Warner Brothers is now releasing The Dark Knight and Inception as iPhone apps. After letting your eyes feast on a 5-minute preview, you would then pay an in-app purchase of $10-$12 to either download or stream it to your iPhone/iPad. It acts like a live dvd, equipped with more extras than you'd get from buying off iTunes.

By using this easy platform to acquire movies at your fingertips, this should be a great way to increase sales not only across the U.S., but in 35 other countries. Granted, the idea of purchasing movies to your iPhone isn't all that innovative, but to offer them as standalone apps with a utility belt of extras, do you think that would keep consumers around the world from buying pirated dvds?

After thinking about the kind of revenue brought upon the release of these film-apps, that made me think of how this business model could apply to the tragic condition of the music industry. The worldwide exposure for musicians brought upon through YouTube, NPR, Pandora, etc. has made it very easy for fans to discover new upcoming talent. However, this double-edged sword also makes it easy to get their tracks without having to pay a dime... or in some cases, a dime is all you'll shell out for a single song.

So that got me thinking, what if albums were released as a digital 'schwag-bag' app of goodies?

From ring-tones, wallpapers, band history, live tour schedule(link to buy tickets), band store for t-shirts/previous albums to purchase, video links, to trivia games that let you play with your friends(therefore you get the social plug in - high scores, SMS challenges, newsletters, contests/sweepstakes, leaderboards on facebook/twitter, etc), consumers might be more enticed to purchase an entertaining experience that lasts - making them feel that they're getting a little more than what they paid for.

This packaged idea is very much a physical reality, as even now Radiohead's new album "The King of Limbs" features just that. Aside from offering the bare bones digital version, their special edition or "Newspaper" album includes:

Priced at nearly $50, wouldn't you agree this would sell well? Hardcore Radiohead fans can surely appreciate every piece of artwork and detail put into it, plus a chance to win a signed vinyl is icing on the cake.

Now by taking this one step further by having this as a digital goodie bag that connects you on a social platform with band news and updates, do you think album sales would increase? How about ticket sales? Social media buzz? Greater mobile application opportunities for ad-space?

It's no question that music industry is on its knees and it needs to offer more to the general public in order to get those colossal sales. Offering an incentive that continues to update the consumer is something that pays for itself and parallels with the standards of our digital age that we continue to hurtle ourselves further into.

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue