According to FT.com, Sony are poised to announce a rival digital service to compete against Apple’s iTunes/App Store dominance in the online market. Set for a big reveal at the IFA Technology Tradeshow in Berlin today, Sony are allegedly currently in the process of signing content providers for its new digital network. The service would launch sometime next year.
FT are also claiming that, according to their sources, Sony are expected to use the PlayStation 3 as the hub for the new streaming service, with the ultimate goal of connecting multiple devices such as Vaio computers, Bravia TVs, other Blu-ray players and mobile phones together forming an interconnected media nexus available to all Sony consumers.
The FT also remind us that Sony acquired Gracenote for $260m in 2008, a service that enables tracking and identification of music files across multiple devices. It’s understood that this technology could be a cornerstone of the new media service.
Source: FT.com via The Register
TheShepanator
They will have a hard time competing with apple, for a start they need to rival apple’s library of 8 million songs.
3shirts
That’s all good but most of Sony’s products are more overpriced even than Apple!
CircleOfFire
You are incorrect, that is all.
Charmed_Fanatic
Overpriced then Apple … what planet you on?
scavenga
Considering what you get for your buck, I do agree with 3shirts
Uhyve
Looking at similar Vaio and MacBook prices… Both significantly overpriced but, I don’t think so.
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/223797 Vaio – Core i7-620M 2.66GHz – £2046
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/222906 MacBook – Core i7-620M 2.66GHz – £2407
If you look for others, there is a pretty clear trend. MP3 players are pretty much the same price, App support is pretty cool though, so I would (and did) buy an iPod Touch over a Walkman… though having to use iTune is a pretty massive con (if you’re using Windows, especially if you’ve seen how nicely the Mac version works, it’s ridiculous).
Mr_writer
Hmmm unless songs a good few pence cheaper it’s pointless. And the ability to be able to move you songs so they work with i-tunes (so I can add them to my i-pod) then I can’t see it being that big a deal for me.
bajere
It will be a multi platform deal… so you can buy a film/album on your TV, then just use the same account details on your PS3, PSP, laptop or mobile phone and watch the same film/album.from what i understand of Gracenote tech. I would guess i-tunes would just take an update or Sony will just patch ipod compatibility into its own software, then its an import all library button click.job done.
All sounds good to me, but i do feel they will need to offer something great in price to beat Apple. Which all the Sony films and songs should be able to do
cc_star
Its just Sony tech that can connect to the music service, so nothing I’ve seen leads me to believe it will work with the MP3 player most people already own. So I wouldn’t worry about itunes or anything.
It sounds similar to Carphone Warehouse MyHub except far more limited as it says only accessible from you living room – PS3, Blu-ray player or Bravia TV and presumably a select few Sony phones.
What Carphone’s MyHub does is manage your music collection locally (kinda like iTunes) but uplaods a list of what you own ‘in the cloud’
If you want to access your music collection from any phone or from anywhere you can log on to the cloud then it ‘streams’ a copy of your collection to whatever device you want. Its called Music Anywhere and its a great tech.
This seems to be nothing like that.
kevatron400
Exciting new moves, but will it pan out? Apple’s gotta be a pretty solid end-boss.
deezoned
… Indeed, and it will be an instant Platinum if defeated ;)
Bilbo_bobbins
nice work Sony, this will be good competition for both.
dandan123
could it be the new psp-phone announcement at last? or wait they going to save that for TGS?
Dazbobaby
God nooooo. Not another DRM service.
At least the PS3 is capable of 7.1 DTS sound and HD video, so Sony could offer a very good sound and video MUSIC service.
dandan123
it myt be the trademark which siliconera found few months back
“PlayVeiw”
cc_star
Appreciate the competition, it will hopefully be good for everybody, but Sony have been here several times before.
So it will be interesting to see if they can make it compelling or if it will fade into oblivion like their previous media endeavours.
Danza Di Fuoco E Ghiaccio
If I can download heavy metal from various labels like Nuclear Blast and Earache from the Playstation 3. Then that would be welcomed