Nokia: our Comes with Music service is not Universal's Total Music

Remember Nokia's utopian / not-so-free and crippled "free" Comes with Music offering? We've been in contact with Nokia who'd like to clarify the service. According to Nokia, Comes with Music is, "completely independent from the Universal music store." Nokia further distances themselves by stating that, "Universal was simply the first of these to publicly sign on. The fact that there are some similarities shows how the industry is thinking about the future of digital music - but its not a sign of any direct linkage between the offerings." So, now we know what it isn't, but we still don't know exactly what it is. Regardless, anything can happen between now and the launch in "mid 2008" -- an eternity on a digital music evolution timeline. Perhaps the lack of detail is Nokia's way of farming public opinion before the details are announced. Wouldn't be a first.

[mv @ Dec 7th 2007 3:38AM]

"lack of detail is Nokia's way of farming public opinion before the details are announced...."

If they read most of the sites that report these kind of stories the public want drm free, high quality bit rate, not wma, lower cost music & seamless integration between device and pc. Oh and some detail on how the thing actually works would stop false info spreading around the net causing a poor customer experience before the thing has even launched!

Why do companies announce new services / products with min detail months in advance, apple can stand up announce a product / service and its there waiting for you.....

[Blackster @ Dec 7th 2007 5:37AM]

because apple-fanboys will start flocking the store the minute it's released, no matter how expensive it might be!

normal users take their time, so promotional work in advance is the key :-p

[Canman99 @ Dec 7th 2007 9:40AM]

Well said. High bit rate without DRM would make many people much more happy.

[Andrew @ Dec 7th 2007 3:52AM]

Enough of the subscription service and crazy DRM schemes.

Universal needs to sign a long term contract on iTunes and Nokia needs to focus on improving their cell phone software and hardware

[Jonathan Bergeron @ Dec 7th 2007 10:02AM]

screw iTunes. subscription music is where it's at. all of the popular PMPs have third party home theater and car stereo hookups; so there's no point in using any other musical device.
iTunes has you pay for every freakin song. for what? so you can burn the songs onto a cd? why are you still using CDs if you have a PMP; pay $25 a get that stereo hookup.

[sjdurfey @ Dec 7th 2007 10:57AM]

@Jonathon

subscription music is only ok if you're planning on paying for the music every single month. you never own anything. you just pay to rent the music and have it locked to a device. its a complete waste of money IMO.

[tamoghno @ Dec 8th 2007 4:14AM]

subscription music is no way cheap. they have the worst DRM, often need special player. but the worst of all is we give around $15 per month to get subscription music , now how many really nice songs you hear every month ? how many songs are worth downloading of them ? if you spend $15 a month on itunes, you get decent number of music ,that you actually own. & you dont have to beg iTunes forever to listen to those music .

[Skullfighter @ Dec 11th 2007 7:25PM]

@Tamhogho
No, you just have to beg iTunes to let you use your music on anything besides an iPod or 5 computers.

iTunes ~ "We're sorry, your music is locked because you have used it on 5 computers. Buy our DRM free for another $3"

[johnny5 @ Dec 10th 2007 7:03PM]

Skullfighter:
As of October, the DRM free music costs exactly the same as the rest. Subscription music is restricted, too, y'know.

[Richard Barrs @ Dec 11th 2007 7:38PM]

@ Johnny5

Thank you. I did not know that.

The last time I used iTunes, they had released a major update which corrupted my library. Thousands of organized playlists down the tube. Now I use M3U and WMP.

Call me bitter after losing hours of organization in a 30 second update.

[kevink @ Dec 7th 2007 4:15AM]

nice way to cya nokia

[CapnVan @ Dec 7th 2007 5:10AM]

I'm just a little at a loss as to how many labels they're planning on signing up. Engadget reported that they'll be paying Universal $5/month for that catalog. At $60/year *per* label, profit margins on this are gonna drop awfully fast.

[amby @ Dec 7th 2007 7:21AM]

That 5USD/month was only Engadget's assumption, nothing more.

[Jonathan Bergeron @ Dec 7th 2007 9:58AM]

So couldn't Nokia get in trouble for initially telling everyone that their music is "free, no strings attached"? Or did Engadget jump the gun on Nokia's press release?

[contreras @ Dec 7th 2007 1:27PM]

They are not contracts behind, and if there is a fee for that, you will have to judge it. You will go to the Nokia store, ask for a phone, they will give you a price and will tell you "by the way, it includes 1 year of free downloads of tunes (DRM'd) which you may use"...

...Then you will analize the price and say: "the price is too expensive, it must be the universal music store fee! engadget was right! this guys are trying to steal me! no way m... f...!!!"...

...Or you will say: "cool, the price is what I expected for this unlocked phone, so I will take it, and maybe will download some FREE music"

Engadget jumped the gun on Nokia's press release... for the third time in 2 days.