Andre Yoskowitz
10 Sep 2009 17:15
In August, RealNetworks submitted their Rhapsody app to Apple's App Store, and today it has finally been approved, bringing the music subscription service to iPhone and iPod Touch users.
The approval marks the first time Apple has allowed an on-demand streaming service in the United States. Recently, the company approved of Spotify for European users.
Rhapsody subscribers have to pay $14.99 USD a month to get the unlimited streaming service, but the app itself will be free. The service has over 8 million tracks, and users will be able to stream wherever there is cell service or Wi-Fi.
The service will eventually be updated to cache songs for playback when there is no Internet available.
Adds Neil Smith, vice president of business management for Rhapsody America: The new app will "reach the iPod Touch and iPhone audience that was unavailable to us before."
Notably however, the songs will stream at a lowly 64 kbps, hardly "CD-quality."