Electronics giant Sony has jumped into the online music fray with a new download service similar to those from Apple and others, but linked to its Walkman music players.
The Japanese firm formally launched Connect.com on Tuesday, offering song downloads for 99 United States cents in a tie-up with United Airlines, which will allow customers to redeem miles for music.
The new service has licensed more than 500 000 tracks not only from the Sony label but from the other major and independent music labels.
The service uses a different technical format than those used by Apple, RealNetworks and others that employ the Microsoft Windows Media Audio system. The Sony store will feature ATRAC3 audio compression that is also used on its Walkman players.
This is a strategy similar to that of Apple, which uses its own format for online music and for its iPod portable music devices.
Users may play the downloaded songs an unlimited number of times on up to three personal computers and transfer the songs on to portable music devices and media that are compatible with the store. In addition, users may ”burn” up to 10 CDs.
Sony at the same time launched a new line of Walkman players known as Hi-MD for digital music. Sony has sold more than 2,5-million Walkman-branded devices that are already compatible with the store. — Sapa-AFP