Andre Yoskowitz
23 Jan 2009 21:04
Microsoft has announced the launch of MSN Mobile Music in the UK, a service that will allow users to buy and download music directly to their mobile phones.
However, going against the trend, Microsoft has added crippling DRM to the tracks, as well as raised the price to above even what Apple charges on iTunes.
In an interview with PCPro, Hugh Griffiths, Head of Mobile at Microsoft UK answered a few tough questions as to why Microsoft made such an anti-consumer service.
From the interview:
With the likes of iTunes and Amazon offering DRM-free music that you can play on any device, why would anyone choose the MSN Mobile service?
There may well be people who just want to listen to the track on their mobile alone.
They can do that with iTunes and Amazon.
We will see what the outcome of this is. We'll see whether customers find it an acceptable proposition or not. We've been encouraged by the results in the first couple of weeks. It's ultimately down to consumer choice. We'd like to have offered a fuller service, we weren't in a position to do so for a number of reasons.
The fee for downloading tracks - £1.50 - is relatively high compared to 79p on iTunes and less than that on certain Amazon tracks. Why is that?
We're constantly reviewing our pricing and if we feel this price point is incorrect, we'll look to amend it.
If I buy these songs on your service - and they're locked to my phone - what happens when I upgrade my phone in six months' time?
Well, I think you know the answer to that.
Well done Microsoft, you have created a service that is guaranteed to fail.