Nokia intros Music Store

Part of its new "Ovi" initiative of online mobile services, Nokia has announced its Music Store service today. Offering up a feature that seems like a perfect (if not obvious) use for HSDPA speeds on handsets, Music Store will offer seamless over-the-air music purchases and downloads directly from handsets combined with automatic two-way synchronization to the host PC. Other features include dynamic music recommendations and a "Mix Me" feature for creating playlists of recommended songs based on genre preferences. The192Kbps (DRM protected, only) WMA tracks will run €1 (about $1.36) with entire albums starting at €10 ($13.66); PC streaming will also be available for €10 a month. Look for it in Europe before the year's out, expanding to other markets thereafter.

Gallery: Nokia intros Music Store

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[Joe @ Aug 29th 2007 7:50AM]

If Apple don't announce iPods that have over-the-air iTunes on 5th September, they're going to have some serious problems maintaining market share...

[Mr eel @ Aug 29th 2007 9:22AM]

Sorry but no. It's not the features, it's not even the price. It's how reliable and easy it is to use. Nokia are slightly better than most, but Apple are so far ahead of them in this respect.

Also, despite what a minority think, over-the-air music shopping isn't in high demand.

It's also bloody expensive. Folk will pay a premium if they think it's worth it, but with data-charges mixed in, this pricing looks like gouging.

[Admiral @ Aug 29th 2007 8:42AM]

I just saw an interview with Nokia's CEO and he said that their strategy is based on openness. I assumed that 'open' meant 'no DRM'. WMA DRM is by no means open. Fairplay allows me to view on my ipod, iphone, apple tv and various Macs (and if I burn to CD, to any CD player). WMA DRM allows me to play the song on my N80...and my...well that's it! I don't own windows, I dont own a zune, I don't own another WMA player - sooooo....how exactly is it open?

[ernest @ Aug 29th 2007 10:12AM]

Another blind Apple-fanboy. It is not any more or less open than Fairplay. Just because you happen to bend over for Steve Jobs and own every single Apple-product, and thus be able to play Fairplay songs on your computer and iPod doesn't mean that Fairplay would be any more open. Fairplay and Windows DRM are exactly the same shit. For your personal use Apple Fairplay might be better but don't arrogantly try to say it's any better than WMA DRM just because you have a couple Apple devices.

[Admiral @ Aug 29th 2007 10:30AM]

Actually I am not claiming that fairplay is better than WMA DRM. I am taking issue with the CEO's comments that Nokia is going the 'open route'. For my use, fairplay is OK. I don't purchase any music from iTunes, but if I did I already own an iPod, I own a Mac, and on my windows machine I use iTunes - so it wouldn't be a problem. With WMA DRM, I can't use anything I may buy on my Nokia phone on my mac - period.

If nokia is going for open, then let them go DRM-free.

[Constable Odo @ Aug 29th 2007 9:24AM]

Why is it so important to have over the air music downloads? Instant gratification or something? You can't wait a few hours or so of time to get new music on your cellphone? People for years have had to go to a store to buy music. Nobody is going to die from waiting to get the latest song. If Apple loses market share from their download model, then so be it. I prefer their computer link model and I hope they stick with it. I don't constantly add to my music collection on a daily basis so I docking to a computer is fine for me.

[vrn @ Aug 29th 2007 5:46PM]

It has little to do with instant gratification. To get an idea of what Nokia wants to do you have to pay attention to their marketing: "N95 - It's what computers have become." They want you to give up your desktop and laptop computers and make your phone your computer. In order to do so, the ecosystem has to support it. That includes having a music store that's accessible on the go.

[Scott @ Aug 29th 2007 9:29AM]

Why would someone pay MORE for a song/album than what they can buy in the store or download on a PC, given that either of those two options let you ALSO put the music on your mobile device, but the reverse isn't true?

This reminds me of paying for bottled water from a store when your tap at home produces water near free, is much more regulated, and often bottled water is from a municipal supply anyway!

[contreras @ Aug 29th 2007 1:50PM]

Songs over the air are a must. That's exactly the step between buying cd's on a store, and buy them in iTunes. You don't have to go to the store anymore. With music over the air, whenever and whereever you are you can do it. It happened to me a thousand times, that I remembered an old tune, and wanted to get that song. But once at home, I forgot it again... This is freedom. At least to me :o)

[hasam @ Oct 5th 2007 12:17PM]

my nokia 5300 music player does not work it says "Cannot create media player.(DRMException:3 java.microedition....."error in audio
can anyone help me