If only he had a nickel for every iPod sold.
Former Sony Music boss Andy Lack argued that Apple should pay royalties for each iPod sold during his iTunes negotiations with the company, according to “Steve Jobs,” the hot new biography of the late Apple co-founder.
Lack didn’t succeed, but boy, if only he had. Apple has sold some 10 billion tracks and 300 million iPods since the 2001 debut of the revolutionary device.
Lack, now chief of Bloomberg LP’s multimedia operations, takes some serious flak from Jobs in Walter Isaacson’s book. Jobs complained that Lack argued against Sony’s full involvement in iTunes in 2002.
“With Andy, it was mostly about his big ego,” Jobs said. “He never really understood the music business, and could never really deliver. I thought he was sometimes a d–k.”
Lack took the criticism in stride yesterday, telling The Post, “Steve Jobs is a genius.”
He added: “As tough as it got at times — and it got contentious — I enjoyed every minute of my interaction with him. How could you not?”
In the book, Lack said he did his best by Sony, which had its own subscription music venture and Walkman sales to protect.
“I fought for Sony and the music industry, so I can see why he thought I was a d–k,” Lack said. He also noted that U2 frontman Bono negotiated for a similar deal when Apple produced a U2-themed iPod.