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RealNetworks and Sprint to stream music

19 September 2005 21:11 by James "Dela" Delahunty | 4 comments

RealNetworks and Sprint are to work together to compete with the iTunes phone that was unveiled by Apple earlier this month -- Rhapsody Radio. In order to compete the pair have moved one tiny step closer to the ultimate goal; music downloads over cellular networks. That's one problem with the Motorola ROKR phone for many people, it lacks the ability to download tracks over the air and still relies on a PC and music purchases over the Internet.

So how did RealNetworks and Sprint work together to compete with the iTunes phone? Firstly live music can be streamed over the air in a radio-type format to some subscribers. In some cases, subscribers wont need a new phone and will not need to have lots of storage capacity for music. The iTunes phone, launched by Cingular Wireless is limited to 100 tracks.

"The great thing about Streaming is that there's no memory requirement," said Kevin Nakao, RealNetworks' general manager of mobile services. "There's not a lot of handsets with memory out there. This is an easy and convenient way for customers to get and hear the music." The Rhapsody Radio service is similar to a service offered by RealNetworks to PC users, allowing them to listen to a selection of music channels. The mobile version will allow access to music channels, podcasts, music news and videos.

Source:
The Seattle Times

Permalink to this article

Microsoft and MTV team up - RealNetworks shares fall (15 December 2005)

RealNetworks will offer web-based Rhapsody (5 December 2005)

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Discuss this article!
handieeee (Newbie) 20 September 2005 8:32
What I would like is the ability to listen to the music that I have on my computer, using my phone to connect to it through sprint's network. [ + quote]
Ryanm1311 (Newbie) 22 September 2005 6:44
'What I would like is the ability to listen to the music that I have on my computer, using my phone to connect to it through sprint's network. ' Nice idea would be better than what they trying to do, but that sort of steraming will cost a bundle on your cell bill at month end!! great idea but personally i dont think it will work, take for example, in london on the tube listening to some great tune, then baam dead, why NO SIGNAL!!! great stuff then what sit there listening to the tube making its usual racket!! music on the phone i recon would be the way to go!! [ + quote]
DjChubbs (Inactive) 24 September 2005 8:34
Tight I Work For Sprint & This Only Means One Thing To Me.................Employee Discounts Yeaaaaaaaaa..... [ + quote]
QuirkyOne (Newbie) 27 September 2005 4:15
Don't cellphone batteries die quickly enough as it is? As if we need MORE things to do with them! :) But seriously though, I almost thought I wanted a music phone badly enough to wait for them ... but then I realized my existing handset was dying of old age, and I really just wanted a colour screen and a ringer that could yell at me. [ + quote]