Sony brings music streaming iTunes challenger to U.S.

By Adam Rosenberg February 17, 2011

As app developers bridle over Apple’s introduction of a subscription service earlier this week, Sony and several of its music industry partners are preparing to bring their streaming iTunes competitor Music Unlimited powered by Qrirocity (maybe you guys should cut that down to “Music Unlimited”?) to the United States. The plan is to debut the service in nine more countries before the end of 2011, Bloomberg reports.

Accessing the Music Unlimited website from the U.S. currently opens up a “Sorry, this service is not available in your country/region” page, but an FAQ indicates that users will be able to sign in using their existing PlayStation Network account. Music Unlimited launched in September 2010, and is currently available in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. A U.S. introduction was hinted at last week, along with the implication from a Sony exec that the broadened availability could see an eventual removal of the company’s music catalog from Apple’s iTunes.

Music Unlimited brings Sony Music Entertainment together with Universal Music Group, EMI Music and Warner Music Group Corp. to offer more than 6 million songs, as well as (according to the FAQ) streaming SD, HD and 3D movie rentals that come with a 30-day watch window. The service is available on multiple devices, including PlayStation 3, Blu-ray players, Bravia televisions and PCs, and a subscription costs $3.99 per month. In a surprising move, Sony also revealed plans to support assorted iDevices “and other mobile products” later this year, though no comment was offered on how or if Apple’s new subscription policies.

The new policy gives the iOS developer a 30 percent cut of all in-app subscription sales and requires the addition of a Subscribe button to all relevant App Store products. Apps are also no longer allowed to link out to web-based store pages, as Kindle does with Amazon. Consumers can still make their purchases outside the app of course; the difference now is that the app won’t be able to send you directly where you need to go.

Topics

Apple
Sony

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…

Computing

The best laptops for music production, chosen by experts

best laptops for music production

The world has gone pretty far when it comes to the processing power that we carry around with us, and if you're big into music production, then you're the luckiest of all. Some of the best laptops on the market have high-end CPUs for relatively low prices, which means that if you want to do music production on a laptop, you have a huge number of choices. Of course, that does also mean that it can be hard to navigate and pick the best laptop for your budget and needs, which is why we've done the legwork for you. We've collected our favorite picks below in various categories so that you can pick them with ease. Plus, we've even thrown in a quick guide on what to look for so that if you don't find what you want here, you can check out these other laptop deals for alternatives.
The Best Laptops for Music Production

Best overall laptop for music production:
Best Windows device for music production:
Best portable laptop for music production:
Best large-screen laptop for music production:
Best for 2-in-1 laptop for music production:

Audio / Video

The most common Spotify problems and how to fix them

How to fix common Spotify problems

At any given time, Spotify is probably the most popular music streaming service with countless listeners tuning in to songs, stand-up, podcasts, and even audiobooks. However, between an AI-driven DJ and clients for iOS, Android, and PC, a lot of things can go wrong with the entertainment system. And that's not even including problems with your iPhone or headphones.

To make sure you get to spend as much time as possible listening and as little time as possible sorting through errors, we're providing expert tips and tricks for the most common Spotify problems. Everything from the app simply not working to aspects of Spotify glitching out. Is your Spotify not working? Try these fixes and see if your problem gets better.

Music

How to add family members to your Apple Music subscription

Apple Music Browse screen.

Apple Music is one of the go-to streaming services for all things melodic and melody-adjacent. Hosting over 88,000 million subscribers globally and featuring upwards of 100 million tracks from the leading artists of today, Spotify's nemesis has plenty to love.

If you're a new subscriber, Apple Music gives you a break-in period of one free months of service. After the trial period, memberships are billed on a monthly or yearly cycle with the most popular Individual plan coming it at $11 per month / $109 per year. While that's on par with the average cost for other music streamers, saving a buck here or there is never a bad thing. While college students can get Apple Music for $6/month, another way to save on your subscription is with an Apple Music family plan for $17 per month.