RealNetworks may just succeed in challenging Napster’s monopoly on the subscription music service industry with their next move: Rhapsody 25. This new software has a three pricing tier and includes a free version that offers 25 songs for free each month.
Users who download the software can select and listen to, but not download, 25 songs from the online store’s music library of 1 million tracks. The new software allows subscribers to also transfer songs to portable devices.
The Rhapsody programme was developed from the Listen.com service that RealNetworks bought in April 2003.
Rhapsody’ free 25-songs feature is seen as a challenge also to Apple Computer’s iTunes Music Store which charges 99-cents per download. Downloading 25 songs from iTunes would cost you $24.75, whereas you would be able to select and listen to the same number of songs for free when you subscribe to Rhapsody. The only difference is – you don't get to own the songs. Apple currently dominates the music downloading business with its combination of iTunes music management software and the digital portable player iPod. The company is expected to launch an upgraded iPod product in June.
Real expect their new offering to persuade more consumers to try the standard Rhapsody service, which, for $10 a month, allows subscribers unlimited music subscription. The service already has one million subscribers. For another $5 a month, (the service ‘Rhapsody To Go’) users will be able to transfer an unlimited number of songs to certain portable devices.
In order to make the offering portable, Rhapsody is being supported by Janus technology from Microsoft. Janus is a digital rights management software that bans songs from playing on portable devices if payment for the service stops. Rhapsody subscribers would have to own portable music players that have the Janus technology supporting it. A few such portable media centers, made by Creative iLabs, iRiver and Samsung, are available in the market.
Some market experts think the portable player service will see some interest only in the holiday season, chiefly because very few devices are compatible to Rhapsody’s offerings. Besides, the technology on those devices is not satisfactory. That may be the reason why Real is underplaying its portability offer now. Apple’s iPod is currently very popular and Rhapsody To Go isn’t compatible with it.
However, the free service just might be able to lure people who in the past have been averse to the idea of paying a subscription fee. A spokesman for Real expressed optimism “Once consumers try out Rhapsody they will be able to see that paying the monthly fee is really worth it.”
