Verizon Wireless, MTV Networks and RealNetworks have announced a new partnership and a new company called Rhapsody America that will offer a single, integrated digital music experience that consumers can access via their PC, portable music device or mobile phone. Rhapsody America will use Verizon’s V CAST as its mobile platform. This likely means the end of the URGE Service that MTV launched last year with MTV.
Starting today, URGE customers can log into Rhapsody with their existing credentials. Meanwhile, Rhapsody customers get access to MTV programming. In the months ahead, Verizon Wireless will also deploy a service that sends any song purchased over the air directly to a customer’s Rhapsody account. The service will also allow transfer of subscription music from a Rhapsody account to a mobile phone.
Meanwhile, Wal-Mart announced that it has begun to sell music free of copy protection on its website. The DRM-free catalog includes music from Universal Music Group and EMI Group. Songs are sold in MP3 format for US$0.94 per track or US$9.22 per album.
The competition against Apple ITunes is definitely heating up!