Verizon Sells Mp3s Online
By Morelli
Telecommunications giant Verizon Wireless has announced today that it is adding more than 5 million mp3s to its online media store. The mp3s will be playable on any device, and therefore without digital rights management (DRM) restrictions. Mike Lanman, vice president and chief marketing officer of Verizon Wireless, said:
“Being the first wireless company to add MP3s to our online media store gives our customers a one-stop shopping experience for all kinds of music — ringtones and ringback tones and now MP3s. We have long led in mobile music, and together with the new pricing options we will continue to set the standard for the industry.”
Tuesday April 7, Verizon will offer several different prices for mp3s purchased online, 69 cents for most classic catalog releases, 99 cents for most major contemporary releases and $1.29 for new releases and best-selling releases. Very similar to iTunes’ tiered pricing.
Verizon is the first telecommunications company in the US to add mp3s its online media store, but perhaps music downloads aren’t the future of the industry, given the rising popularity of streaming services. Verizon is looking to be a direct competitor with iTunes, and the lack of DRM will certainly give an advantage.
On the downside, it seems that pricing isn’t going down, and with so many available music services vying for market share, mp3s probably shouldn’t be so expensive. Should Apple be afraid of the new contender?
