Nokia to launch music download service

Handset giant Nokia will launch its long-rumored worldwide online music service next month, according to Fortune. Citing sources close to the initiative, Fortune reports Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo will announce the new worldwide service Aug. 29 during a London event at the Ministry of Sound nightclub, with an autumn launch timed to the anticipated European release of rival Apple's iPhone device. The digital storefront will enable consumers to download songs to their PCs for transfer to mobile phones and other portable music players, similar to Apple's iTunes. The service is expected to allow transfer of DRM-protected songs to non-Nokia handsets.

Although one source says Nokia will launch with more than a million songs, details on label partners and other content agreements are not yet known. Nokia is also expected to introduce a series of new music phones.

Kallasvuo hinted at the music service as early as June, explaining corporate restructuring moves by saying "The convergence of the mobile communications and Internet industries is opening up new growth opportunities for us, both in the devices business as well as in consumer Internet services and enterprise solutions."

For more on the Nokia music service:
- read this Fortune article

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