Comments on: MusicStation wants the planet, leaves US for iPhone

By: Rob Matthews

Rob Matthews — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 18:18:59 +0000

After looking at the Omnifone website and watching the demo video I think this is a very good product. No messing around having to down load to a PC first, the sound quality is as good as any ipod and for £1.99 a week a million songs. If you buy an iphone for 4/500 dollars that would cover several years of Music Station. My cell phone server sends me a new phone every year for free, so I will be signing up to Music Station as soon as I can. Just think of the hours playing with all the available music travelling to and from work. You can play the music though your car radio and hi-fi, instant songs no messing with PC's.

By: James

James — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 07:47:13 +0000

Please point me at a music subscription service that has succeeded. MusicStation are hoping for pigs to fly if they think that people will buy some other phone instead of the iPhone based on the strength of a download service alone.

I've yet to meet the person who has their music library on their cellphone instead of a dedicated device as well. iPod is proven, so people with cash will buy iPhone, just because its what they know.

Who is MusicStation? Burning through VC money and bankrupt in few months, thats who ;)

By: Martin Hill

Martin Hill — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 15:38:55 +0000

$182 per year for renting DRM-ed music that disappears when you stop paying?

A library of only 1 million songs compared to the 5 million+ on iTunes?

Omnifone themselves state that the average consumer only buys 6 songs a year ($6) and they reckon people will suddenly pony up megabucks for this hobbled solution?

They have got to be kidding!

Blackfriars’ has a good critique on the topic:
http://www.blackfriarsinc.com/blog/2007/06/musicstation-flat-rate-mobile-music

-Mart

By: mikhailovitch

mikhailovitch — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 14:59:23 +0000

You’re right, the payment option is clever ‘cos you’re going to be paying the phone bill anyway, it’s not a separate action to pay for your music, so some suckers will just go along with it without thinking. But it’s outrageously expensive compared to the way most users tse iTunes, you don’t own the music, and you’re tied to Omniphone for life if you want to keep the songs.
As a deal, it sucks.

By: Tom

Tom — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 06:05:53 +0000

The Omnifone announcement is just another spin on the rental music model, and will fail accordingly:

http://thesmallwave.blogspot.com/2007/06/ho-hum-another-day-another-subscription.html

By: brielgeek

brielgeek — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 21:07:31 +0000

http://tinyurl.com/2r7cu4
It’s here already!!! The iPhone and at great prices!!

By: Peekay

Peekay — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 19:43:56 +0000

What about Mercora? MusicStation (and the iPhone, by the way), have already been beaten to the "wireless music to your cell phone" punch by the "M" app from Mercora. You can get your music, your friend's...very cool features. I love it, and I'll stick with it over iPhone or MusicStation. Just my two cents.

By: charles373

charles373 — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 15:50:12 +0000

Hey! Would “Rob Lewis” (see comments) be the same Rob Lewis CEO of MusicStation/Omniphone? http://www.omnifone.com/Downloads/Rob_Lewis_Downloads/DSC_0024.jpg

By: Tim Meyer

Tim Meyer — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 12:50:02 +0000

Network operators are too much focused on trying to create value through instant connectivity (what they perceive as their value add and point of control) and not enough in understanding the difference between consumption and discovery. What Apple understands better thatn the carriers is that discovery and browsing are better done with a large screen and keep innovating and ingraining those habits (e.g. coverflow).

So I think the iTunes model of syncing is what will keep the iPhone/iPod selling in spite of Musicstation.

By: Rob Lewis

Rob Lewis — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 11:53:37 +0000

MusicStation actually leaves US for Didiom's mobile music marketplace. I downloaded their application (free) a few weeks ago and just couldn't believe my eyes. Their UI is very cool. Not to mention their bidding functionality.

By: gabriele

gabriele — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 09:49:13 +0000

I think MusicStation will not have success, due to its perverted business model: you pay 3.50 each week and whanever you close your contract with Omnifone you loose your playlist. So the point is this: are you ready to pay for the rest of your life 15dollar fro you music?? It’s aboout 180 dollar per year…instead of buy your song (permanently) and tranfer them on your mobile…If they transform the rent policy to the more realistic property model iTunes will starve (don’t know iPhone, but iTunes certainly yes).
Sorry for my bad english…
an italian reader

By: Thomas Knuewer

Thomas Knuewer — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 08:47:23 +0000

You’re falling for their pr if you really believe someone wouldn’t buy the Iphone because on different phone there’s Musicstation. This suggests that people buy the Iphone purely as an Ipod you can make calls with.
And: Musicstation is way too expensive. And: There are a lot of programmes pre-installed on European mobiles. Problem is: the majoritiy of useres doesn’t care.
Finally: Will Musicstation really close itself from the Iphone? Or won’t they be eager to get on there as well?