eMusic and AT&T
So eMusic and AT&T have launched a new service where AT&T mobile subscribers (without an iPhone) can download from eMusic.
The new deal will cost $7.49 a month for access to five songs, and browsing and downloading can both take place directly on the phone.
Problems, problems, problems. $1.50 a track is still way too much, especially since eMusic users can download tracks to their PCs for a fraction of that amount. To their credit, eMusic will allow the subscribers to download those same five tracks to their PCs for no cost.
I’m a heavy user of eMusic and very happy with their service, mainly because of the great selection of DRM-free music. But even if I was an AT&T subscriber, I wouldn’t find this offering attractive.
Cell phones are slowly subsuming the role of all your personal gadgets: PDA, camera, and MP3 player. For the later, I don’t want to my MP3 player to be limited just because it has a cellular interface. I should be able to sync it to my MP3 collection on my PC via USB, Bluetooth, etc. Why use the thin pipe of cellular data when a better solution already exists?
Cellular operators have made a lot of money with ringtones, which is fine. However I don’t see that model applying to MP3s in general.