Sony BMG: We, too, might offer a music subscription service

Looks as if the battle for elbow room in the music subscription market could get a tiny bit tougher if Sony BMG Entertainment follows through on plans to offer its digital catalog to subscribers.

In a story published Monday, the company's CEO, Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper that Sony BMG is working on a subscription service that would in many ways resemble the one contemplated by Apple, which reportedly has been discussing such a service with the four major music labels.

The basics of the proposed Sony BMG plan would include unlimited access to the label's digital library for a flat monthly fee of $9 to $12, and compatibility with all music players, including Apple's iPod, Schmidt-Holtz said, adding that it was possible subscribers "could keep some songs indefinitely--that they would own them even after the subscription expired." Another possible feature of the service: downloads via mobile phone.

No word, though, on when the service might be launched.

[tekwiz4u]

Too late!

After all their lawyers went after their customers, rootkits protected CD's, DRM, and 6 YEARS RESISTING CHANGE?!!!!

Screw you Sony! You finally done it to yourself in losing loyalty. And now this music service. lol...a joke. At least try to get some our confidence back and just have your music in one place, which ultimatly is iTunes. They already have the customer base, marketing, and support to market your music.

Wake up!!!

[JimWetzel]

Not to worry --- Sony will screw it up!

Since the Walkman they have had failure after failure -- proprietary formats, PC invasive signatures and trying to charge to remove bloat ware. I have little confidence they will do any better here.

[jltnol]

how many..

subscriptions does Sony expect us to pay for?

One for each major record company? I just don't see that
happening under any circumstances.

[wyly295]

how many subs?

No kidding. I subscribe to Napster and already get Sony's catalog, and Warner's and Universal's and EMI's and thousands of independents...all for $15 a month and playable in my home, on my phone, on my portable player, in my car...why would anyone sign up for Sony's offering when they could have Napster? Why would anyone bother with any other way of getting music than through Napster? That's what I can't figure out.

[geo11101]

Eric Schmidt is the biggest Mafia puppet in the US. He is bad news for apple users. http://endmafia.com