I honestly doubt Steve Jobs is worried.

I saw a headline a couple of days ago about how the rapidly-improving Amazon.com music download service is a threat to Apple and its iTunes store. Apparently, the buzz is that Amazon will offer a free download promotion around the Super Bowl--rather like Apple did a few years back to help launch the iTunes store.

Why would this be a threat to Apple? Mr. Jobs has made it clear that the iTunes store is there only to make the iPod experience more satisfactory. Apple doesn't make money off that store. As always, Apple is thinking of what you need to make the iPod better for you. If you're technically adept enough to shop at Amazon for your music downloads, good for you. You'll be able to get those Amazon tracks and put them right on to your iPod--it'll work right away. If you aren't that skilled (and I admit, the bar is rather low--because Apple has made iTunes and the iPod easy to use), you'll still have the iTunes store to stock your device.

If I were advising Apple, I would tell them to contact Amazon and work to integrate Amazon purchases directly into iTunes, making life easier. Imagine if you had a option in the Amazon check-out page that allowed you so say "yes, I'd like to add these to my iTunes library."

This is good news for Apple, overall. Yes, the iTunes store will lose some customers, but people will have more ways to fill those iPods and be happy with the part of the iPod/iTunes ecosystem that makes money for Apple: the iPod.

CDs listened to today:

• Steve Reich: Octet
• Skinny Puppy: Too Dark Park
• Remy Shand: The Way I Feel
• Kazimierz Serocki: Suite for Four Trombones
• Travis: The Man Who
• Konono No. 1: Congotronics
• Ingram Marshall: Hymnodic Delays
• Arild Plau: Concerto For Tuba And Strings