃建立一個新的商業(yè)網(wǎng)站，用來銷售音樂、耳機(jī)、以及其他商品。

????當(dāng)然，三者的合作也存在隱患。如果宏達(dá)電將MOG整合到其手機(jī)中，有可能會影響到運(yùn)營商與其他音樂訂閱服務(wù)商之間的交易。此外，與流媒體音樂網(wǎng)站Spotify 相比，MOG的業(yè)務(wù)仍然小得不足掛齒。據(jù)估計，MOG的付費用戶不足10萬，而Rhapsody和Spotify在全球擁有300萬用戶。蘋果由于自身擁有從硬件到軟件的完整產(chǎn)品鏈而獲利豐厚，而谷歌則收購了摩托羅拉（Motorola），以期達(dá)到相似的效果。但是，與這兩大巨頭相比，宏達(dá)電還是太弱小了。

????盡管如此，NPD集團(tuán)的分析師魯賓仍然表示，三者的合并仍然是筆不錯的投資。他認(rèn)為：“關(guān)鍵在于，假以時間，新一代消費者會越來越不在乎所有權(quán)，而更在乎訪問權(quán)。”艾文對此表示贊同。2010年，他對《公告牌》雜志（Billboard）稱：“我們做的是音樂傳播業(yè)務(wù)。不管是購買還是租借，我只希望，用戶能更好地享受我們的服務(wù)?！盡OG、宏達(dá)電和Beats三者都極有可能向消費者“借出”音樂。

????譯者：大海

????Beats co-founder Iovine has also long championed the sale of higher-quality mp3s, appealing to record companies to provide first-rate sound files to online distributors like Apple's iTunes. MOG has the highest quality-streaming rate of the major subscription services. Ross Rubin, an analyst with NPD, says because of the constant improvement of streaming, MOG's lead "doesn't seem like a strong differentiating factor." Still, Iovine has ties to legendary record producer and Columbia Records co-president Rick Rubin, who sits on MOG's board of directors. When Iovine began his campaign for higher quality sound files, he asked Rubin to do the same at Sony (SNE), Columbia's parent.

????If a deal for MOG materializes, how would HTC benefit? One possibility is bundling MOG with its Android offerings. Last year, Rhapsody created a partnership with mobile phone carrier Metro PCS (PCS). So far, results have been unspectacular. Another possibility is all three brands creating an "end to end" product combining music streaming, Beats audio technology, and HTC hardware, says Rubin, the NPD analyst. MOG could even be rebranded, taking the Beats moniker. CNET reported rumors of plans for a new commerce website that sells music, headphones and other items.

????There are also some potential landmines. If HTC pushes MOG onto its handsets, it may upset deals that carriers have with other music subscription services. Plus, MOG's business is still small compared to Spotify. It is estimated to have under 100,000 paid subscribers compared to its larger rivals 3 million worldwide. Apple has made gains because it owns the entire experience, from hardware to software. Google bought Motorola (MMI) to achieve similar efficiencies. But HTC is much smaller.

????Still, NPD's Rubin says the acquisition is an investment. "The idea is that, over time, new generations of consumers will care less about ownership and more about access," he says. Iovine seems to be on the same page. In 2010 he told Billboard, "We're in the music transmission business," he said. "I just want people to enjoy it more. Whether they buy it…or borrow it." With MOG, HTC and Beats may very well be able to lend it to them.