The timing may be a bit of a surprise but the launch of a new music service from Yahoo has been expected for months. The service uses Windows DRM for licensing. The beta version of Yahoo! Music Unlimited is priced to undercut the competition with introductory rates of $4.99 a month for an annual subscription (about $60) or $6.99 monthly (about $84). By comparison, Real’s Rhapsody Unlimited is $9.99 while Rhapsody To Go runs $14.99. Yahoo Music GM David Goldberg told the Journal (sub. req.)the pricing was an incentive to get consumers to try the unfamiliar model. Some other details:
– Users will be able to browse and listen to friends’ collections of subscription music and playlists via Yahoo Messenger
– Yahoo, like Real, is offering music management software, the Yahoo Music Engine.
– Also like Real, Yahoo Music Unlimited users will be able to create personalized homepages and online music communities.
– A premium version of Yahoo’s radio service, LaunchCast, with 150-plus pre-programmed stations is included.
– Musicmatch On Demand subs get a fee reduction, with prices dropping to $6.99 monthly, $5.99 quarterly and $4.99 annually. The two eventually will be combined.
– Gracenote and MusicNet are the two companeis involved with the launch: Gracenote is powering the music recognition system within the new service; MusicNet is providing several “key technological and programming components”…
Update:Dave Goldberg filled in some more details during our interview:
– The subscription covers three PCs and two “Plays For Sure” devices for downloads; subscribers can acces their library and listen to streaming music from any PC.
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