Slate asks a question we've all been wondering lately: now that media conglomerates are beginning to stand up to Apple's online juggernaut, will iTunes lose its grip on the music and video download markets?

The article gives a good rundown of Apple's current predicament, including the recent Universal and NBC flaps, and then presents three possible outcomes:

1) Apple backs down. (unlikely)
2) The networks back down. (more likely)
3) No one backs down. (possible, but messy)

We're hoping for option 2, not because of any huge Apple bias, but because Apple controls 75% of the online download market, and we'd prefer not to have to shop in sixteen different sites to get what we want -- iTunes Store, Amazon or otherwise.

Apple vs. Everyone [Slate]