Jinxed online music sharing company-turned-online music peddler Napster has launched a service in Japan. Now, Napster will offer the Japanese over 1.5 million Japanese and foreign music downloads. It is tip-toeing Apple’s line who launched iTunes in Japan in 2005.
Anyway, it may make Napster good sense to start a Japanese service for Japan is the second largest music market after the US.
Coming back to Napster’s Japan venture, the company has entered into a JV with Tower Records Japan. They will now offer individual tracks and albums for 150 to 300 yen per track. Also, users can go for a monthly download subscription for 1,280 yen that will allow them unlimited music downloads. These downloads will be limited to PCs only for the time being.
For downloading music directly to a mobile device of choice the subscription is priced at 1,980 yen a month.
Napster’s fortunes have dwindled over the past half-decade after the forced shutdown of its free music downloading service. It went to the paid model for downloads but over the last few years they subscriber numbers have seen a steady decline so much so that it was up for sale only recently.
Napster should have tried to exploit large markets like Japan before Apple moved in with their iTunes. What remains to be seen is how much Napster can gain from its Japanese venture.
News: BBCNews.com
