NEWS / WINDOWS

Napster Rolls Out All-MP3 Download Store

20 May, 2008, 12:11 pm IST | by AP | Windows

Napster Inc. begins selling MP3s today, a move the online music service hopes will lure iPod users and turn around Napster's sliding fortunes.

The company is the latest to make the switch to the unrestricted file format, which makes it music tracks compatible with virtually any music player or other device.

"It's great that we have finally gotten here," said Chris Gorog, Napster's chairman and chief executive. "It is really the beginning of a level playing field, which I think is essential for Napster, but also for the health of the digital music business in general."

Tracks downloaded as part of Napster's subscription service will continue to have copyright restrictions.

Amazon.com is the only other retailer offering MP3 downloads from all the major record labels.

Napster MP3s will be priced at 99 cents each, while full-album downloads will start at $9.95, the company said.

Napster might have a better shot competing against Amazon, which isn't solely focused on selling music downloads.

"Napster's brand and focus on the medium should give it an advantage," Enderle said.

Gorog said Napster plans to differentiate itself from rivals through a modest marketing campaign that emphasizes it has the biggest catalog of music licensed for downloads.

Napster boasts a catalog of more than 6 million tracks. Amazon says its catalog exceeds 5 million tracks.

Los Angeles-based Napster, which first disclosed its plan to shift to MP3s earlier this year, is also betting that an all-MP3 download store will entice some buyers to sign up for its all-you-can-eat music subscription offerings - the firm's bread and butter.

Napster recently said it had about 760,000 subscribers as of March 31.
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