Sony Launches iTunes Rival

Posted on 02. Sep, 2010 by Dahlia Lithwick in Business, Headlines, Technology

Sony Launches iTunes Rival – Sony has launched a new music and video download services as it gears up to challenge Apple’s iTunes. An announcement was made at the IFA technology fair in Berlin, which is also timed to coincide with an Apple media event in the United States.

The cloud-based service is going to be available on PlayStation 3s, Bravia TVs, Blu-Ray players and Sony’s personal computers. Initially it will provide movies. Music will then be added at the end of the year.

Since April this year, Sony’s online services platform Qriocity has offered video-on-demand in the United States, however, it will now also be available in Europe. At the end of the year, the Music Unlimited service will be due and it will provide users access to millions of songs.

According to the president of Sony Europe, Fujio Nishida, Via Qriocity-Sony will deliver a variety of digital entertainment content and services that includes video, music, game applications and e-books over time. It is not the first time that Sony has tried to break into the digital music market.

In 2004, Sony had launched an online music download service in the United States called Connect. However, it did not become popular with consumers and the company pulled the plug on it in 2007.
In countries like New Zealand and Australia, Sony had been trailing another music service called bandit.fm, which allows users to stream unlimited music for a fixed cost.
Meanwhile, details with regard to Sony’s latest service and the costs have yet to be announced.

Tags: iTunes Rival, Sony