Microsoft launches iTunes rival

zippyjuan · 09-02-2004, 02:25 PM

Microsoft launches iTunes rival (Courtesy of the BBC)

Microsoft has launched a music-downloading service in the US to rival Apple's iTunes and other providers.
The software giant has released a preview version of MSN Music, which allows users legally to download songs for 99 cents (£0.55) each.

Whole albums will be available for $9.99. About 500,000 songs will be initially available, with more added on a weekly basis, Microsoft said.

It did not say when the service would be available outside the US.

Apple's iTunes is already available outside the US, competing with providers such as Napster.

"We are offering what we believe is the largest and highest quality catalogue of legal music on the internet," MSN vice president Yusuf Mehdi

How to download music

Microsoft's entry into the download market could herald a much wider take-up of download music, analysts say. The company also hopes its music service will draw more users to its web portal and thus enable it to increase advertising revenue.

Microsoft said it hoped to "bring digital music to the masses", and that it had "built a better service than the Apple service".

Tough chase?

MSN vice president Yusuf Mehdi said songs on MSN Music were encoded at a higher bit rate than Apple's standard format for iTunes, meaning that these songs should have better sound quality.

"[We are] offering what we believe is the largest and highest quality catalogue of legal music on the internet, available on the broadest selection of portable devices," he said.

Microsoft expects to launch the full version of MSN Music later this year.

Users will be able to access it through the company's MSN website and also the latest version of its Windows Music Player.

Analysts believe it will take Microsoft time to catch up with iTunes, saying users of Apple's service and other current providers of legal downloads are unlikely to switch.

"It's the people who haven't started doing music downloads yet who are most likely to get interested [in Microsoft's service]," said analyst Josh Bernoff of Forrester Research.

"They'll take the market from behind. It's not the leaders they'll go after, it's the followers."

DarkFury · 09-02-2004, 03:06 PM

Almost at the same time too.... but verve247 beat ya by a few minutes.

http://www.gotapex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78580 (MSN Music Store)

bachviet · 09-02-2004, 04:04 PM

Do the songs come with virus???

zippyjuan · 09-02-2004, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkFury

Almost at the same time too.... but verve247 beat ya by a few minutes.

http://www.gotapex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78580 (MSN Music Store)

Ah well. That's the way it goes some times!
I wonder if the Windows XP Service Pack 2 firewall will block downloads from there.

verve247 · 09-02-2004, 04:48 PM

Well at you have people posting in your thread.

09-02-2004, 02:25 PM	#1
zippyjuan Picture of the Day Guru Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Sunny San Diego Posts: 8,756	Microsoft launches iTunes rival Microsoft launches iTunes rival (Courtesy of the BBC) Microsoft has launched a music-downloading service in the US to rival Apple's iTunes and other providers. The software giant has released a preview version of MSN Music, which allows users legally to download songs for 99 cents (£0.55) each. Whole albums will be available for $9.99. About 500,000 songs will be initially available, with more added on a weekly basis, Microsoft said. It did not say when the service would be available outside the US. Apple's iTunes is already available outside the US, competing with providers such as Napster. "We are offering what we believe is the largest and highest quality catalogue of legal music on the internet," MSN vice president Yusuf Mehdi How to download music Microsoft's entry into the download market could herald a much wider take-up of download music, analysts say. The company also hopes its music service will draw more users to its web portal and thus enable it to increase advertising revenue. Microsoft said it hoped to "bring digital music to the masses", and that it had "built a better service than the Apple service". Tough chase? MSN vice president Yusuf Mehdi said songs on MSN Music were encoded at a higher bit rate than Apple's standard format for iTunes, meaning that these songs should have better sound quality. "[We are] offering what we believe is the largest and highest quality catalogue of legal music on the internet, available on the broadest selection of portable devices," he said. Microsoft expects to launch the full version of MSN Music later this year. Users will be able to access it through the company's MSN website and also the latest version of its Windows Music Player. Analysts believe it will take Microsoft time to catch up with iTunes, saying users of Apple's service and other current providers of legal downloads are unlikely to switch. "It's the people who haven't started doing music downloads yet who are most likely to get interested [in Microsoft's service]," said analyst Josh Bernoff of Forrester Research. "They'll take the market from behind. It's not the leaders they'll go after, it's the followers." __________________ I add new pictures to my photo gallery pretty regularly. You can see them here if you are interested: http://www.pbase.com/jeffryz

09-02-2004, 03:06 PM	#2
DarkFury Secretary of the Navy Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Chillin' N Da 'Hood Posts: 34,997	Almost at the same time too.... but verve247 beat ya by a few minutes. http://www.gotapex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78580 (MSN Music Store) __________________ DarkFury's Pimptopia - Don't Hate the Playa, Hate the Game! Home of the Original OG Pimp (accept NO imitations)

09-02-2004, 04:04 PM	#3
bachviet What's Da Pho*? Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: SoCal (714) Posts: 13,296	Do the songs come with virus??? __________________ Dell Dimension 9200 \| Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 (2.4GHz) \| 4x1GB DDR2 \| 256MB nVidia GeForce 8800GT Dell Studio 17 \| Intel Core i7-720QM (1.6GHz) \| 2x2GB DDR3 1066MHz \| 1GHz ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 Intel P4-C 3.0GHz \| ECS 865PE-A \| 3x512MB PC3200 \| 128MB PNY GeForce 6600GT

09-02-2004, 04:48 PM	#5
verve247 Commander Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: San Francisco Posts: 1,486	Well at you have people posting in your thread. __________________ Vegetarian - Old indian word meaning poor hunter.

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