[danimalchil]

Scoop: RIM in talks for BlackBerry music service | Media Maverick - CNET News

At a time when Research in Motion needs to sex itself up, the Canadian smartphone maker is in talks with the four largest record companies about launching a new music service to run on top of BlackBerry Messenger, the company's instant-messenger service, multiple sources told CNET.

T-Mobile's BlackBerry Bold 9900 may be getting a new music service soon.
(Credit: T-Mobile)
RIM has signed a deal with at least one of the top-four record companies and is close to signing at least two others, the sources said, adding that RIM could launch a test version of the service within the next few weeks.
Details about how RIM's new music service would work are few and a RIM spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
The major labels, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and EMI Music, are eager to see new retail services and to continue being part of mobile devices, especially smartphones. Yesterday, MetroPCS Communications announced that Android phone owners who subscribe to the company's $60-per-month rate plan can receive access to the music-subscription service Rhapsody.
For RIM, the deal marks the latest attempt to grow beyond its roots as a stodgy tool of the corporate world and into a more full-fledged entertainment device worthy of consumer attention. Over the past few years, the company has worked to improve its BlackBerry line's music and media players, and worked to associate itself with hip bands such as U2 with varying success.
RIM is linking its music service to BBM because it remains one of BlackBerry's last critical assets. The messenger service acts as a social network keeping people on their BlackBerrys, and has been a valuable tool in retaining and adding overseas customers and younger consumers in North America.
To better improve the performance of its BBM service, RIM opened it up to developers last month, allowing deeper integration with separate applications such as video games and social check-in programs like Foursquare.
Plans for the music service emerge as RIM prepares for the widest--and arguably most important--launch of BlackBerrys in the company's history. The company is banking that its line-up, which includes the flagship BlackBerry Bold, and a full-touchscreen and slider keyboard variations of the Torch, will be enough to restart the company's growth.
A successful launch is critical because the current devices are meant to bridge the gap between its aging Blackberry operating system and the next-generation QNX software, which powers the PlayBook tablet and new smartphones coming out next year. The current line-up of devices represent the first new BlackBerrys in roughly a year.
RIM's march into the consumer world, which got off to a fantastic start with the blockbuster BlackBerry Pearl phone first launched five years ago, was curtailed by Apple's iPhone and the rise of smartphones using Google's Android software. Over the past few years, RIM has seen its growth drop dramatically.
In the second quarter, RIM's share of the global smartphone market slipped to just under 12 percent from nearly a fifth of the total market a year ago, according to a study by Gartner. At the same time, players such as Apple and heavy Android supporters Samsung Electronics and HTC have made large strides.
RIM's recent pricing strategy suggests that it is easing off the consumer pedal, with carriers selling its flagship BlackBerry Bold phone for $249.99 to $299.99 with a multi-year service contract. That price point is more likely to attract businessmen than normal consumers. Still, RIM is offering cheaper alternatives, including a $49.99 BlackBerry Torch for AT&T.
Music, meanwhile, has played an increasingly important role as the players in the wireless industry seek to differentiate their services and features. Prepaid carrier MetroPCS announced yesterday that subscribers on its higher-tier Android phone plan would receive access to Rhapsody Unlimited Music service and its catalog of 12 million songs.
While traditionally carriers have delivered these kinds of services to their customers, the handset vendors are increasingly working to build their own relationship with users. For RIM, the BBM music service would be another reason to buy a BlackBerry, regardless of the carrier. When music service Spotify launched last month, Motorola Mobility touted itself as the exclusive launch partner, and that its customers would get "coveted early access."


Read more: Scoop: RIM in talks for BlackBerry music service | Media Maverick - CNET News


Interesting.

[Draconianfire83]

This sounds pretty sweet! I'm glad that I am part of BlackBerry Beta Zone

[csmith954]

I hope this goes through, A music service connected with BBM would be awesome

[drjay868]

I wonder if 7Digital is going to be connected to this at all?

Good point, Draconian... I'm glad I'm part of the beta zone too!

[OverShadow417]

So, by music service, do they mean like Grooveshark or Pandora? Cause yeah, I thought they already had a thing going with 7Digital.

Also, this would mean it streams through BBM.......er.....

So confused. Someone explain.

[limh5]

Here's another article about the music service. This one is from Globe and Mail: RIM near BlackBerry music service launch: sources - The Globe and Mail

[Bballbenb]

Can anyone please explain exactly how this music service would work? Would it be like itunes where you can only have songs downloaded from it? Will you be able to sync your mp3 or itunes library to it?!

[sosumi11]

Can anyone please explain exactly how this music service would work? Would it be like itunes where you can only have songs downloaded from it? Will you be able to sync your mp3 or itunes library to it?!

Nobody knows yet, because no deal has been made yet.

The chances of a Blackberry music service syncing with an Apple service is nearly impossible. Apple's ecosystem is based on the iTunes model.

[_StephenBB81]

Can anyone please explain exactly how this music service would work? Would it be like itunes where you can only have songs downloaded from it? Will you be able to sync your mp3 or itunes library to it?!

everything is conjecture,

But I would bet they do a Music buying service that allows carrier billing, and cloud storage, and probably local storage as well.

I would hope hey allow for media sync with your existing music, I wouldn't be surprised if they messed it up in the beta zone.

[allengeorge]

I was amused when I read the MetroPCS deal with Rhapsody. I advocated for RIM to introduce an all-you-can eat BlackBerry Media plan sometime ago (still trying to find the post) and was shot down. It was an obvious idea, really, and I'm surprised that it took so long for a carrier to offer it. And I'm surprised that it took so long for RIM to go this route - I mean Kik was founded around this idea, no?

[Jake Storm]

Lots of cool stuff coming for BB this year!

[Dapper37]

Nobody knows yet, because no deal has been made yet.

The chances of a Blackberry music service syncing with an Apple service is nearly impossible. Apple's ecosystem is based on the iTunes model.

All I can say is that my apple music works great on all my bb devices. If I dont have to give Steve jobs another cent I'm all the more happy. Go RIM..

[SCrid2000]

It does sound pretty cool (and a better deal than zune at $10 a month) but I already have all the music I need so I'd personally pass on it.

[southlander]

The pundits are making fun already. Comparing it to Nokia trying music and failing. But of course the pundits are ignoring the tie in with BBM which is a worldwide growing messaging service. Why the need to make simple comparisons when things are not that simple. Also mentioned was that RIM already has a couple of the major labels on board.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[CrackedBarry]

It sounds like one of RIMs "Uh! Ah! Me too!"-ideas, Ala the Playbook and the rumored Blackberry TV device, that'll end as a halfassed failure. (Most likely because they'll make itndependent on one of their other products like BBM)


First of all, music and media isn't in RIMs genes."
And secondly, it's a pretty hard thing to pull off, even for companies with one foot already in the music biz like Sony. (Apple is the only one who've really succeeded, and hey... RIM is no Apple! )

Nokias music effort is actually a good example, whether you like it or not, and BBM makes little difference (Nokia also had their own messaging platform) and if anything, BBM is going to be a disadvantage for RIMs effort, by making them dependent on each other. (Hello Bridge!)

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Skeevecr]

I think something like spotify is the more likely comparison with this as the bbm link probably means you'll have access to your contacts playlists and stuff like that.

The main thing they will need to bear in mind is that whatever they offer has to stand up in its own right as a music service and not be entirely dependent on the bbm side of it to try and prop up an inadequate music service as that just won't be worth bothering with for most people when they already have plenty of options for getting music onto their device anyway.

I have to say that despite all these various offerings, my favourite combination is still my own music copied onto the sd card combined with the TuneIn radio app.

[CrackedBarry]

It most likely will only be available for North American users.

Cause the really tricky part is making it worldwide. Record companies in the US have the rights only for the US, record companies in Europe have the European rights, and so on...
Which is why making it worldwide is really tricky, and involves talking to all the worldwide rights holders seperately.

This is why you have Spotify in (some) European countries, and another provider in the US.
Apple is the only company that has managed ONE worldwide service that works the same everywhere...

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[habicht]

Hi to all,

What I think this bbm music is about:

You pay $5/month
You can have up to 50 songs in your list and be able to change them
You have access to up to 50? bbm friends music lists as well 51*50=2550 songs

For music label, this is a great deal as well, they get paid 255$ for 2550 songs/month

Share your music/share costs!

There will be new hardware as well... QNX powered stereo-gateways for listening on your hifi!

May they include up to 5HD music videos as well?

First month will be free! You can play music just on BB devices (Phone,PB,Stereo gateway)... They are stored local and refreshed every 24h!

This is less than a rumor, just my oppinion!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[allengeorge]

I really can't see the value in what they're offering. You pay $5 a month (in perpetuity) for a fixed pool of 50 songs, and no streaming at all*. Tell me how this is worth it?

* I can guess why they're not offering streaming: this would require carriers to get on board, because you'd want to ensure that content from your service doesn't count against a user's usage rate. And of course, most carriers wouldn't want to do this, and RIM doesn't have to market strength to force the issue.

[habicht]

What's so great about streaming?

Local storage
+ 32 GB sd card = up to 10.000 songs
+ high quality
- sd card needed

Streaming
- costs battery
- bad for CDMA
- network coverage
- bad quality
+ no sd card needed

Streaming makes sense for HD videos, because they need a lot of storage


Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[the_sleuth]

Here's another take on it from WSJ:
BlackBerry Music: $5 a Month, 50 Songs - Peter Kafka - Media - AllThingsD

BlackBerry Music: $5 a Month, 50 Songs
Published on August 20, 2011
by Peter Kafka

Five dollars a month. Fifty songs you can share with your friends. But only on your BlackBerry, and their BlackBerries.

That�s the basic pitch behind BBM Music, the new subscription service Research In Motion plans to roll out soon.

As previously reported, the BlackBerry-maker is in late-stage talks with the big music labels; music industry sources believe RIM is aiming for a beta launch in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom in early September. A RIM rep declined to comment.

Some other details:

A full-fledged rollout is planned for the first three territories later this fall.
RIM is negotiating global licenses with the music companies, and expects to launch in other territories in 2012; the big idea is to piggyback on the success of RIM�s BlackBerry Messenger service, which has more than 45 million users worldwide.
Subscribers won�t be able to export their music to PCs or other hardware, with the exception of RIM�s much-maligned PlayBook tablet.
Subscribers will be able to share songs with friends who are also BBM Music subscribers.

So why would anyone pay $5 a month to get 50 songs on their phone, when they can pay $10 a month and get an unlimited number of songs, that work on lots of different devices, from services like Rdio and Rhapsody?

Reasonable question! But RIM seems to be assuming that its subscribers won�t ask. Instead it is playing up the notion that BBM Music will be about �personalizing� your phone, in the same way that ringtones supposedly did a decade ago.

Ringtones, as you�ll recall, let buyers play a few seconds of a song, and sold for a couple bucks, while full songs from Apple�s iTunes went for 99 cents. And for a few years, the music companies and the wireless carriers sold lots and lots of ringtones. (Crazy Frog!)

As I wrote yesterday, I don�t think a mini-subscription service is a terrible idea. Yes, standard subscription services offer much more bang for the buck, but they have yet to take the world by storm. And while people say they want unlimited music, they generally end up listening to a very small number of songs, over and over.

And if RIM can integrate billing through the carriers, so its users can sign up directly on their phones without having to take out a credit card, even better. This won�t save the company, but I don�t see how it hurts it.

[allengeorge]

And while people say they want unlimited music, they generally end up listening to a very small number of songs, over and over.

That may be, but I have a feeling people don't like the idea of limits.

I'm curious if they'll integrate this with a "music tastes" backend - something like Last.FM, that pushes recommendations for similar songs to you over time. Seems like it could be a neat idea, but I suspect that kind of data-analysis isn't really in RIM's genes.

[habicht]

I'm curious if they'll integrate this with a "music tastes" backend - something like Last.FM, that pushes recommendations for similar songs to you over time. Seems like it could be a neat idea, but I suspect that kind of data-analysis isn't really in RIM's genes.

This is where BBM will assist! If someone adds a new song, you will be informed! New songs will be shared through BBM! I think bbm music is designed not to store your fav 'classics'! It's designed to share new songs via social network BBM!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[MartyMcfly]

What's the point? You can share songs via bbm/Bluetooth now

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[_StephenBB81]

What's the point? You can share songs via bbm/Bluetooth now

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

This is to make it legal,

currently it isn't legal to give someone the song you paid for unless they pay for it, this is something the RRIA will like because people can share music IN the service, and they get their cut.