1. Apple’s iTunes U App
Trend Assessment by: Justin Stroupe
Marketing – 7546 Marketing in a Digital Environment
Spring 2012

2. Apple iTunes U App
MKTG – 7546 Marketing in a Digital Environment
Justin Stroupe
“You can’t just ask customers what they want
and then try to give that to them.
By the time you get it built,
they’ll want something new.”
-Steve Jobs
What is the iTunes U App and Where is it Going?
Isn’t this true of most trends? Steve hit the nail on the head with this statement; and who
better to explain a trend than the founder of arguably the “trendiest” company of all time?
Apple has yet another industry altering app that is currently trending. It was announced
January 19ththat “Apple is broadening its iTunes U program beyond audio and video lectures by
adding an app for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch that allows professors to create full online
courses, with assignments, books, quizzes and syllabi.”1 Apple’s iTunes U website touts that
they are “The world’s largest online catalog of free education content,” and that they are
“home to more than 500,000 free lectures, videos, books, and other resources on thousands of
subjects.”2The implications of a resource this powerful are easily recognized. As it continues to
grow, iTunes U will change the way that we are educated, and make access to educational
resources easier and probably cheaper in the future. It will also change the way universities
market their programs, as online classes open up their reach by increasing their geographic
footprint, and their announcement of an app for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch will only fuel
this growth, as there will now be complete college courses online for free.
So what drove Apple to venture into this market? The development of iTune’s U has been
driven by an increase in demand for online educational content that is available twenty-hours a
day, and accessible anywhere in the world. The number of universities offering online
curriculum has increased over the last few years, along with the number of classes that are
offered online. This allows students the ability to learn on their schedule, rather than trying to
work school into their day to day responsibilities. The popularity of Apple devices such as the
iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch, has been a key driver in the development of the new app.
The question that quickly arises is; does an educational tool like this stop at the classroom, or
can it be utilized by other industries as a source of untapped profitability?Apple’s iTunes U
website states the following: “If you’re an educator at a university, college, or K-12 school, now
you have an easy way to design and distribute complete courses featuring audio, video, books,
and other content. And students and lifelong learners can experience your courses for free
through a powerful new app for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.”2 But who says that this type of
technology has to stop in the “classroom?” Companies around the globe can gain a competitive
advantage when they have an educated workforce. A tool like this will give companies the
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3. Apple iTunes U App
MKTG – 7546 Marketing in a Digital Environment
Justin Stroupe
ability to educate their workforces quickly, cheaply, and as often as needed, with information
that is tailored specifically to their long-term performance goals.
The effects thatiTunes U will have long-term are less obvious than its affects in the short term.
As with any trend, we must examine the affects it will have across numerous industries, and to
what extent. How will it affect the way educational facilities, both at a grade and university
level, market their products/services? Will this give schools a competitive advantage that they
can profit from? How will this affect the way other industries educate their employees on key
product information and company policies and strategies?
iTunes U App and its Impact on the World of Business
The iTunes U app is in full swing at major universities around the country, helping them to
market their programs in a very unique way to individuals around the globe. Samantha Birk,
Associate Director for Instructional Technology at Indiana University says that “We’re being
challenged to educate 21st century students for the 21st century world. Some of our faculty
felt apprehensive about what it would mean in the classroom.” She goes on to say that “the
faculty was challenged to use technology to better teach and engage their students. It has
rolled through the campus like wildfire.”3“One category where universities are testing the
waters is in Food and Nutrition, where you’ll find 32 courses available, including Tips for
Sustainable Gardening from Oregon State University, Food and Sustainable Agriculture from the
Yale School of Forestry, Food Processing from UC Davis and Health and Nutrition from Cornell
University.”4
One of the advantages of having these courses so easily available to the public is the ability to
recognize and then advertise to specific segments of the population. The world of education
touches all aspects of our lives. As courses in specific subjects are developed and distributed to
the masses, marketers can capitalize on the ability to advertise to those individuals based on
the subject that is being downloaded. For example, if a student studying culinary arts
downloads a lesson on a specific genre of food, companies that sell ingredients for that specific
style of food can then advertise to that student through email marketing, or other forms of
advertising. Even the professors that develop the curriculum for that class can direct the
students to a specific book that may be beneficial to them located in the iTunes U library. In
both cases, the student can make the necessary purchases right on their Apple device whether
it is the iPad or the iPhone.
Schools are the primary users of the iTunes U app at this time. The app has been on the market
for less than a month, yet universities are already catching on and utilizing the app for
educational purposes. The widespread success of the app is yet to be determined; however,
the true reach of the app will probably be recognized this fall when professors have had the
ability to fully utilize it for their curriculum. One can conclude that the success of the app
should be high, as it utilizes two technologies that have had tremendous success (iTunes U and
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4. Apple iTunes U App
MKTG – 7546 Marketing in a Digital Environment
Justin Stroupe
the iPad and iPhone). How schools will use it to market their programs is a different story. One
can safely assume that it will help programs gain recognition globally, as their curriculum will
have a much larger footprint with the help of iTunes U. It will also help professors market
themselves to students, organizations, and other institutions on a global level, as they will now
have the ability to promote their curriculum to a vast market of Apple device users through the
free app.
The academic world is not the only market that can benefit from the iTunes U app. In a global
marketplace, where key business decisions have to be made at the drop of a hat to remain
competitive; an educated workforce is critical to success. Organizations need to have the
ability to educate their employees as the landscape of the industry changes. Abreon, a
consulting firm located in Pittsburg states the following:“Whether education is needed as part
of a larger change initiative or to simply keep the workforce up to date, it can be a challenge in
an era when your workforce is aging, turnover among younger workers is increasing and the
economy is forcing every department to do more with less. The answer to this challenge for
many learning organizations has been eLearning.”5One area that this could be beneficial for
businesses is when key changes are made at different levels. As organizations make personnel,
product design, and process changes, the iTunes U app will allow organizations to privately
upload training material, and distribute it to the ground level using iPads and iPhones. This will
allow for quick, seamless changes that require less physical and time-consuming training, giving
businesses a competitive advantage within their respective industries.
Another industry that can benefit from the iTunes U app is the world of educational media.
One educational resource that we often take for granted, is the resource that we sit in front of
every evening. Television networks such as the History, Discovery, and Nat Geo can all gain a
competitive advantage by using this app as a marketing device. With the ability to add audio
and video to its content, these networks can take advantage of the technologies ability to reach
a large, growing audience of iPad and iPhone users. Within the educational material, the
networks can promote other shows that have similar themes, to those that show interest in
one particular subject.
What is the Sustainability of the iTunes U App
aA
The future of the iTunes U app is bright. It will ride the success of Apple’s iOS operating system,
and the sky is the limit when it comes to its growth potential. This app will definitely impact the
way that we are educated; though it may be slow at first, in the next three to five years, it will
likely become one of the primary educational platforms. Craig Ingram, Interim Director of The
University of Tennessee at Martin’s Instructional Technology Center says the future of the
iTunes U app is optimistic. He says that“Because iTunes is such a prevalent tool, free and
heavily entrenched in the marketplace both for Mac and PC users, iTunes U will likely continue
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5. Apple iTunes U App
MKTG – 7546 Marketing in a Digital Environment
Justin Stroupe
to grow as an attractive format for delivering course content.”6 As we move forward, more
universities are going to latch on this technology and utilize it to educate their students. It will
also change the way that universities market their programs to potential students. The iTunes
U app will reduce the geographical boundaries of schools across the country. This app will
attract students from all over the world to different programs by giving them a “taste” of what
the school has to offer.
The development of the iTunes U app is not just going to affect education at the university
level; it will impact the education at the grade level as well. When asked what the impact on
education would be, Craig suggested the following: “There are several pilot programs that have
launched around the country using iPads and the new iTunes U app. The iPad is especially
attractive for K-12 educators who view it as a lower cost option for computer based
learning.”6Apple has always had a key role in the world of education. I recall using Apple
computers in school in the late 80’s and early 90’s as an educational resource. At that time,
children our age were not comfortable with the technology as it was fairly new to the general
public, but children in today’s society are fairly comfortable operating an iPad or iPod touch.
The fact that children already have a working knowledge of this technology means its
acceptance as an educational device will be easier. I would look for the iTunes U App to be a
prominent form of education at this level in the next three to five years.
There is potential for the iTunes U App in other industries as well. When asked what the app’s
impact on other industries could be, Mr. Ingram stated that “Any company that invests in
corporate training for their employees will at least be inclined to explore these kinds of tools.
Any industry that wants to foster a collaborative environment for learning might also be
interested in taking a look.”6 Investing in an educated workforce gives a company a key
competitive advantage, along with attracting better talent. Companies should use the iTunes U
App to educate their workforce regularly, and as a marketing tool to attract employees that fit
well with the company’s long-term strategic goals.
One industry that could immediately benefit from this tool is the medical field. The science
behind medicine is always changing, especially from a pharmaceutical standpoint.
Pharmaceutical companies can use the iTunes U App to educate and market to physicians when
new products are developed. This would give these companies a tremendous competitive
advantage, as they will be able to quickly and easily get information to the market.
The iTunes U app can also be used as a training tool in this industry as well. Hospitals can use
the app to train their doctors, surgeons, and nursing staff on new procedures that are being
developed. With the video ability of the app, along with the iPad platform, this could be a very
cost effective way to educate their staffs.
Industries that manufacture products can also benefit from the iTunes U App. The app will give
companies the ability to educate their workforce on their products and processes specifically. It
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6. Apple iTunes U App
MKTG – 7546 Marketing in a Digital Environment
Justin Stroupe
will also give the company the ability to easily and cheaply change the training process as new
products are developed, or new processes are designed.
The manufacturing industry that I see being impacted by this App is the automotive industry.
Training in this industry is critical all the way down to the showroom floor, as new models role
off assembly lines every year. As these new models arrive, production teams, mechanics, the
sales force, and even the customers can benefit from having educational materials at their
fingertips. Once again, this is a great competitive advantage as well.
As with all successful ideas, others will try to duplicate Apple’s creativity and innovation. Mr.
Ingram says that competition will drive competitors to develop similar tools. “I think the bigger
ripple effect will be in seeing what other companies emerge to provide competing methods for
delivering this kind of content for educators.”6
As its popularity grows, the iTunes U App will continue to evolve. This evolution will be
accelerated by the software changes made to the device (iPad and iPhone) that the app
operates on. As these operating systems are upgraded, the app will follow. Usersalready
havethe ability to interact with the educational material, which will become even more
advanced over the next few years. It will be interesting to see if the application incorporates
video game style training along with the educational material so that users can get virtual
practice within the app itself. This will be very beneficial for those training for careers where
“hands-on” work is required.
To stay ahead of its competitors, the iTunes U App will need to concentrate on 3 things:
Simplicity, enjoyment, and content. The app must remain simple to use, as this can be the
make or break attribute of any computerized system. The app must also be fun to use, as this
will attract even the most distracted learner, and prevent boredom during use. Finally, the app
must maintain up-to-date content, which will rely heavily on the individuals providing it.
Conclusion
As the iTunes U App continues to grow, it will become a primary form of education throughout
our lives. Society is becoming more technological by the day, and the age of the users is getting
younger. Schools and companies must get ahead of this trend and use it to market their
programs so that they can compete for talent, train that talent, and then compete within their
industries. The iTunes U App is a game changer in the world of education. It will change the
way that we are educated from childhood through our professional careers.
References
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7. Apple iTunes U App
MKTG – 7546 Marketing in a Digital Environment
Justin Stroupe
1). Baig, Edward. "Apple joins e-textbook party with iBooks, iBooks Author apps."
USAToday.com. N.p., January 19,2012. Web. February 1, 2012.
<http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-01-19/apple-ipad-
textbooks/52670256/1>.
2). "Apple in Education." Apple.com. N.p., n.d. Web. February 1,2012.
<http://www.apple.com/education/itunes-u/>.
3). "Are Text Books Dead; Making Sense of Digital Transition." 2011. Web. 12 Feb 2012.
<www.fheg.follett.com/>.
4). Virbila, Irene. "Harvard’s Science Cooking lectures: Now playing on iTunes U." Daily Dish.
LA Times, 20 01 2012. Web. 12 Feb. 2012.
<http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2012/01/science-cooking-itunes-
u.html?dlvrit=310230>.
5). "Challenge: Educating Your Workforce ." abreon.com. N.p., 2012. Web. 1 Feb 2012.
<http://www.abreon.com/business_challenge/challenge_educating_your_workforce>.
6). Ingram, Craig. E-mail Interview. 7 Feb 2012. Craig Ingram is the Interim Director of The
University of Tennessee at Martin’s Instructional Technology Center.
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