MTV a ounced Tuesday that it is joining with Microsoft to build a new online music service that will be integrated into Microsoft's Windows Media Player. The new service, URGE, will not be compatible with iPods or Macs, according to Michael Garte erg of Jupiter Research. The A ociated Pre reports that URGE will offer more than two million tracks for individual download or by su cription. Pricing has not been disclosed. There are also pla for the service to offer online radio. MTV Networks will own and operate URGE, with Microsoft building the technology.
Although this sounds like a couple of the big boys teaming up to challenge A le, MTV's chief digital officer Jason Hirschhorn says URGE will not target iPod users.
"We think the iPod has done a great job. Our aim is not to switch people from iTunes and the iPod. We need to concentrate on where there's going to be a bigger market."
If URGE concentrates on attracting su cription users, it won't pose a direct challenge to A le's music services. A su cription service is like renting music. A listener pays a monthly fee to download music to a computer or a music player, but can't play the music when the su cription ru out. A le has avoided a su cription scheme in favor of popular individual downloads.
MTV has been promising to launch URGE for a while now, but the service ha 't yet materialized. Launch is now targeted for early next year, with more details expected at CES in January.
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