Nokia's Comes with Music revenue to be shared with operators

Remember Nokia's Comes with Music (CWM) service? The service which includes a full year of free DRM'd music downloads with the purchase of a CWM cellphone. Up to this point, Nokia has refused to comment on the financial details of the service. Important since "free" is expected to be anything but free with those music costs tucked neatly into the price of the handset, the carrier's data plan, or both. In an interview published by Bloomberg, Tero Ojanpera, Nokia Executive VP, discussed CWM and says that, "In those cases where we cooperate with operators, there will be an arrangement so they can get a piece." Something previously hinted at by Nokia's CEO back in December. Still no word on who, beyond Universal, will offer their music on the new service or how much the new bundled handsets will cost. Ojanpera did repeat that CWM won't be available on existing Nokia devices. For its part, Universal says that DRM is a definite component of the service -- a possible deal-breaker if that DRM limits your CWM downloads to a single handset and PC for eternity.

[Tombio @ Jan 28th 2008 7:17AM]

Nokia makes me soooo proud to be from Finland.. ;)

[Reader @ Jan 28th 2008 8:04AM]

Wow, always assumed Nokia was Japanese... Learn something new everyday on Engadget.

[Mobius_1 @ Jan 28th 2008 10:00AM]

And the KIRF series often make me wanna hide my nationality... (take a wild guess if you don't get me)

[Fernando @ Jan 28th 2008 7:30AM]

What?! DRM? I want my money back!

...oh wait.

srsly, engadget bashing CWM is the stupidest move ever.

[gerbick @ Jan 28th 2008 7:49AM]

I still don't see how this would ultimately work. However, if they manage to pull this off, at least the money would be shared instead of what seems to be some serious back-bending for Apple by AT&T.

[amby @ Jan 28th 2008 8:03AM]

Having DRM for 1-2 million songs and being able to use it on your phone and your PC, just by buying a phone (300-400 USD or free with some carriers) is very big deal. You can buy 500 DRM-free songs only from that money!

Two points for consideration to Engadget:
1. Steve Jobs says that nobody would be interested in music subscription, so they do not even try. _This is the test_ to see if he is right or ... well.

2. Every week there are cheerful news of iPhone jailbreak and custom apps - and Engadget is happyly serving those. So, why aren't you happy? I'm quite sure someone will free those poor DRM-ed songs, so everyone can play it on more phones and PCs. (Equal treatment, anyone?)

There are many things which Nokia does poorly. But CWM is a possible industry-changing move. Alternatives are good (unless you work for Apple, selling iTunes tracks ;-)

[bondsbw @ Jan 28th 2008 8:50AM]

Well, this isn't really a music subscription. It's better in that people get to keep their music forever (as claimed, I'm still waiting for the catch). SJ says expiring music subscriptions don't work... obviously, iTunes is based on keeping your music forever, and I don't know that Apple wouldn't embrace a CWM-like subscription.

[roole @ Jan 28th 2008 9:36AM]

(Chuckle....) CWM? Wow, this thread is hopping, ain't it?

And, sure enough, if the story has remotely something do with a sphere in which Apple competes, the posts end up becoming about Apple (usually anti-). Despite the fact that Apple may not even be the point of the story.

Gosh, what do people in places like Nokia have to do get some respect!?

Btw, you've go to love this: "Ovi. Comes With Music."