This week Microsoft launched a preview version of MSN Music , a possible competitor to Apple ’s iTunes Music Store . The introduction of MSN Music has elicited a reply from Apple Computer Inc.
Microsoft ’s Windows - only servicing launches with 500,000 song from leading commercial-grade artists and independent label , though Microsoft said it ’s license a million songs — the same amount Apple noted the iTunes Music Store reached in former August . MSN Music leverages Windows Media Player 10 and Microsoft ’s own digital rights direction scheme . Microsoft also notes that MSN Music is compatible with more than 70 portable digital music thespian now on the market , though the iPod is not one of them .
While MSN Music is , to date , whole unproven , the service is seen as a major competitor to the iTunes Music Store . Microsoft ’s marketing muscle , its manoeuver system dominance in the personal data processor market and its long grasp with third party computer hardware makers are all seen as factor that favor Microsoft ’s prospicient - term winner . Microsoft also has a history of coming late to the biz with newfangled engineering but ultimately occupying a prevalent market placement .
Today , however , Apple is on top , with an estimate 70 percent contribution of the legitimate digital euphony download food market and a more than 50 percent market share of portable digital music players . These are point Apple wants people to recall . The company issue a statement to MacCentral regarding MSN Music ’s launch :
“ Today the score is : iTunes : 125 million songs downloaded Microsoft : 0 song download
“ The iTunes Music Store is currently sell over 16 million songs per month ( a rate of 200 million song per year ) . How many songs will Microsoft ’s new on-line music store sell during its first calendar month ?
“ compare to iTunes , Microsoft ’s music store presently offers only half the song and is missing many features , but its biggest problem may be that its download songs do not play on iPod , iPod mini , or the Apple iPod from HP — the creation ’s most democratic digital euphony player with over 50 percent market share . ”
