Tech Shout!

Napster has revealed that it is in the works of shifting the complete download sales catalog on its renowned PC service to the MP3 format by Q2 of 2008. With this new change, all single track and album sales will be made available ONLY and ONLY in the MP3 format, which will support practically all MP3 players and music phones worldwide, including the latest hot favorite iPod and iPhone by Apple.

Very soon, all users of Napster’s Online download store and Napster’s subscription offerings Napster and Napster To Go will get an opportunity to buy MP3s to further accentuate their Napster music experience. Apparently the unlimited music model will remain the company’s main focus. Further on, year 2008 will see many more mobile phone makers shipping Napster To Go compatible handsets.

The file format change will apply only to single tracks and album purchases, while tracks that are downloaded as part of Napster’s music subscription service will have copyright restrictions as before.

Speaking about the company’s step to MP3s for download sales Napster’s Chairman and CEO Chris Gorog said, “As there is now a critical mass of support for MP3s we are very pleased to announce we will soon offer our customers the user-friendly MP3 file format throughout our product line-up and provide the top-tier content our users expect from Napster. The ubiquity and cross-platform compatibility of MP3s should create a more level playing field for music services and hardware providers and result in greater ease of use and broader adoption of digital music.”

Napster is the very first music subscription service featuring major label content to announce a total 100% adoption of the MP3 format for download sales. Further details about the MP3 venture will be announced soon.

Initially songs were submitted to DRM (digital rights management) so that illicit copy or distribution of songs can be averted. However, music companies requiring that and the music consumers differed entirely, and gradually the system became highly unpopular.